Citizenship Review

Citizenship Review
2009
INTRODUCTION
2009 in review
In 2009, Cirque du Soleil celebrated its
25th year of creativity and innovation with
the community around it. From Gaspé
and Montreal in Quebec to Santa Monica,
California, Cirque made a point of inviting
those who were there at the beginning
and who saw it first take flight to join
in the celebrations.
In a year also marked by its founder’s Poetic
Social Mission, Cirque du Soleil discovered
new territories, from the earth to the stars.
Cirque continues to move forward and its
partners are becoming ever more diverse,
bringing new economic, social and
environmental considerations to light.
Touring shows –
big top and arena
• 3 big top touring shows: KOOZA,
OVO and TOTEM
• 2 big top touring shows: Quidam
and Varekai
• Some 9,900 tickets graciously offered
to agencies working with youth at risk,
enabling them to organize benefit shows
• More than 3,900 tickets graciously offered
to agencies working with youth at risk,
enabling them to organize benefit shows
• 8 cities visited in 2009 (in Mexico and Brazil)
• 300 tickets graciously offered to agencies
working with youth at risk, enabling them
to organize benefit shows
• Over 4,500 tickets donated to community
organizations, enabling their beneficiaries
to enjoy our shows
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• 1 office in London
• 28 cities visited in 2009
• 1 big top touring show: Quidam
Asia
• 2 resident shows: ZAIA and ZED
• 2 arena touring shows: Quidam
and Saltimbanco
• 56 cities visited in 2009
South America
• 7 resident shows in Las Vegas: Mystère,
“O”, Zumanity, KÀ, The Beatles LOVE,
CRISS ANGEL Believe and Viva ELVIS
• 2 theatre shows: Wintuk and
Banana Shpeel
Europe
• Some 25,000 tickets donated to community
organizations, enabling their beneficiaries to
enjoy our shows
North America
• 1 resident show in Orlando: La Nouba
North America
• 2 arena touring shows: Saltimbanco
and Alegría
Resident
and
theatre shows
• Over 4,800 tickets donated to community
organizations, enabling their beneficiaries
to enjoy our shows
Asia-Pacific
• 2 big top touring shows: Dralion and Corteo
• 7 cities visited in 2009
• More than 3,300 tickets graciously offered
to agencies working with youth at risk,
enabling them to organize benefit shows
• Over 3,300 tickets donated to community
organizations, enabling their beneficiaries
to enjoy our shows
Headquarters
• 1 international headquarters in Montreal
• 1 regional headquarters in Las Vegas
• 1 regional headquarters in Macau
Santa Monica
Santa Monica: A site with history for Cirque du Soleil
The city of Santa Monica holds a special place
in the history of Cirque du Soleil. It is where,
in 1987, a small Canadian troupe presented
its first series of shows on U.S. soil. Two
decades later, Cirque du Soleil returned to
the Santa Monica Pier with KOOZA in 2009.
- Participation in the Santa Monica Pier’s
centennial celebrations.
Being Cirque’s 25th birthday, it was the
perfect time to celebrate with the people of
southern California. Cirque du Soleil made a
point of getting involved with the community
that had allowed it to return to a very special
site. It was important for Cirque du Soleil to
participate in local activities and contribute to the
community as a neighbour of choice. A
number of initiatives were developed,
including:
- Ten weeks of Cirque du Monde workshops
in collaboration with the Santa Monica Police
Activities League.
- Participation in the Sideshow at the Santa
Monica Pier, a great buskers’ festival held
in the area.
- Eight Cirque du Soleil employees taking part
in a panel discussion benefiting the Santa
Monica-Malibu Board of Education Foundation
(evening of November 16), followed by a slightly
modified version the next day for the juniors
and seniors of the school board. Those in
attendance got to learn about the professional
lives from people as diverse as an artistic
director, a make-up supervisor, a senior
director of technical show support, a director
Green committees
to ensure our shows excel on
the environmental front
Employees’ commitment to environmental
initiatives taken by the company has led
to the creation of green committees. These
committees were formed over the course
of the past year and represent the hundredplus employees (artistic, technical and
support staff) on each show.
The goals for big top and arena touring
shows are varied. The primary aim is to
stimulate employees’ interest in such areas
as waste management, the conservation
and non-contamination of water, and energy
efficiency. Through common forums, the
green committees on all the big top and
arena shows can share and learn from each
others’ initiatives. One of the challenges
faced by the committees is maintaining
these initiatives in each city they visit, as
the infrastructures and resources are different
in each place.
