I got a call from my bank's Fraud Detection department the other day. A friendly but serious fellow on the other end of the phone asked "Did you attempt to purchase a mattress online for $8800?" Uh, no. Who spends $8800 on a mattress? Online? So, it turns out my credit card had been compromised - whether skimmed at a restaurant I was at recently or my number was posted online somewhere, the fraud department wouldn't say. Regardless, I had to go through the song and dance of filing some paperwork and then waiting for my new credit card.

I suppose this is just one of the hassles of 21st century life, but it definitely IS a hassle - to have your payment card skimmed. So that's why Petro-Canada has partnered with Toronto Crime Stoppers, the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association and Circle K Stores (formerly known as Mac's Convenience Stores) to guard against payment card skimming at our gas pumps.

Payment card skimming is a serious problem across the petroleum industry. In addition to the covert security features already in place at Petro-Canada, we're adding a more visible feature as well: strategically placed silver holographic anti-skimming decals. These decals bear the Crime Stoppers logo and will be placed on all Petro-Canada and Circle-K gas pumps in the Greater Toronto area and across Canada.

If fraudsters tamper with the strategically placed decals, they will break apart and visually alert customers and employees to a potential issue. So if you see that one of these decals has been broken, please alert our gas station attendants. They are instructed to perform preventative maintenance checks and ensure the integrity of the gas pump.

Crime Stoppers, in addition to supporting these decals, also encourages customers when paying at any gas pump to ensure that the card reader is secure by pulling on it and to check that the keypad area is flush against the console and not loose.

We're very excited about this initiative as well as working with Crime Stoppers, Circle-K and our customers to prevent skimming at the pump. Have you seen these anti-skimming decals at a Petro-Canada near you?

- Rose R.

Earlier this year Suncor, proud owner of Petro-Canada, released its 2017 Report on Sustainability. Along with communicating our environmental, social and economic performance, the report shares perspectives from our senior leaders in several key areas:

• Steve Williams, president and CEO, discusses Suncor's performance and the challenges and opportunities the company faces; 
  
  
• Fiona Jones, general manager, sustainability, answers questions about Suncor continuing to deliver value in a carbon-constrained world; and 
  
  
• Arlene Strom, vice president, sustainability and communications, and Chief Robert Joseph, co-founder of Reconciliation Canada, engage in a conversation about strengthening relationships with Aboriginal Peoples and communities. 

The 2017 Report on Sustainability also provides an update on the new sustainability goals we announced in 2016: strengthening our relationships with Aboriginal Peoples and reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

We took a strong step towards our first goal by signing historic equity partnerships with the Fort McKay First Nation and the Mikisew Cree First Nation through which these Nations will become equity partners in the East Tank Farm development when the agreements are finalized. 

During the year, Suncor also made progress towards its second goal. We identified high opportunity areas for GHG intensity reductions from across the business. Some of these potential initiatives include reviewing opportunities to switch to lower carbon fuels, the implementation of strategic technology to reduce extraction and upgrading emissions and investments in low carbon power such as cogeneration and renewables. 

Suncor co-founded Evok Innovations, along with the BC Cleantech CEO Alliance and Cenovus Energy Inc. Evok brings together British Columbia's cleantech industry and Alberta's oil and gas sector to accelerate early-stage technologies. Evok has funded six technology companies since its inception in January 2016.

The report also shares our community investment strategy through our private, non-profit, charitable organization, the Suncor Energy Foundation (SEF). As stewards of valuable natural resources, we have the opportunity – and responsibility – to help build a better future. By supporting resilience, skill development and social well-being in the communities around us, we strive to create shared value and benefit for all involved. 

For more about all of Suncor's sustainability efforts, please check out the full Suncor 2017 Report on Sustainability.