IESO wins APEX award for pandemic planning

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator IESO received the APEX Award for Pandemic Planning Excellence in the Small/Medium Organization category.

The APEX Awards are a national initiative created to recognize Canadian businesses for the creation, development and execution of a comprehensive pandemic preparedness program.

Award submissions were judged against a broad range of criteria including pandemic core values planning assumptions, policies, practices, and protocols risk assessment recovery objectives information and communication control activities and monitoring practices.

APEX judges praised the IESO for the effective manner in which the company was able to keep track of employee illness information and, as a result, determine whether certain employees were at risk of contracting H1N1 influenza due to proximity to infected friends or family. Appropriate measures were taken to ensure they did not infect anyone at work whose job was of critical importance in the management of Ontario's power system. As well, APEX cited how the IESO effectively adapted the generic World Health Organization WHO pandemic alert model to enable timely and effective decision-making and response based on triggers relevant to the IESO. Finally, APEX recognized the strong support of the pandemic program demonstrated by the senior management team.

"This is a company whose reputation is built on reliability, so it's only natural that our pandemic plans and practices encompass that core value," said Bill Limbrick, VP & CIO. "Given the IESO's key role within the province's energy sector, it was essential that we minimize the risks associated with the H1N1 virus. Our employees took their responsibilities very seriously, and this award belongs to everyone at the IESO."

Co-sponsored by Roche Canada, a research-based healthcare specialist, and Marsh Canada Limited, the Canadian operation of a leading broker and risk advisor, the Canadian APEX Award is presented to entities demonstrating the foresight to plan for a business disruption due to a pandemic outbreak while recognizing the economic and social impact of an influenza pandemic in Canada - and around the world.