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In the case of resident shows, the main
issue lies in coordinating the efforts of those
involved—i.e. Cirque du Soleil and the
owners of the performance spaces—to
develop initiatives that benefit everyone. A
questionnaire has been distributed among
Cirque du Soleil employees in Las Vegas and
Orlando to determine what initiatives already
exist. In 2010, the data from this survey will
be gathered and shared with all the North
American resident shows, which may result
in new initiatives being implemented over the
coming year.
of casting in Las Vegas, a director of global
citizenship, a solo trapeze artist and a public
service director on tour, plus the legendary
Carmen Ruest, Cirque pioneer and director
of creation.
In addition to being a celebration of Cirque’s
25th birthday, the KOOZA premiere, called
La Soirée, was also a benefit gala with all
proceeds going to the ONE DROP Foundation
and Heal the Bay, a local organization
dedicated to environmental protection.
ONE DROP :
Benefit gala
partner
ONE DROP was founded by Guy Laliberté
with a view to fulfilling his dream of
providing all human beings with access to
clean water and, therefore, the opportunity
to live in health and dignity. The first ONE
DROP galas were held in 2009. These were
presented with the close cooperation of
Cirque du Soleil, in conjunction with the
premiere of its shows or special Tapis
Rouge events.
The very first ONE DROP gala took place
in Montreal to coincide with the world
premiere of OVO. On this occasion, a
who’s-who of Montrealers turned out
to mark the 25th anniversary of Cirque
du Soleil and to show their support for
ONE DROP programs. An incredible
CAN $1.8 million was raised for the
cause in this single evening.
Benefit galas were then held in Quebec
City, Santa Monica and Toronto. Through
this collaboration, a total of some CAN
$2.2 million was raised for ONE DROP.
New market,
familiar
territory
Since its founding, Cirque du Soleil has
visited 29 countries around the world,
including 17 in Europe alone. Today, its
employees and artists represent some
50 nationalities and 25 languages. Aside
from English and French, another language
stands out at Cirque du Soleil: Russian.
Russians account for a substantial
proportion of Cirque’s performers: in 2009,
this was 12.3%, or 175 individual artists.
Russian expertise has made its mark
in virtually every Cirque du Soleil show
since the creation of Nouvelle Expérience
in 1990.
And yet, 2009 marked the very first time
a Cirque du Soleil show had ever been
performed in Russia, as Varekai ran in
Moscow for over seven weeks. This
incursion into a new market in familiar
territory looks promising on a number of
fronts. For instance, the Global Citizenship
Service has entered into talks with
Russian social organizations interested
in developing social circus projects to
which Cirque du Soleil could contribute
its expertise. Projects are currently being
studied for the Astrakhan, Saint Petersburg
and Moscow regions.
Before Varekai, Cirque du Soleil announced
its arrival in memorable fashion by taking
part in the final of the Eurovision song
contest, this year held in Moscow. An
estimated 100 million viewers across
Russia and Europe were treated to
a remarkable four-minute signature
performance by Cirque du Soleil
featuring some 30 artists on stage.
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A year of celebrations
1984–2009: 25 years of creativity, audacity
and fun! In addition to internal celebrations
with employees, artists and craftspeople,
several public events marked this occasion:
From May to October, Baie-Saint-Paul—the
town east of Quebec City where the troupe
that would become Cirque du Soleil was
founded—played host to L’Éveil du géant,
a tribute event serving as the focal point
for numerous activities.
Meanwhile, the Old Port of Montréal Corporation
commemorated the anniversary with the
inauguration of the Circus Arts Promenade,
a permanent venue where passersby can
enjoy some 650 free circus acts each summer.
bike fest added special activities highlighting
Cirque’s 25th anniversary.
In June, as the site of the troupe’s very first
show in 1984, the town of Gaspé paid
special tribute to Cirque du Soleil with an
event attended by Guy Laliberté himself.
This milestone year was also the perfect
opportunity to launch original products and
initiatives such as a 25th-anniversary double
album of the music of Cirque du Soleil, the
Artisans du rêve / Dream Weavers costume
exhibition and 25 Years of Costumes, a book
fêting the passion, expertise and contribution of
those who designed and crafted the distinctive
costumes featured in Cirque’s shows.
Also in Montreal, the Loto-Québec International
Fireworks competition and the Tour de l’île
A new governance model
“Cirque du Soleil sees itself as an agent
of change in society. As such, it sets out to
be an exemplary citizen.” This is one aspect
of the management philosophy that Cirque
du Soleil is putting forward to define and
apply its new governance model.
