Canada's Top 100 Employers (2021)

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CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS 2021 Competition

S Exceptional times: Stepping up in a year like no other

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Methodology: How the editors chose the winners

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The complete list: Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2021)

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2021 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, JUNIOR EDITOR

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∆ A chef surveys his empty restaurant, with no clear end of the pandemic in sight.

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Stepping up in a year like no other

hen the history of the pandemic is written, it will undoubtedly start with its heroes. The frontline workers who looked after everyone, the truckers who kept grocery stores stocked and of course the scientists who (hopefully) brought the world a vaccine – each will figure prominently in our collective memory of this period.

During difficult times, it’s part of the human condition to look for goodness in others. We remember these stories longer because they remind us of the better angels of our nature: values and aspirations that stand the test of time and attract universal admiration.

This year marks the 21st edition of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. When the pandemic struck in March, just a couple of weeks after this year’s competition opened, we were concerned that many employers would be more worried about survival than sharing their stories with our editorial team.

But by spring, we began to receive stories from organizations from a few cities in Canada, not just about what they were doing to support employees in the pandemic – but remarkable stories about how they were supporting the community at the same time. This trickle of good news soon became hundreds of stories from employers across the country, stepping up to look after their employees and the community.

In retrospect, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that these stories would come from organizations that were also the nation’s very best employers.

From the earliest days of our competition, we noticed that organizations that take a broader view

of their role in the community are almost always better places to work.

But there’s another factor that helps explain why the nation’s best employers responded so quickly to the pandemic. Our managing editor on the Top 100 competition, Richard Yerema, observes that the best employers frequently revisit workplace policies and try new ones. Flexibility and innovation in an organization’s DNA, it turns out, allow them to respond faster and more effectively when faced with existential threats like a pandemic.

For large parts of Canadian society, COVID-19 has decimated jobs and economic security, especially for Black, Indigenous and people of colour.

Canadians employed in the service industry and frontline workers disproportionately come from these groups and have shouldered the pandemic’s heaviest health and economic burdens.

Recent graduates and young people entering the workforce also are paying a toll as the pandemic drags on. Few employers have found effective ways to onboard new hires or develop their youngest employees when most staff work offsite.

For this year’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers, there is still much to be done to repair the pandemic’s deepest wounds, especially the ones faced by racial groups and young people. The good news is that these problems are in sharper focus today; the employers who find effective ways to solve them will become the heroes of the pandemic’s next – and hopefully final – chapter.

– Tony Meehan

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INTRODUCTION

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their ideas or Thomson Reuters’ online hub page to keep people up-to-date while working from home.

Wellness continues to be a top priority, with companies often setting up virtual access to health care professionals. Like many, L’Oréal Canada increased their employees’ wellness spending accounts to subsidize additional expenses and launched new weekly Yoga@home sessions.

ABB Inc. showed that they truly have their employees’ backs by providing virtual appointments with ergonomic specialists for those setting up a home office and arranged for employees to be reimbursed for equipment purchases such as chairs.

Stories abound about community response, from firms donating critical care equipment to hospitals to charitable fundraising campaigns, which continued online rather than being abandoned. Labatt Brewing Company adapted its Disaster Relief Program, which traditionally utilizes its canning infrastructure to ship safe drinking water where it’s needed, to produce and bottle over 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.

The bottles were donated directly to food banks across the country.

Leadership demonstrated, when we need it most.

– Diane Jermyn

CNR

n this age of COVID-19, Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2021 stand out for their resilience. Like all organizations, they were put to the test when the pandemic struck.

Their response was immediate, with the health and safety of employees as the top priority.

Seemingly overnight, companies implemented new safety protocols at work sites and massive work from home arrangements. Employees grappled with cameras and the latest tech tools as they became accustomed to a different way of working. Most challenging was how to keep people connected and engaged when they couldn’t be together.

With the pandemic far from over, Canada’s Top 100 Employers continue to set the standard for doing business in Canada, with best practices as the norm.

Here are just a few examples of the creative and innovative ways Canada’s Top 100 Employers took care of people – at work, at home and in the community.

With over 7,000 employees moving to work-from-home over the past year, Rogers introduced weekly online forums to help people stay informed, including question and answer sessions with the CEO. Many employers launched new collaborative platforms, such as PCL Construction’s “Ideascale” to encourage employees to share

∆ This year, Canadian National Railway took extensive precautions to keep employees and the communities where they operate safe, while ensuring vital supplies and freight kept moving.

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IWANYSHYN/UNIV. OF TORONTO

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∆ Dr. Robert Kozak in the laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, working to isolate the novel coronovirus.

3M CANADA COMPANY, London, Ont. Technology manufacturing; 1,967 employees. Encourages employees to own a piece of the company through a share purchase plan.

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BB INC., Saint-Laurent, Que. Engineering and technology services; 4,139 employees. Helps employees save for the longer term with a defined contribution pension plan.

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK INC. / APTN, Winnipeg. Television broadcasting; 147 employees. Offers northern living allowances and housing allowances for its Iqaluit-based employees.

ACCENTURE INC., Toronto.

Professional services; 5,453 employees. Launched a Mental Health Ally program to train employees as workplace ambassadors and advocates.

ADOBE SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software publishers; 302 employees. Offers a unique sabbatical program where once every five years employees are granted a four to six week sabbatical.

AGRICULTURE FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP. / AFSC, Lacombe, Alta. Insurance and lending for agricultural producers; 496 employees. Offers parents-to-be a subsidy of $10,000 for IVF if needed.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES / AHS, Edmonton. Health care; 47,560 employees. Maintains a comprehensive Health and Wellness Action Plan in support of healthy and resilient employees.

ARCELORMITTAL DOFASCO G.P., Hamilton. Iron and steel mills; 4,791 employees. Offers academic scholarships for children of employees who wish to pursue post-secondary education.

