Today, it has a multidisciplinary team of seven people who specialize in the fields of wastewater, waste, soil, air, regulation and sustainable development. The Environment Department is responsible for corporate environmental management as well as achieving progress in sustainable development. It also assists the plants in bringing to the fore the Cascades philosophy.

Its core mandates are the following:

• Define and update the corporate environmental mission;
  
• Actively participate in the development of environmental laws and regulations in partnership with associations and different levels of government;
  
• Ensure environmental follow-up with the plants and the members of senior management;
  
• Provide support to the plants in order to continuously improve their environmental situation;
  
• Carry out due diligence for the sale or acquisition of plants;
  Incorporate the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development into the company.

Amongst our achievements are the following:

• Reduction of GHG via an energy consumption optimization program;
  
• a significant reduction in and the beneficial use of residues;
  
• an unbelievably efficient water consumption reduction program (an average annual flow rate of 12.5 m³/t at Cascades in 2011);
  
• an 19-category multi-matter recovery program;
  
• participation in the implementation of a Green procurement policy;
  
• etc.

Protection of the environment and sustainable development, on an even wider scale today, have been Cascades' core values since its inception. Relentless efforts to achieve its environmental mission have paid off, since Cascades is now showcased as an example to follow in the industry.