Beyond its mission, goals and values,
Cirque is creating its own series of foundation
documents, including a code of ethics and
a citizenship governance policy. These
documents are based on the organization’s
fundamental principles—namely, that creation
is at the very heart of everything it does and
that the mission of Cirque du Soleil is to
continually push the boundaries of creativity
on every level. Explicit references to the
concepts of citizenship and sustainable
development can be found throughout the
governance project, which will serve to guide
the decisions and actions expected of the
organization’s employees.
This major milestone in the history of Cirque
du Soleil will reflect its intention to give itself
specific means of adapting and applying its
citizenship philosophy to each of its spheres
of activity.
New productions
Banana Shpeel, Viva ELVIS, OVO and
Les Chemins Invisibles all opened in 2009;
in keeping with the Cirque du Soleil diversification
strategy, these shows represent four different
formats.
Vegas, inside the brand new CityCenter
hotel complex. The OVO big top is currently
crisscrossing North America, while Les Chemins
Invisibles is planned to run be presented
outdoors in Quebec City for five summers.
The team behind Banana Shpeel broke
new ground for Cirque du Soleil by exploring
vaudeville and mounting a traditional stage
production. Viva ELVIS became the 7th
Cirque show to take up residence in Las
Despite the ongoing economic crisis, we
expect some 15 million people to see a live
Cirque du Soleil show in 2010.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
(Find out more at http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/communities)
In gratitude for the community’s longstanding support, Cirque du Soleil feels that it is important
to give back. It is in this spirit that Cirque has developed relationships with organizations and
partners active in both social affairs and cultural issues as well as with circus communities around
the world.
RESiDENt SHOwS
Job Skills 411
Once a month, RSD Human Resources
employees volunteer at Street Teens,
a local community partner in Las Vegas.
This is a program initiated by HR
employees designed to use their own
job skills to give back to the community.
HR reps meet with homeless teens to
work on employment-related skills such
as how to find a job, build a résumé
or impress in an interview.
During the twelve visits to Street Teens
in 2009, fourteen Cirque du Soleil
employees worked directly with some
25 to 30 young people, providing each
with a flash drive containing various
job search documents.
“O” volunteers install custom-made bookshelves
at Boys Hope Girls Hope Nevada (BHGH)
More and more Cirque du Soleil employees from all over the world are volunteering their time
in the communities where they live and work. For instance, in Las Vegas, carpenters at “O”
custom-built and installed bookshelf units for the group home at Boys Hope Girls Hope Nevada,
one of Cirque’s Las Vegas community partners.
Benefit performance by the ZAIA team
The ZAIA team lent its support to the Pak
Tin Centre for disabled children in Hong
Kong by dedicating a benefit performance
to the organization. Proceeds helped
the Centre purchase a minibus to transport
its wheelchair-bound pupils. This event was
organized in cooperation with local charity
Variety Hong Kong, Société générale Hong
Kong bank and the Venetian Macao Resort
Hotel, where ZAIA plays.
Members of Corteo and ZED visit
children’s hospital
Artists and staff members from ZED and Corteo spread smiles and cheer among the
pint-sized patients at Tokyo’s National Centre for Child Development and Health (NCCHD)
during the Holiday season. This activity was organized in collaboration with the Tyler
Foundation, which helps children suffering from cancer, and the XMas Toy Drive. The thirty
or so representatives handed out dozens of gifts donated by the troupes on both shows.
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tOuRiNg SHOwS
Cirque du Monde workshop
with Machincuepa Circo Social
in Mexico City
The Mexico City stop on the Dralion tour
was the perfect occasion for artists and tour
personnel to get together with some thirty young
people and staff from Machincuepa Circo
Social, an organization that has been associated
with the Cirque du Monde program for a number
of years. For an afternoon, these youngsters
from one of the most underprivileged areas
of the Mexican megapolis had the opportunity
to explore a Cirque du Soleil tour site. They
also attended an artist training session and
were introduced to some circus arts in three
workshops led by people from Dralion.
These experiences were very rewarding
for the Dralion employees and artists who
volunteered to spend part of their day with
kids whose everyday reality is often bleak.
For participants, these few hours become
memories they carry with them for a lifetime.
Through Machincuepa Circo Social, Cirque
du Soleil has been able to connect with
organizations in other parts of Mexico where
Cirque tours. These organizations—all
involved in helping at-risk youth—are provided
with tickets to a preview performance of the
Cirque du Soleil show playing in their city, which
they can pass on to their young beneficiaries.
Murals
in Brazil
Quidam, touring Brazil since June 2009,
provided at-risk youth with an original
opportunity to express themselves
through a visual art project. In each
city visited by the show, kids and teens
enrolled in organizations associated
with the Cirque du Monde Brazil program
were encouraged to help create a mural
measuring 2 m x 2.4 m under the
guidance of a local artist.