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ANK OF CANADA, Ottawa.

Central bank; 1,780 employees. Offers flexible work options for employees, with over 90 per cent of employees moving to work from home over the past year.

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Chemical manufacturing; 1,129 employees. Set employee engagement as a new non-financial target as part of building a successful business.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria.

Provincial government; 31,117 employees. Maintains a longstanding Community Services Fund to support charitable organizations through payroll deductions and fundraising events.

BELL CANADA, Verdun, Que. Communications; 37,528 employees.

Reviewed and increased maternity and parental leave top-up for new

mothers as well as parental leave top-up for new fathers and adoptive parents.

BEST BUY CANADA LTD., Burnaby, B.C. Retail; 5,431 employees. Supports ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies for courses related and not directly related to their current position.

BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP. / BCI, Victoria. Portfolio management; 537 employees. Offers a health spending account and access to virtual health care services, including virtual appointments with health care professionals and online health assessments.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montreal. Secondary market financing; 2,409 employees.

Enables employees to give peer recognition with on-the-spot monetary and non-monetary

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BC PUBLIC SERVICE

2021 WINNERS

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recognition through its Exclamation recognition platform.

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ANADA ENERGY REGULATOR, Calgary.

Federal government; 489 employees. Offers retirement planning assistance and health benefits that extend to retirees, with employer premium contributions and no age limits.

CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE CO., THE, Winnipeg. Insurance; 10,524 employees. Encourages employee well-being through a wellness spending account as well as offering a mental health practitioner benefit.

CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORP., Ottawa. Federal government; 1,988 employees.

Created a unified defined benefit pension plan for all employees.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government; 44,224 employees. Developing a dedicated strategy for the recruitment, inclusion and retention of persons with disabilities.

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY, Montreal. Railroad transportation; 18,126 employees. Encourages lifelong learning with tuition subsidies for courses taken with external educators.

CAPITAL ONE CANADA, Toronto.

Credit card issuing; 1,334 employees.

Launched a Parents@Work initiative to support employees during their transition to parenthood.

CARGILL LTD., Winnipeg. Food and agricultural products; 7,731 employees. Encourages employees to volunteer with paid volunteer days and matching financial donations.

CASCADES ULC, Kingsey Falls, Que. Paper products; 7,362 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation and considers previous working experience for vacation entitlements.

CBC / RADIO-CANADA, Ottawa.

Broadcasting; 8,046 employees.

Offers an annual $300,000 diversity and inclusion fund to help managers create internships and development opportunities.

∆ Employees at the BC Public Service support local charities through a longstanding Community Services Fund.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 36,431 employees. Introduced a new “Purpose Day” to encourage employees to dedicate one day annually to do “anything that helps them achieve their life goals”.

CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA CO., Toronto. Computer and equipment manufacturing; 1,906 employees.

Starts new employees with four weeks of paid vacation as well as up to five paid personal days off during the year.

CITI CANADA, Mississauga.

Banking; 1,494 employees. Encourages employees to recruit their friends with generous new employee referral bonuses, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE, Vancouver. Professional organizations; 150 employees. Provides excellent maternity and parental leave top-up payments for new mothers to 75 per cent of salary for 52 weeks, and parental leave

top-up payments for new fathers to 75 per cent for 37 weeks.

CWB NATIONAL LEASING INC., Winnipeg. Sales financing; 406 employees. Encourages employees to save for the longer term with matching RSP contributions.

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ANONE CANADA, Boucherville. Food manufacturing; 516 employees. Launched a new Canadian Coffee Talk website to help employees connect across the country.

DESJARDINS GROUP / MOUVEMENT DES CAISSES DESJARDINS, Lévis. Que. Financial institution; 40,137 employees.

Supported its non-telecommuting employees over the past year with reimbursement for parking, cab fares, daycare and ergonomic home office equipment.

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto. Architecture; 301 employees. Offers learn-

ing and development opportunities for individuals at various stages of their career, from paid internships to in-house programming.

DIGITAL EXTREMES LTD., London, Ont. Software publishers; 311 employees. Encourages employees to support causes important to them through paid volunteer time and matching charitable donations.

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MERA INC., Halifax.

Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,309 employees. Offers extensive in-house training programs, including paid internships, apprenticeships and formal Engineer-in-Training programs for younger employees.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau. Federal government; 28,003 employees. Created an Innovation Fund to encourage employees to share their ideas for improving and modernizing service delivery.

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care upon their return from parental leave.

HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Hospitals; 5,913 employees. Offers extensive wellness programming to encourage employees to make healthy choices for their physical, social and mental well-being.

HOUSE OF COMMONS ADMINISTRATION, Ottawa.

Legislative bodies; 1,924 employees.

Offers in-house apprenticeships for its trade services department to maintain the intricate woodwork and metalwork of Canada’s Parliament.

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MPERIAL OIL LTD., Calgary.

Oil and gas production and distribution; 5,700 employees.

Supports charitable initiatives related to innovation and sustainability, indigenous leadership and strong communities, donating over 5,400 volunteer hours in the past year.

∆ Staff mentoring at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. continued remotely during the pandemic.

2021 WINNERS

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ENBRIDGE INC., Calgary. Energy infrastructure; 7,627 employees.

Features a mental health practitioner benefit up to $2,000 annually in its health benefits plan, as well as offering a wellness program.

ESIT ADVANCED SOLUTIONS INC., Victoria. Computer systems design services; 467 employees.

Supports ongoing employee development through subsidies for professional accreditation and in-house and online training.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support; 1,756 employees. Manages a LiveWell program to equip employees with tools and resources to build resiliency and increase mindfulness.

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IDELITY CANADA, Toronto. Portfolio management; 1,165 employees.

