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CULTURE

Our DNA

At our core, we are all about getting things done.

Something that’s not all that easy or straightforward when you live in the middle of the world of construction and land development and the environmental agencies that govern it.

In the mid 00’s, GEMS responded to permitting bottlenecks related to environmental policy changes in Ontario by putting our heads together to paint a complete, and transparent, picture of how projects would affect groundwater, and the environment and how to mitigate the impacts. We acted as the missing link between regulatory agencies and project owners, their consultants and contractors.

OUR APPROACH

A lot of the education and training that we receive as professionals and experts, is based on adversarial situations – right or wrong, black or white, yes or no.

The world just isn’t that binary, and GEMS understands that there is always more than one perspective on a project – starting with the owner’s, the consultant’s, the engineer’s, the contractor’s and the regulator’s. As the Environmental Manager on projects, GEMS pulls together the different perspectives to deliver results.

AT GEMS, OUR SPECIALISTS APPROACH THINGS

A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY:

We start with our clients and work backwards. Our managers work vigorously to earn and keep client trust. Although GEMS pays attention to all of the stakeholders and competitors, we obsess over clients.

THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE GEMS WHAT IT IS

GEMS is made up of specialists, with dirt on our boots. We treat every project as unique, and every specialist contributes different expertise to projects. We work together to keep things moving in the right direction, towards sustainable land developments through transparency, expertise and commitment. Think of it as, planning the work, and working the plan.

Characteristics of a
GEMS’ Environmental Specialist

PERSPECTIVE

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results.

BIAS FOR ACTION

Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We don’t do science projects.

CREATIVE

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists expect and require innovation and invention from everyone on their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here". As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time.

APPROACHABLE

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists are trusted, practical, down-to-earth, smart, helpful, friendly, dependable and resourceful.

CURIOUS

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.

INSPIRED

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists really do make a difference; for the environment and for the construction and land development business.

TRANSPARENT

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists are relentlessly transparent – a lot of people may think this is an unreasonably high standard.

RESPONSIVE

GEMS’ Environmental Specialists love getting and keeping your projects moving. We know that means getting answers when roadblocks and detours get in the way.

WE’RE PROUD AND EXCITED TO KEEP THE INDUSTRY MOVING FORWARD; IT’S JUST WHAT WE DO.