The murals—officially unveiled in front
of local media on the evening of the
preview performance in each city—were
given pride of place in the large Cirque
du Soleil entrance tent. In some cities,
youngsters from the Brazilian Cirque
du Monde network were even on hand
to show off a few tricks!
In every case, the mural was returned
to the local organization involved in the
project to be sold. Proceeds were then
distributed among the network’s member
organizations.
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KOOZA in New York: An eye-opening encounter
When KOOZA visited New York, the stage
was set for an eye-opening encounter at
The Point—a community organization based
in the South Bronx area of Hunts Point and
a longstanding Cirque du Monde member.
Joined by local social circus trainers, KOOZA
tour members met with members of the
organization’s staff, who are committed
to contributing to the development of the
neighbourhood by offering youngsters
arts- and culture-based programs including
circus arts workshops, and got a first-hand
look at their working environment.
Seeing the difficult conditions faced by
The Point’s workers, KOOZA members got
to discussing various ideas and experiences
with them. Such encounters with on-the-ground
social circus workers always make for
an emotional, moving and—above all—
productive experience.
First social circus
workshops
in Japan
In collaboration with its partner FUJI-TV,
Corteo had the opportunity to make contact
with local youth organizations on its Japanese
tour. In Nagoya, the team welcomed youth
separated from their families; in Osaka, the
visitors were young people suffering from
mental health problems, requiring the careful
attention of those involved in the activity.
Exchange with Russian circuses
during Moscow run of Varekai
Cirque du Soleil feels it is important to forge
ties of friendship with other circus companies.
In acknowledgement of creativity in all its
forms, Cirque makes a point of inviting interested
members of circus troupes to learn about
what goes into its shows. Therefore, wherever
its shows go, Cirque du Soleil often gets in
touch with local troupes or others performing
in the same area at the same time. This
occurs with close cooperation between the
Casting Department and touring personnel.
In 2009, the first foray into Russian territory
for Cirque du Soleil brought about fruitful
exchange between the local circus community
and members of the Varekai tour. It was
an excellent opportunity for each party
to discover the other’s creative worlds.
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Thus, Cirque du Soleil decided to provide
tickets for the preview and the premiere
of Varekai to Russian circuses such as
Rosgoscirk, Bolshoi Circus, Nikulin Moscow
Circus (the Old Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy
Boulevard) and Upsala Circus from Saint
Petersburg. These initiatives have given rise
to new relationships and exchange, as
evidenced by invitations from the Bolshoi
Circus and the Nikulin Moscow Circus for
the Varekai troupe to see their shows and
meet their artists. Russia’s association of
circus artists also paid tribute to Guy Laliberté
by presenting him with a certificate of
recognition at the Moscow premiere
of Varekai on October 24.
Artists and tour staff gave generously of their
time to host these small groups of young
people and their accompanying adults. In
addition to special behind-the-scenes access,
all had the chance to discover and experience
circus arts by participating in workshops led
by artists and technicians.
HEaDquaRtERS
An environmental
artist at
Cirque
Employees at Cirque du Soleil headquarters
were invited to take part in creating an
ephemeral work by environmental artist
Marc Walter. Volunteers got the chance
to do so during workshops led by the
artist himself. Made entirely from organic
materials, this work titled Les Beauxparleurs was exhibited near the Cirque
du Soleil facilities in the Saint-Michel
Environmental Complex.
Arts nomades project
Kids and art: Confirming the positive impact
An initiative of Cirque du Soleil and École
Buissonnière*1 in partnership with the community
of Saint-Michel*2, the Arts nomades project is
entering its fourth consecutive year working with
elementary-school children in the Saint-Michel
neighbourhood through arts and culture. The
2008 Citizenship Review reported that some
360 kids at two schools were participating
in the pilot project.
Adjustments to the project for the beginning
of the 2009 school year added a third school
and doubled the number of children enrolled.
Since September 2009, over 700 students
have taken part in workshops involving plastic
arts, dance and circus arts co-led by
instructor-artists from the Arts nomades
program and the schools’ teachers.
Evidence from the schools demonstrates that
artistic and cultural activities have positive
effects on children’s social and academic
development. More specifically, the project
has been shown to boost children’s selfesteem and confidence and help create a
sense of belonging to the school. An initiation
in the arts encourages kids to express their
creativity and imagination, which for many
constitutes a source of motivation and
self-worth—important conditions for their
academic and social success.
Dream Weavers
Cirque du Soleil
costumes
As one of the marquee events celebrating
the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil,
the Artisans du Rêve / Dream Weavers –
Cirque du Soleil costumes exhibition brought
over 10,000 visitors to the Musée d’art
contemporain in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec—
a town closely associated with the beginnings
of the group of performers that would become
Cirque du Soleil in 1984.