Manages a unique Voice of

the Employee innovation program to encourage employee feedback with awards for ideas that are implemented.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 7,069 employees. Supports ongoing employee development through generous tuition subsidies for courses related and not directly related to their current position.

FRESHBOOKS, Toronto. Software publishers; 373 employees. Offers phased-in return to work options to help employees transition to parenthood.

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ALVANIZE, Vancouver.

Custom computer programming services; 299 employees. Finds unique ways to encourage employees to connect, organizing #DisruptiveCreativity classes where employees share (and teach) their hidden talents such as breakdancing and yoga.

GLAXOSMITHKLINE INC. / GSK, Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 2,632 employees.

Supports a formal online health and well-being hub that provides information on preventative measures and health screening initiatives and telemedicine services.

GREATER VANCOUVER FOOD BANK, Burnaby, B.C. Food bank; 49 employees. Offers employees who are new mothers the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

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ATCH LTD., Mississauga.

Engineering; 3,381 employees. Helps employees prepare for life after work with retirement planning assistance services and phased-in work options for those nearing retirement.

HEALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 8,507 employees. Offers employees who are new parents the advantage of subsidized onsite child

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 5,530 employees. Offers an annual mental health benefit of $2,000 and houses the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace at its head office.

IRVING OIL, Saint John. Petroleum refining, distribution and retail; 2,876 employees. Introduced the new Good Energy in Action program that offers employees one paid flex day off to volunteer each year.

IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE INC., Montreal. Real estate investment and management; 1,055 employees.

Increased support for ongoing education to $10,000 per year for tuition subsidies for job-related courses and $5,000 per year for courses indirectly related to an employee’s current role.

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ELLOGG CANADA INC., Mississauga. Breakfast cereal manufacturing; 322 employees. Has donated more than $3 million and 30 million servings of cereal and snacks to Food Banks Canada and the Breakfast Club of Canada over the past decade.

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BOGAR/FRESHBOOKS

2021 WINNERS

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KEURIG CANADA INC., Montreal.

Coffee distribution and brewing equipment; 1,445 employees. Offered each employee a single use promo-code to order a Keurig care package for a frontline worker of their choice with packages delivered to the recipient’s doorstep.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 8,399 employees. Prioritizes diversity and inclusion, providing formal education on anti-Black racism and conducting a review of current talent processes to better understand and remove any biases and barriers.

K+S POTASH CANADA GP, Saskatoon. Potash mining; 445 employees.

Waived the eight-hour volunteer time requirement to access the $300 charitable donation for those organizations providing relief over the past year.

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ABATT BREWING COMPANY LTD., Toronto.

Breweries; 3,417 employees.

Adapted its Disaster Relief Program, which traditionally utilizes its canning infrastructure to ship safe drinking water where it’s needed, to produce and bottle over 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer early during the pandemic.

∆ Employees at Toronto-based Freshbooks keep their commute safe and smooth with an in-house bike shop.

LAURENTIDE CONTROLS LTD., Kirkland, Que. Process control equipment and services; 276 employees. Cultivates an ownership culture through a share purchase plan, available to all employees.

THIBODEAU/HOC-CDC

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 27,360 employees.

Introduced the new “fl!p” intranet mobile platform that reaches all support and in-store personnel.

∆ Lise Grandmont helps clean and disinfect high-touch areas in the new House of Commons chamber.

L’ORÉAL CANADA INC., Montreal.

Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,468 employees. Launched a new wellness plan that includes free yoga classes, including new weekly Yoga@ home sessions, and removed the benefits waiting period for newly hired employees.

M

ARS INC., Bolton, Ont. Food manufacturing; 1,516 employees. Lets employees share in the company’s successes through year-end bonuses.

2021 WINNERS

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MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,576 employees.

Supports employees who may be called upon to care for a loved one through compassionate leave top-up, to 90 per cent of salary for up to six weeks.

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IRVING OIL

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MEDTRONIC CANADA ULC, Brampton, Ont. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 682 employees. Introduced an internet subsidy of $50 per month for employees working from home as a result of the pandemic.

MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL, Etobicoke, Ont. Food manufacturing; 2,600 employees. Offers academic scholarships for children of employees to $10,000 per child per year.

MOTT MACDONALD CANADA LTD., Vancouver. Engineering; 174 employees. Offers a number of financial incentives including signing bonuses, year-end bonuses and referral bonuses of up to $2,500.

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OVO NORDISK CANADA INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing; 323 employees. Maintains a unique policy to ensure meetings are only scheduled between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to accommodate employee needs outside of the office.

∆ Irving Oil employees Steve Faulder and Adam Brown heading to the Canaport monobuoy off Saint John, N.B.

NUTRIEN INC., Saskatoon.

Phosphate, nitrogen and potash fertilizer manufacturing; 5,835 employees. Offers extensive apprenticeship and trades programs in a variety of fields as well as leadership development programs.

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CL CONSTRUCTION, Edmonton. Industrial, commercial and institutional construction; 2,829 employees. Created temporary care and treatment “pods” from shipping

NUTRIEN

PPENHEIMER GROUP, Port Coquitlam, B.C. Fresh fruits and vegetable distribution; 142 employees. Hosts quarterly wellness workshops with speakers on topics ranging from women’s and men’s health, to stress management, emotional intelligence and mindfulness.

∆ An employee of Nutrien Inc. at one of the company’s agricultural seed breeding facilities.

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ROGERS

2021 WINNERS

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( C O N T. )

containers to be used by health care agencies and other organizations during the pandemic.

PEMBINA PIPELINE CORP., Calgary.

Natural gas distribution; 2,122 employees. Promotes wellness through a dedicated Take a Pembina Wellness Break campaign featuring monthly themes to address physical, mental, financial and workplace health.

PEPSICO CANADA, Mississauga.

