2020
Caring
Going Above and Beyond
During 2020, we spent some time examining our culture and values. We asked employees for their opinions, but we also looked at how we behave. In every collection site, every lab, and every department we found an abundance of caring in action. We saw how our front-line employees patiently comforted and assisted anxious or frail customers. When the pandemic arrived, these same team members donned personal protective equipment and wore it with a smile, despite the discomfort, to keep customers safe. As we rapidly ramped up COVID-19 testing, our laboratory staff took on extra shifts, and others re-trained for laboratory jobs to boost our capacity. Still, others shifted from our collection sites to mobile lab services to meet the increased demand for customer testing at home. We heard dozens of stories about employees who’ve gone to great lengths to contribute to their communities, rushing in to help wherever they can. When we asked what drives these actions, it soon became absolutely clear: We do what we do because we care!
Contributing to Our Field Through Key Partnerships in British Columbia
At LifeLabs we care about quality, excellence and innovation in our own operation and within the larger field of laboratory science. As Canada’s largest community laboratory, we are in a unique position to support large-scale research initiatives and provide expertise to colleagues around the world.
In the first half of 2020, for example, LifeLabs participated in a joint study with researchers at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and the University of British Columbia. The study compared anonymous blood samples that LifeLabs collected in March and May, before and after public health measures were introduced…
Caring for the Environment
In 2020, our Laboratory Operations, Facilities, and Environmental Sustainability teams worked with the water treatment experts from AOI (Advanced Ozone Integration) to replace the ozone water treatment system at our Burnaby Reference Lab (BRL). This new system removes contamination from the wastewater generated in the laboratories before it re-enters into the public waterworks.
This is the most recent step forward in our ongoing efforts to be kinder to the environment, reduce waste, and support sustainability — efforts that have been recognized three years running with the Environmental Excellence award from Practice Greenhealth…
Doing Our Part: Giving back to the community
LifeLabs has a long history of giving back to the communities where we live and work – and 2020 was no different. In 2020, over 60 LifeLabs employees supported 57 unique non-profits, including organizations like Sick Kids, Girl Guides, BC SPCA, and Autism Ontario. Together, LifeLabs and its employees donated more than $25,000 to local charities in our communities, helping to provide support for those in need…
Celebrating Our Health Care Heroes
The previous stories are just some highlights of which we know are a part of a larger selection of incredible acts of caring and kindness demonstrated by our more than 6,000 employees. We want to acknowledge, with gratitude, the dedication and caring of these and so many other employees here at LifeLabs.
LifeLabs has developed an evidence based approach to manage and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmissions within the workplace.
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