The exhibition looked at how characters are
created through costume. Visitors were invited
to explore the arts of millinery, dyeing, costumemaking, lace-making and shoe-making and
learn about the roles and experiences of
Cirque’s craftspeople through words and
images. Put together by the Cirque du Soleil
Cultural Action team, this costume history
revolves around three major themes—passion,
collaboration and pushing the boundaries.
Each theme explores the emotions underlying
the essence of the artistic quest as well as
the expertise behind the finished costume.
Further opportunities to see this exhibition
will be announced in 2010.
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*1 : École Buissonnière is a private school in the Montreal area.
*2 : Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are located in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal. This outlying, economically
sensitive neighbourhood is adjacent to the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex, site of a vast revitalization project on former
industrial land.
Development of teaching tools
for social circus training
In 2000, Cirque du Soleil created a social
circus training program for circus instructors
and social workers. Since then, the program
has enabled thousands of young people to
turn their lives around by helping them regain
self-confidence and develop both personally
and socially.
A decade of field experience later, the Social
Circus Department at Cirque du Soleil is now
recognized as a world leader in this field and
is in the process of developing new training
tools to be released in 2010:
1. A written guide and a video on teaching
circus arts, developed in close collaboration
with Canada’s National Circus School (NCS).
2. A social circus training program for
instructors and social workers.
3. A document describing the role of social
workers in a social circus context.
Cirque du Monde in Atikamekw
nation communities
At the beginning of the year, the Social Action
and Responsibility Department at Cirque
du Soleil met with the Grand Chief of the
Atikamekw nation in Trois-Rivières, Quebec,
to sign a partnership agreement. The program,
launched ten years ago, is still going strong
in these First Nations communities.
The Cirque du
Monde program
in 2009
North america
• 16 Cirque du Monde sites active in 29
communities: Manawan and Wemotaci
(Atikamekw nation), Drummondville,
Baie-Saint-Paul, Montreal, Quebec City,
Sherbrooke and Victoriaville in Quebec;
Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New
York and Orlando in the United States.
As an integral part of the five-year development
plan for the Atikamekw nation, Cirque du
Monde has already proven its worth as a
social outreach tool. This is, at the very least,
what those running and participating in the
program in these communities would like
to show over the coming years.
• 7 social circus training sessions
attended by 28 agencies in Canada
and the U.S.
South america
• 5 sites active in 32 communities:
Brazil (25 communities); Santiago,
Chile; Choluteca, Honduras; Mexico City,
Mexico; and Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
School supplies and Christmas
baskets: Social action in Montreal
Employees at International Headquarters
in Montreal had numerous opportunities to
express solidarity with organizations and
causes affecting their neighbours. Cirque is
involved in its home community of SaintMichel—an area known for its cultural diversity
but also for the precarious economic situation
of a large portion of its residents, many of
whom are newcomers to the country.
Activities to raise funds and collect goods
were instituted to lend a hand on various
occasions:
- School supplies were given out to local
children in time for the new school year. This
equipped 359 families with the supplies they
needed—29 more than the previous year.
Eight Cirque du Soleil employees gave
generously of their time to hand out the
supplies at the premises of a nearby social
organization.
- For the Holidays, Cirque du Soleil donated
CAN $10,000 for food to be purchased by a
local organization and distributed according
to families’ needs. To help with distribution,
Cirque du Soleil sent out a team of 20 people,
plus a truck and driver, who spent a whole
afternoon spreading their good cheer.
• 2 social circus training sessions
attended by 24 organizations from
2 different countries.
Europe
• 1 Cirque du Monde site active:
Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• 2 social circus training sessions
attended by 17 organizations from
10 European countries.
africa, Middle East
and asia-Pacific
• 9 sites active in 24 communities:
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Douala,
Cameroon (4 communities); Cape Town
and Durban, South Africa (7 communities);
Beirut, Lebanon; Singapore (3 communities);
Ulaanbaatar and Dornod, Mongolia (5
communities); and Broken Hill, Australia.
• 2 social circus training sessions
attended by 19 organizations from
6 countries.
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Social circus
in Nunavik
The year 2009 marked the beginning of
an official collaborative relationship with
the Kativik Regional Government (KRG).
The KRG—which governs Nunavik, the
Far North region of Quebec—entered
talks with Cirque du Soleil with a view
to implementing a social circus project
involving all of its 14 communities.
By fostering self-esteem, a sense of
belonging, creative and artistic expression,
perseverance and discipline, the KRG
social circus program seeks to promote
education and employment, reduce
alcohol and drug abuse, and prevent
violence.