Soft drink and food manufacturing; 10,395 employees. Maintains an extensive national community strategy and organizes an annual volunteer campaign to encourage employees to donate their time.

POMERLEAU INC., Montreal.

Construction; 2006 employees.

Created an emergency fund for employees experiencing financial distress as a result of the pandemic.

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ESMED HALIFAX ULC, Halifax. Custom computer programming services; 225 employees. Increased its starting vacation allowance to four weeks and offers additional paid time off during the winter break.

RIO TINTO, Montreal. Diversified mining and metals manufacturing; 10,829 employees. Donated critical care equipment to hospitals to assist during the pandemic.

∆ An employee of Rogers Communications working in Montreal.

WAY PHOT./SALESFORCE

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,555 employees.

Increased its maternity leave top-up payment for new mothers, as well as offering adoptive top-ups and parental leave top up for new fathers.

ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Toronto. Telecommunications, cable, publishing and subscription programming; 22,635 employees.

Implemented a massive work from home program over the past year, including weekly online forums that include question and answer sessions with the company’s CEO. ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 57,242 employees.

Committed to no job losses due to the ongoing pandemic and introduced a daily compensation

∆ Salesforce provides employees with a monthly stipend of up to $100 for classes and activities with their families.

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program of $50 per day in support of employees working on-site.

RSA CANADA GROUP, Toronto.

Insurance; 2,923 employees. Offers referral bonuses for employees who successfully recruit candidates from their personal networks.

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ALESFORCE, Toronto.

Customer relationship management (CRM) services; 1,514 employees. Offers up to $100 per month for services and activities that support employees and their families such cooking classes and gym classes.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Communications equipment manufacturing; 573 employees.

Provided $250 to purchase technology needed to work from home,

including monitors, ear buds, wireless chargers and other tech for building a home office.

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver.

Custom computer programming services; 3,283 employees. Offers family-friendly benefits from a $25,000 lifetime allotment to cover fertility treatments and drugs to an adoption subsidy of up to $10,000.

SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,737 employees. Offers the All About Balance program, a voluntary six-week program for employees who want to address their own work-life balance and self-care.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Industrial automation and controls; 2,024 employees. Is committed to advancing gender equality and manages a dedicated women’s leadership program to support the

development of high-potential female employees.

SEKISUI DIAGNOSTICS PEI LTD., Charlottetown. Medical diagnostic products; 150 employees. Offers tuition subsidies for job-related courses and subsidies for professional accreditation.

SHOPIFY INC., Ottawa. Multi-channel commerce platform; 4,621 employees. Announced a new Digital-byDefault approach to incorporate a “digital-first way of thinking, working and operating” in response to employees working from home in 2020.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY, Burnaby, B.C. Universities; 3,265 employees. Helps employees stay healthy at home, migrating SFU Recreation programming online and offering six weeks of free fitness classes, home workouts, meditation and stretching.

STRYKER CANADA ULC, Waterdown, Ont. Medical equipment and supplies wholesalers; 677 employees.

Offer longer serving employees the opportunity to apply for an unpaid leave of absence, durations determined on an individual basis.

SUNCOR ENERGY INC., Calgary.

Crude petroleum and natural gas extraction; 12,456 employees. Enrols new employees in a defined contribution pension plan with a one-time option to switch to a hybrid plan when their age and years of service equal 50.

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D BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 53,694 employees. Supported employees over the past year in numerous ways, including additional financial payments and additional days off for employees who were required to come into work during the spring.

SHOPIFY

Employees at Ottawa-based Shopify Inc. benefit from ‘digital-first’ policy that places a priority on working offsite, even after the pandemic is over.

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TECK RESOURCES LTD., Vancouver. Mining; 8,480 employees. Offers maternity leave top-up payments for salaried non-unionized employees, approximately 33 per cent of the workforce.

TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Vancouver. Telecommunications; 23,488 employees. Introduced numerous mitigation initiatives for store level employees as well as hosting mental health surveys for remote working employees.

THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 1,176 employees. Introduced a new Emergency Paid Leave policy to provide an additional 10 paid days as part of its pandemic response.

TMMC / TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CANADA INC., Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 9,601 employees. Starts new employees with 3.8 weeks of paid vacation, ultimately moving to over six weeks after a decade on the job.

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NIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montreal.

Universities; 5,502 employees. Appointed its first Special Advisor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to formalize the organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK / UNB, Fredericton. Universities; 1,746 employees. Recognizes exceptional performance with awards in numerous areas including Excellence in Teaching, Distinguished

Service and President’s Medals for service over a career.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Universities; 10,456 employees.

Hosted its inaugural race, equity, and action speaker series to provide members of the community opportunities to engage in critical dialogue on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion within institutional culture.

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ERAFIN INC., St. John’s.

Specialized financial software; 516 employees.

Maintains a results-focused work environment, allowing employees to work when and where they are most productive.

EST FRASER TIMBER CO. LTD., Vancouver. Sawmills; 5,301 employees.

Allows employees to customize health benefits to suit their personal needs and transfer unused credits to salary, savings or the purchase of additional time off.

WORLD VISION CANADA, Mississauga. Charitable organizations; 466 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, up to 80 per cent of salary for up to 27 weeks.

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UKON, GOVERNMENT OF, Whitehorse. Territorial government; 4,841 employees. Launched a new online learning platform called YGLearn, which features a variety of mobile-friendly online course offerings.

– Diane Jermyn

EHLERS/SFU

Elder Margaret George of the Skawahlook First Nation welcomes staff and students to the 50th anniversary celebration of Simon Fraser University.

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TECK RESOURCES

TD BANK GROUP

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∆ Teck Resources Line Creek operations, near Sparwood, B.C.

m e t h odo l o g y

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hile the selection process to choose the winners of Canada’s Top 100 Employers continually evolves to include new questions that reflect changes in the workplace, the underlying methodology has not significantly changed since the project began in 2000. The competition is and remains a catalogue of best practices.

To select the winners, the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers compare each organization’s policies to others in their industry and region to see if they’re a leader. Each employer’s application is judged by rigorous criteria in eight key areas: (1) Physical workplace; (2) Work atmosphere & social; (3) Health, financial & family benefits; (4) Vacation & time Off; (5) Employee communications; (6) Performance management; (7) Training & skills development; and (8) Community involvement.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an annual national competition.

Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply regardless of size, whether private or 2021 public sector.

∆ An employee of TD Bank Group outside one of the bank’s retail branches.

– Diane Jermyn

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∆ Royal Bank of Canada / RBC committed to employees that there would be no pandemic job losses and paid frontline staff a daily $50 bonus.

Standing up when it matters most How Canada’s Top 100 Employers stepped up to counter the pandemic and help communities

F times.

or Canada’s Top 100 Employers in 2020, you could say, it was the worst of times, it was the best of

Does that twist on the famous Dickens couplet sound odd?

Perhaps, but there’s reason to it. In this tragic year, there have been thousands of deaths from COVID-19 across Canada in a few short months – utterly the worst of times. But there has also been an amazing response. Employees and leaders of Canada’s Top 100 Employers are

among the many Canadians who stepped up, pitched in and made heroic things happen as the pandemic took hold. They truly have been at their best.

In fact, the stories that follow in this magazine – many never told before – offer a unique insight into just how the best employers in the country, selected by Mediacorp Canada, have been reacting to keep their people safe, maintain their organizational mission, and help their communities. It’s been no easy task.

To begin with, every Canadian employer had to figure out, really in a matter of hours, what to do when governments ordered lockdowns in mid-March. At KPMG LLP, with offices in dozens of communities large and small across the country, leaders shifted more than 7,500 people into work-from-home mode in 48 hours. “The health of our employees was number one,” says Stephanie Terrill, business unit leader, management consulting, for KPMG in Canada, “and keeping our team together was our top priority.

I’m really proud of the speed with which we acted, because speed in a pandemic matters.”

Of course, a professional services firm, where nearly everyone has a laptop handy, is one thing. What about the manufacturing enterprises deemed essential services? Employees in plants and factories can’t work from home. At snack-maker Mondelēz International, home to such iconic brands as Cadbury, Oreo and Ritz, leaders have been only too aware of that fact – and their important role in maintaining

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normalcy at a time of high anxiety for consumers. “We’re part of the food supply chain of Canada,” notes Mondelēz Canada president Martin Parent.

“The way we did it,” he says, “was to make sure that everyone on the front line could perform their jobs safely with the highest level of protection possible. In each of our facilities, we elevated the level of safety measures and screening very quickly. We had nurses on site, we segregated shifts so people would not connect, and we separated people on the manufacturing line.

And we did this by the 12th of March.” That was five days before the government of Ontario, where the plants are located, declared its state of emergency.

Meanwhile, Top Employers have been going into overdrive to help the community. Mondelēz, finding its comfort-food sales rising, doubled its millions of dollars’ worth of charitable donations for the year.

Medtronic Canada ULC, a medical technology company, amped up its own production of ventilators, but also shared design specifications so other manufacturers could make them, too. KPMG has been preparing taxes for frontline workers. Novo Nordisk Canada, a healthcare firm, loaned some of its skilled staff to help Diabetes Canada, a critical charity, deal with its workload.

“It’s no coincidence that the past year has exacerbated many of our underlying social challenges and tested the employer-employee relationship,” says Richard Yerema, managing editor of the Canada’s Top

100 Employers project at Mediacorp.

“One of the positive observations from this year’s competition is the benefit to employers of continually revisiting workplace strategies and programs. The very best employers have always been innovators, so they are better prepared to move quickly in response to a rapid challenge like the pandemic.”

Looking ahead, employers are also starting to think about the ramifications of working at home. Shopify, Canada’s global commerce-platform giant, declared last May that it would become ‘digital by default’ and keep its office premises around the world closed until 2021. With everyone at home on screens, as its careers website says, “We can hire you (almost) anywhere.”

After experiencing large numbers of staff working from home, many

∆ Mondelēz Canada donated over

$1 million in cash and food items for COVID-19 relief to charities across Canada.

BCI

Tom “Fearless” Peerless, Director, Enterprise Risk, at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. helped navigate COVID-19.

∆

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Top Employers are positive about the benefits, while still recognizing the needs of employees who can’t work from home. In big cities, remote work has eliminated the time and stress of commuting, but it’s also laid bare some of the social divisions between white-collar staff and production/frontline employees who aren’t able to use tools like Zoom to work remotely. There’s also been concern about skills development and onboarding during the pandemic, especially for recent graduates and younger workers.

Still, many leaders see work from home as very effective overall, with

quicker virtual meetings, a more productive environment and more relaxed people. “I can’t see us going back to 100 per cent in the office,” says Maread Lavery, president and CEO of Export Development Canada in Ottawa. “It’s been very efficient working from home. People have really enjoyed the flexibility.”

Virtual meetings, she adds, actually allow more people to speak and contribute.

“Equally,” she says, “I don’t want to lose the benefit of collaboration and innovation you get with people in a room in front of a whiteboard or a training session, interactively feeding each other and building on

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∆ An employee at Medtronic Canada hosts an online workout for staff.

∆

DUFAULT/EDC

Staff at Export Development Canada / EDC have all the tools needed to stay connected and work remotely during the pandemic.

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ideas. It’s much harder to do virtually.”

Lavery echoes the conclusion many Top Employers are reaching about the future of work beyond the pandemic. “I think it will be a hybrid model,” she says. “And that hybrid model will lead to a greater degree of employee empowerment and more changes to traditional structures, with more self-monitoring, more self-regulation, and more focus on outcomes.”