Cirque du Soleil will act in an advisory
capacity for instructors working with
the youth of Nunavik. The 15 years
of experience accumulated since the
launch of the Cirque du Monde program
will be put to good use in this stimulating
new project. We are already preparing
the ground for this project and exploring
various avenues.
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Great Cirque du Monde
gathering in Baie-Saint-Paul
In May, 140 young people participating in
social circus programs across Quebec filled
the streets of Baie-Saint-Paul for a colourful
parade with a “gypsy carnival” theme.
The event had special significance in this 25th
anniversary year and was co-organized with
Forum Jeunesse, a local Cirque du Monde
partner. In addition to the 140 young people
in attendance, there were 19 instructors,
23 social workers and 15 Forum Jeunesse
volunteers on hand. The parade and show
entertained some 700 spectators!
For this lively event, 25 Cirque du Soleil
craftspeople volunteered their time to make
28 pairs of stilt-walking pants. Their handiwork
was put on display at international headquarters
before being sent to Baie-Saint-Paul for
the young attendees to wear in the parade.
Art collecting
Through its creative arts support program,
Cirque du Soleil can encourage emerging
artists in various fields, including visual and
performing arts. With regard to visual arts, the
organization seeks to help boost the market
by putting together its own collection of
contemporary art. By showing clear interest
and getting involved in this type of art, Cirque
du Soleil also aims to encourage up-andcoming artists to take risks.
Proud of this collection and in an effort to
promote contemporary visual art among those
who already appreciate creativity, the Cultural
Action Department ensures that art is part
of employees’ day-to-day experience by
displaying it on company premises and
organizing opportunities to meet artists.
ENVIRONMENT
(Find out more at www.cirquedusoleil.com/environment)
Following on the heels of its environmental policy, Cirque du Soleil expects initiatives to be taken
in various parts of the organization to apply solutions or ideas towards improving environmental
performance in a locally or contextually appropriate way.
Waste, water and energy management are areas of particular interest.
RESiDENt SHOwS
Paperless Mystère
In Las Vegas, the staff on Mystère who work
at the Treasure Island Hotel and Resort set
themselves a new objective for 2010: to
become entirely paper-free! Made up of close
to 150 people, the show’s technical, administrative
and artistic staff have already begun rethinking
some of their work habits.
In the same vein, all administrative departments
have been asked to review and rethink the
types of documents that are usually printed.
The objective: to make more efficient use of
available tools, to contribute to the reduction
of paper use and to challenge the teams of the
other six Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas!
A vision
in favour
of shared
transport
All AboArd!
The show’s cast members have been asked
to begin using e-mails and shared computer
stations to receive communications sent by
the administrative staff. This reduces the
amount of information posted throughout the
workplace. Time will also be set aside during
group meetings to share this information.
Giving new life to Las Vegas
office furniture
As the Cirque du Soleil offices in Las Vegas
were getting a makeover, several pieces of
furniture would be replaced. So the Citizenship
team was called in to help the Las Vegas
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staff donate the furniture to non-profit
organizations that would put it to good
use for a new lease on life!
Among the LOVE artists is a merry band
of boys who often travel between home,
school and the LOVE theatre at the MGM
Mirage. To reduce the number of vehicles
bringing them back and forth individually,
they were given a special minivan
decorated in the LOVE colours. Fewer
vehicles + one minivan x several people
= fewer greenhouse gas emissions and
more fun travelling together!
tOuRiNg SHOwS
Waste treatment on
North American tours
On their North American tours, the KOOZA
and OVO teams have been recycling and
composting a significant portion of the waste
generated. These efforts—not only of Cirque
du Soleil staff but also of the audiences in the
cities visited—have resulted in a remarkable
amount of waste being diverted away from
landfills.
the figures speak for themselves:
% of waste recycled
or composted
Show
City visited
KOOZa
atlanta
47%
KOOZa
Baltimore
70%
OVO
Montreal
49%
KOOZa
New York
69%
KOOZa
St. Paul
60%
Low-flow sanitation
facilities on OVO
The OVO tour—which hit the road in North
America in 2009—is equipped with low-flow
sanitation facilities. The following facilities are
therefore available to the public:
• Dual-flush toilets for reduced water
consumption
• Waterless urinals
• Low-flow taps
With a view to reducing water consumption
on its touring sites, Cirque du Soleil aspires
to upgrade the sanitation equipment it
owns, such as in the case of the OVO tour.
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The same concern applies to providers of
leased equipment, assuming that the
equipment is available and effective. This
was the case for the equipment rented for
the Dralion tour of Australia in 2009, which
met standards equivalent to those used for
the North American tour of OVO (see
above).