It will be, everyone hopes, the end of hard times soon. For many of this year’s winners, it is a far, far better thing that they do, than they have ever done.

– Berton Woodward

SHOPIFY

STA N D I N G U P

∆ An employee at Shopify Canada working remotely on a patio.

Lawrence Nayally, host of CBC Radio’s Trail’s End, mixes in a little Dehcho Yati or ‘South Slavey’ for his listeners across the Northwest Territories.

∆

Y.NEWBORN PHOT./CBC

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ABB empowers employees to design for the future

H

ow cool is your job if it involves championship racing, world travel and the newest e-mobility technologies? For Stephanie Medeiros, who grew up loving Formula One car racing in Montréal, her job as a global e-mobility professional and global account executive with ABB Inc. is a consummate match.

Medeiros joined Montréal-based ABB, a pioneering technology company that works with industry, utilities, transportation and infrastructure, fresh after graduating in electrical engineering from McGill University, starting out as an entry-level project engineer. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, ABB has given Medeiros varied career opportunities.

“I'm fueled by innovation and new opportunities, so being at ABB motivates me and keeps me excited for all the different roles I’m doing.”

— Stephanie Medeiros Global e-Mobility Professional and Global Account Executive “I’m the kind of person who loves change,” says Medeiros. “Throughout my 11 years with the company, I’ve had many roles in different divisions and different teams – from technical engineering sales to management to leadership. I’m fueled by innovation and new opportunities, so being at ABB motivates me and keeps me excited for all the different roles I’m doing.”

Medeiros loves being part of finding solutions for future transport through Formula E racing, where

all the cars are electric. Formula E is essentially a motorsport race that happens all around the world, she explains, but it’s also a good testing ground because the newest mobility technologies are tested right on the track before being brought to mass-market vehicles.

“There are so many cool projects that ABB is working on in terms of technology and innovation, such as e-mobility, robotics or automation projects,” says Medeiros. “I feel like my actions have a direct impact on making the world a better place. And I’m having fun doing it.”

From the beginning, Medeiros says, she felt she had full ownership of her projects and full support for each of the many moves she’s made within the company.

“I’ve always felt empowered about my own destiny at ABB,” says Medeiros. “Wherever I was in my career path and whenever I wanted to grow or gain specific skills, as soon as I voiced my views, the company had my back and provided me with training and opportunities.”

That support included personal development programs in management and leadership, as well as a functional competency assessment – a program that compares an employee’s skill set to what’s needed for a position. ABB also paid for Medeiros to earn a marketing diploma at McGill, which she says really helped her get to the next step.

Sylvie Bergeron, vice-president, human resources for Canada, says externally, ABB has several partnerships with post-secondary institutions, such as one with Sheridan College near Toronto, where students can gain hands-on experience with the newest robots on the market in a leading-edge lab. Internally, the company

ABB EMPLOYEES ARE FUELED BY INNOVATION AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES offers multiple training opportunities through My Learning, an ABB University e-learning platform.

“We believe in a culture of individual growth, where we empower employees and enable them to achieve their highest potential,” says Bergeron. “Whether it be technical competencies or soft skills training, employees have access to all the tools and resources they need to excel.”

Bergeron says ABB’s goal is to be on the leading edge of companies that shape Canada’s future. To that end, the company lives by its fundamental values of courage, care, curiosity and collaboration.

“Sometimes people talk about their values and they’re just words on the wall,” says Bergeron. “But here, they’re the cornerstone of our culture.

“One thing I’ve never seen before is the rate our employees come back

— A better world begins with you

after trying other companies. That’s a beautiful sign that they know they’re valued, that the work they do has a lasting impact.

“From building analyzers that measure atmospheric pressure in space, to improving safety in factories, to developing new technologies to combat pollution, ABB touches the lives of Canadians everywhere.” 

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AFSC supports resilient producers through another crisis

F

armers and ranchers are used to coping with natural disasters – hailstorms, floods or drought – that routinely threaten their livelihood. A once-in-century pandemic is a new challenge even for them, but they are responding with typical resolve.

“Our producers are the most resilient people I know,” says Karla Kochan, chief people officer for Alberta’s Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC).

“When COVID-19 really hit late last winter, farmers were just getting ready for spring seeding. Despite the added stresses, they knew they had a job to do and they did it. Farmers got their crops in the ground, ranchers maintained their livestock. And they dealt with severe hail damage and a very wet summer on top of dealing with a pandemic.”

“When this pandemic hit, it just hit home how important food security is and we need our farmers and ranchers more than ever.”

— Karla Kochan Chief People Officer For over 80 years, AFSC has provided Alberta’s agricultural producers with loans, crop insurance and farm disaster assistance. With 42 branches across the province, AFSC is also very much part of the community it serves.

Patricia Schmidt, team leader, client service, oversees the operations of 11 of those branches in the northern part of Alberta. In a normal year, the

frontline staff she supports spend a lot of time meeting one-on-one with farmers and other producers where they live and work. Clients would also casually drop by the branch offices for coffee and a chat.

The pandemic has altered that routine significantly. AFSC’s client service representatives continue to staff the branch offices during regular daytime hours. But access is strictly controlled, client visits are by appointment only and physical distancing, masking and other health and safety protocols are closely followed.

AFSC adjusters continue to go out into the field, as do some of the lending relationship managers – again following all the enhanced protocols.

But the majority of communication is done online or by phone, which has been an adjustment for producers and AFSC staff alike.

“While everyone misses the face-to-face contact, in some ways the degree of communication with our clients has actually been greater through all this,” says Schmidt. “As for our branch staff, they are used to working as teams in offices and relying on each other not just in a work-related way, but for personal support as well. If anything, working through this pandemic has made them an even tighter-knit community, despite the fact they can’t be physically together.”