Environmental
initiatives
on KOOZa
KOOZA has been touring North America for
over two years. In this time, tour members
have instituted various environmental initiatives
involving the four Rs: reducing, reusing,
recycling and reclaiming. Here are a few
examples:
• Each day, one of the local employees
working on the site is named “Eco-Leader.”
This person is in charge of making sure that
all staff use the waste collection stations for
recycling, composting and garbage
correctly.
• The boutique saves plastic protective
packaging from merchandise boxes and
reuses it to wrap mugs and other fragile
items and also in envelopes for mailing
products.
• The tour runner uses reusable bags for
purchases.
Quidam: Two examples to reduce
environmental footprints
re-Cirquing
According to a recycling program instituted
on the Brazil leg of the Quidam tour, a local
organization was chosen in each city the show
visited to collect recyclable materials and sort
them. Led by the Quidam green committee, the
choice of “cooperativa” was based on various
criteria, the most important of which being
how proceeds would be redistributed and
reinvested in the organization. In Brazil,
recycling is more than an environmental
issue—it is a social issue. The cooperativas
(such as Cempre) employ the needy, bringing
them into healthy work environments and
providing them with educational resources.
This made for an excellent opportunity for
Quidam tour staff to be sensitized not only
to the importance of recycling but also to
the human aspect of such a social undertaking.
To ensure the success of this recycling
initiative, champions were appointed for each
part of the Quidam site, and information
sessions were organized for everyone.
Using water wisely
In a bid to reduce water consumption, the
Quidam team hit on the idea of using the
water condensation collected from the humid
air in the tent by the HVAC air-conditioning
system.
A large tank was installed next to the site’s
sanitation facilities, and people were encouraged
to use the water for cleaning the floors
backstage and in the bathrooms, washing
their hands, and so on. A lab test confirmed
that the water was clean and pure.
iNtERNatiONal HEaDquaRtERS
Recycling electronic waste
Recycling boxes for electronic waste are now
available for employees to dispose of
electronics or related waste from work or
home. The waste also includes day-to-day
This initiative inspired staff from other Cirque
du Soleil tours to develop similar systems. It
is important, however, to keep in mind that
certain climatic conditions are more favourable
to such system than others—the amount
of water condensation is contingent on the
weather, which depends on geography
and time of year.
items. Items that became obsolete or were no
longer in use tended to end up in landfills even
though many of their component parts were
highly toxic.
In 2009, the Montreal office recycled 4,440
CDs and DVDs as well as 503 kg of batteries
of all kinds. Cell phone batteries and ink
cartridges were given to a local organization
that recycles them to finance its operations.
Carbon balance
sheet for 2009
In 2006, Cirque du Soleil took an
inventory of its greenhouse gas emissions
for the first time, using 2005 as the base
year. With the organization still growing,
this account does not reflect the Cirque
of 2009–2010. It has therefore retained
the services of Unisféra International
Centre to update the inventory for 2009
and acquire the means to monitor
emissions in subsequent years.
The objectives of this project
are as follows:
• To quantify Cirque’s greenhouse gas
emissions by business unit and by type
of activity;
• To install a computerized system for
monitoring the amount of emissions
produced by the organization;
• To draw up a plan for carrying out
actions that will enable the company to
reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
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A medley of transportation solutions in Montreal
At International Headquarters in Montreal,
Cirque du Soleil is continuing with its public
transit program. This popular program—in
which 50% of the cost of taking public transit
is paid for by the employer—is supported by
other initiatives encouraging the use of
alternatives to driving.
From early May to late October, Montreal
employees have access to a fleet of 12
bicycles that they can use to go back and
forth between the two main buildings—about
a kilometre apart—where the administrative
offices of Cirque du Soleil are located. This
initiative has proven successful, with more
bike journeys being taken in 2009 than the
previous year. More bikes are expected to
be added to the fleet for summer 2010.
During the peak summer months (July and
August), an estimated 100 or so employees
take their own two-wheelers to work, entitling
them to a free bike tune-up. This clinic is
provided in partnership with the crack team of
mechanics from Vélogik, a local community
development enterprise specialized in fixing
and selling bicycles.
Last but not least, Cirque du Soleil offers a
healthy, original way to hold meetings with its
mobile meeting room. This circular ten-seater
is the ideal solution to get everything out in the
open, amid the abundant greenery of the
Saint-Michel Environmental Complex next to
the Studio at Cirque Headquarters.
Reusing rainwater and reducing
energy consumption at IHQ
In December 2008, a 400,000-litre rainwatercollection basin was officially put into
operation at International Headquarters in
Montreal. For toilets alone, this has meant
water savings of 57,400 litres.