AFSC’s head office, in the central Alberta city of Lacombe, employs about 300 people, 90 per cent of whom have worked remotely since the pandemic began.

“Flexibility is critical,” says Kochan. “Our people are having to juggle work and personal responsibilities, especially those with school-age children. So we’ve become very

AFSC EMPLOYEES WEARING MASKS AT THEIR CLIENT SERVICE CENTRE OFFICE flexible about people working on their own schedules.”

Work-life balance has taken on a different meaning in this context.

“Because people’s homes are now also their workstations, we need to ensure they are truly able to maintain a work-life balance,” says Kochan.

“Team leaders are making it clear to staff that, just because you are working from home, doesn’t mean you are 24/7 on the clock.”

Technology is keeping everyone connected, with virtual town halls as a key tool. But the pandemic itself, says Kochan, is also giving employees a renewed sense of common purpose.

“When this pandemic hit, it just struck home how important food

security is and how we need our farmers and ranchers more than ever.

Our staff, in turn, understand that it’s more important than ever that we are there to support our producers.” 

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FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE OF BOARD DIRECTORS ARE WOMEN

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How BASF Canada shifted gears to fight COVID-19

W

hen COVID-19 put the brakes on many businesses, BASF Canada put the pedal to the metal to retool its Windsor, Ont., plant, switching from making automotive coatings to producing desperately needed hand sanitizer to help battle the pandemic. Thanks to the company shifting gears, frontline workers, educators, Indigenous communities and others received 10,000 litres of free sanitizer when supplies were running low.

For Thilo Birkenheier, it was a natural response from a company with a core mission to create a better, more sustainable society.

“We demonstrated to communities and many other stakeholders that we’re a good partner to have in difficult times,” says Birkenheier, head of business services BASF Canada.

“We demonstrated to communities and many other stakeholders that we’re a good partner to have in difficult times.”

— Thilo Birkenheier Head of Business Services BASF Canada

“It’s part of our corporate culture that our people stand behind our mission to create chemistry for a sustainable future. Sustainability is central.”

BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., is the Canadian affiliate of German-based BASF SE, the world’s leading chemical company. BASF Canada’s 1,129 employees produce a vast array of chemical goods, many used in cleaning and sanitation products helping in the fight against COVID-19.

But the company is doing just as much outside its facilities as inside.

In addition to hand sanitizer, BASF Canada donated as much personal protective equipment (PPE) as it could to frontline workers like those at Windsor Regional Hospital’s Metropolitan campus. Erika Harris, a BASF Canada environment, health & safety and responsible care specialist, helped deliver one shipment.

“We showed up with three minivans full of surface disinfectant, hand soap, sanitizer and PPE, and the look on the first responders’ faces were so appreciative and excited,” says Harris.

“It was so nice to be able to do something to give back and see how happy the people who work on the front lines were.”

BASF Canada and its employees also launched a virtual Food Bank drive, raising $64,000 to help feed struggling Canadians. When they donated a large quantity of hand sanitizer to CN, the railway responded by donating an additional $10,000 to Food Banks of Canada on BASF’s behalf.

Employees have also donated blood, found safe ways to participate in charities like CIBC Run for the Cure and other community activities to show their commitment to getting Canada collectively through the pandemic.

The company has also been looking after employees’ health and mental well-being. In addition to shifting work to home offices and offering training in distance technologies, employees and their families were given safety kits that included masks, hand sanitizer and “COVID keys” – metal tools for hands-free door-opening or button tapping that fit on a key chain.

Employees who needed it also received financial support if they couldn’t come to work. Screening

We create chemistry for a sustainable future basf.com/ca

BASF CANADA ENCOURAGES CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES and disinfectant protocols were put in place, shifts were changed and other measures taken to safeguard employees.

“I’m proud that despite all the challenges caused by the pandemic we did not experience a supply or production interruption and we have been able to continue provide our customers with the industry supplies that are essential to supporting the needs of the public.

Furthermore, we kept our employees safe,” said Birkenheier.

“I would say based on those facts, what we did has worked.”

The engine that keeps BASF’s wheels turning during the pandemic is constant communication between employees, managers and executives.

Virtual town hall meetings and other opportunities encourage feedback and response – something Harris appreciates.

“For our employees, it’s great. We also do a lot of employee spotlights when they’ve done something impactful just to highlight them and give them the motivation to keep going.

They’re willing to go the extra mile and do what needs to be done,” Harris says. 

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Bell keeps Canadians connected

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dapting and innovating feels like second nature to people at Bell Canada, so when faced with the challenges of a global health crisis, employees like Jessica Miller stepped up to deliver for Canadians when they needed it most.

One of more than 50,000 team members, Miller, senior manager, field operations, oversees Bell’s crucial cable, fibre optic and copper-wire network in a large service region north of Toronto.

“It’s a big responsibility,” Miller says, “never more evident than when COVID-19 hit and Canadians started migrating from the workplace to home. Our technology provides a vital connection for people and we take that very seriously.”

“Our COVID-19 response has been guided by three principles – keep Canadians connected and informed; protect the health and safety of the public, our customers and team; and support our customers and community.”

— Bernard le Duc Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President, Corporate Services The team quickly found innovative ways to keep customers and team members safe, including more online, self-serve support and a new assisted self-installation program, allowing technicians to perform installations and repairs from outside the home by phone and video links.

Bell met the sudden, unprece-

dented demand on its network by maintaining 99.99-plus per cent availability, while still launching major service innovations, including the rollout of wireless home internet service in April to 137,000 more homes in 180 rural communities and, in June, the launch of Canada’s fastest mobile 5G network.

“As Canada’s leading builder of communications infrastructure, we were well-prepared for the increased demand from our residential customers, public health and other essential services due to COVID-19,” says Bernard le Duc, Bell’s chief human resources officer and executive vice president, corporate services.