One year later, Cirque du Soleil has reused
1,357,000 litres of water.
In 2010, the Building Services team hopes to
improve the basin’s performance by finding
more ways to use the collected water,
particularly during the winter. The team has
also set a target of 2 million litres of water
collected during the year.
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The water savings achieved at the Montreal
facilities are also the result of other initiatives
undertaken by the Building Services Department.
For instance, all 13-litre toilet tanks in the
building were replaced by 6-litre tanks or
6-litre/3-litre dual-flush toilets. In the same vein,
low-flow urinals and taps were also installed.
The basin holds rainwater throughout both the
summer and winter; the water is pumped into
the system supplying sanitation facilities in part
of the building or is used to irrigate the gardens.
RELATIONS WITH BUSINESS
PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS
(To find out more: www.cirquedusoleil.com/partners)
Seeking to strike a balance between its economic, social and environmental interests, Cirque du
Soleil initiated talks with its business partners and suppliers. This dialogue—supported by various
tools such as a social responsibility contract clause, a responsible procurement policy and so
on—has enabled Cirque to have a better understanding of its partners’ practices in terms of
sustainable development and share its values with them.
Of course, implementing such tools may occasionally pose some challenges. For instance, the
social responsibility clause met with some resistance from business partners. However, in keeping
with its characteristic spirit of openness, dialogue and continuous improvement, Cirque du Soleil
will continue to launch tools that spark debate across the organization.
DialOguE aND NEtwORKiNg
Participation
in ECPAR
In 2008, Cirque du Soleil joined the
Espace de concertation sur les pratiques
d’approvisionnement responsables
(ECPAR). This is a discussion group for
Montreal-based organizations in the public
and private sectors to exchange ideas
towards developing and strengthening the
sustainability of their procurement
practices.
among the initiatives undertaken by
this forum in 2009 are the following:
• Six training programs centered on
different themes related to responsible
procurement
• Working committees studying various
aspects of responsible procurement
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A dialogue with suppliers
With a view to ensuring that products
provided by suppliers are made in accordance
with the best possible practices, Cirque du
Soleil launched a consultation process to find
out suppliers’ business, environmental and social
responsibility practices. A questionnaire on this
subject was sent out to some fifty suppliers.
Example of a dialogue with
a business partner
Cirque du Soleil discusses the best social
responsibility practices with Adidas when
developing products for marketing the first
JUKARI collection under the Reebok brand.
PRODuCtS
Study on the environmental
impact of merchandise
In the past year, as part of a case-by-case
approach to buying responsible products,
Cirque du Soleil analyzed the life cycle of two
types of products: handbags and metal items.
The study, conducted by the Interuniversity
Research Centre for the Life Cycle of
Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG),
led to the creation of a new calculator tool for
buyers on the Merchandising team.
The calculator can be used to compare the
potential environmental impact of six
products. The items compared must fulfill
similar functions and may use as many as 17
component parts. The data entered into the
calculator may include the names, materials
and mass of the different components, as
well as their place of manufacture (where
the finished items are purchased), and the
shipping required to send the components
for final assembly.
Less bottled water
on North American tours
In 2008, the team on the North American tour
of Corteo implemented a range of measures
to reduce the use of bottled water. A year
later, both shows touring the continent are
applying the recommendations made
following a product life cycle analysis.
This analysis studied the distribution of
drinking water to spectators of our touring
shows, and several options were considered
with a view to adopting a responsible
solution. It was decided that Cirque du Soleil
would provide drinking water from fountains
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in recyclable cups. This decision—which was
also applied to the KOOZA and OVO tours
this year—is rooted in the desire for the
equitable distribution of this vital resource and
calls for containers whose production incurs
as little environmental impact as possible (i.e.
recyclable cups rather than plastic bottles).
tRaiNiNg
Procurement
policy
training
In 2009, the Social Action
and Responsibility Department,
in conjunction with the Supply Chain
Department and the Finance Service,
provided some 40 training sessions
to close to 400 employees, mainly
buyers. This responsible procurement
training was one of the first phases in the
application of the new procurement policy.
CHALLENgES fOR 2010
The world we live in is becoming ever more
complex, and Cirque du Soleil is setting ever
more ambitious growth objectives. Furthermore,
it is entering markets in which economic,
social and environmental issues pose
significant challenges. Cirque du Soleil
therefore intends to deploy a new governance
model based on these considerations.
A sustainable development policy will be
included in this new platform, as well as
other opportunities for Cirque du Soleil to
express its global citizenship through both
its words and its actions.
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