“Our COVID-19 response,” says le Duc, “has been guided by three principles – keep Canadians connected and informed; protect the health and safety of the public, our customers and team; and support our customers and community.”

As the majority of team members started working remotely, Bell equipped thousands of customer service agents with specialized, secure connections to work at home and redeployed team members, including retail employees, to frontline customer service roles. Bell Media began broadcasting from home-based studios and control rooms to keep Canadians up to date on the latest news. And new grads continued to join the company’s internship and Graduate Leadership Programs through virtual onboarding and collaboration activities.

“We’re doing things differently for sure,” says Miller, “but we’re staying engaged and connected and really not missing a beat.”

Bell’s coordinated effort in response to COVID-19 ensured the health and safety of not only its team members but other Canadians

THE BELL TEAM HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO KEEPING CANADIANS CONNECTED AND INFORMED THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 CRISIS as well. In April, when the country was facing a shortage of masks, Bell donated 1.5 million units of personal protective equipment for frontline public workers across Canada.

Through its Bell Let’s Talk initiative the company also provided $5 million in funding to five organizations focused on mental health services for youth, families and communities.

In addition, Bell donated more than 4,500 phones, tablets and SIM cards to hospitals, shelters and frontline social-service agencies.

To address the impact of systemic racism on racialized Canadians within the company and the community, Bell launched a $5-million Bell Let’s Talk Diversity fund to support the mental health and well-being of Canada’s Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities.

Miller says she’s been proud to play a role in a company that’s focused on supporting communities throughout the pandemic and taking a strong stance on important issues like mental health, diversity and inclusion.

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Join a winning team.

Apply today at bell.ca/careers Follow us @bell_jobs

“Bell’s committed to making a difference – whether it’s helping employees grow their careers and take on new opportunities, supporting our fellow Canadians, or providing invaluable connections and information.”

Although she’d like to see her team in person more often, she stays in close contact using the Bell network they keep secure.

“We communicate a lot,” she says with a laugh. “That’s our business, after all.” 

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your career just got better

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Best Buy uses its high-tech edge to help Canadians

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efore the pandemic, Best Buy Canada Ltd. already had a mission to connect and enrich lives through technology, and it had a huge community outreach footprint. So when the COVID-19 crisis hit, the company’s people were hard-wired to respond. Not by doing what they’d always done, but much, much more. And they did it by keeping connected internally and externally.

“We engaged in super-intense communication, provided lots of great training and listened to our employees. Constant communication was really critical,” says Carol Graziani, director, employee experience, human resources.

“We engaged in super-intense communication, provided lots of great training and listened to our employees.”

—Carol Graziani Director, Employee Experience, Human Resources Headquartered in Burnaby, B.C., Best Buy Canada is a retailer and e-tailer of consumer electronics, computers, entertainment products, related accessories and services, with more than 5,400 full-time staff in Canada. The company has always had strong community outreach programs, but the perils of the pandemic inspired them to up their game.

Best Buy launched a Social Impact COVID-19 relief plan to help many of Canada’s most vulnerable groups.

Among a long list of technology donations, it partnered with Samsung to provide 400 tablets to hospitals across the country, allowing patients

Proud to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

in isolation to communicate with healthcare workers and their loved ones. It also launched Geek Squad Academy Online Learning, a free learning resource for children aged 10-16 to work independently or with their parents or caregivers.

But for Sami Ahmad, Scott Road store leader in Surrey, B.C., perhaps the most meaningful initiative was the library lending program that put laptops into the hands of seniors struggling with isolation and people who need computers to find employment. Ahmad and two other Surrey Best Buy store managers collaborated to build a pool of laptops to donate to the Surrey Public Library system.

For Ahmad, it was personal.

“What was unique about this donation was this was the very library system I used throughout my childhood,” says Ahmad. “It was so powerful to be able to give back to the community library system I used.

It really touched me emotionally.”

Ahmad is an example of how Best Buy uses education, training and a comprehensive package of benefits to advance employees’ careers. He started as a seasonal employee in 2013 and worked his way up to store leader in short order. Now he and his fellow employees are being supported by a whole new set of training that helps them cope with the pandemic.

“The health and safety training we’ve received protects both employees and customers. These measures not only make customers feel safe, they make our employees feel safe, which allows them to be their best selves coming into their shifts on a daily basis,” Ahmad says.

Best Buy looks after both employees’ physical health and their mental well-being. A strong mental health program has been amped up during

SAMI AHMAD (CENTER) LEADS A TEAM FROM BEST BUY STORES IN SURREY, B.C., DONATING LAPTOPS TO THEIR LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY the pandemic, says Graziani.

“We intensified our efforts around helping our employees manage the stress and pressure of coping with the pandemic environment,” she says.

“We quadrupled our effort around mental health so employees feel safe and there’s no stigma related to talking about a mental health challenge.”

A progressive employer in terms of working from home, the company had nearly completed an expanded policy when the pandemic struck.

Now, any head office employee who wants to work from home can. They can even have their kid on their lap during Zoom meetings – and carry their laptop across the room while showing everyone their belt buckle.

“It’s a steep learning curve and

none of us is really going to be slick and perfect,” Graziani says. “The most important thing is we’re communicating and showing our humility and our humanity. We’re all human and we’re all in this together.” 

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BCI and its people step up to help the community

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aman Velji has had a lot to cope with since the pandemic hit. Like his fellow employees at the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), he had the sudden shift to working from home. The senior portfolio manager, infrastructure & renewable resources, was suddenly grounded and had to find new ways to connect with the companies BCI owns around the world.

But none of that – including “virtual jet lag” – could stop him from rallying his company and community behind a campaign for COVID-19 relief.

“BCI was tremendously supportive because it recognizes we gain when we give back to our communities,” says Velji. “There was tremendous need and BCI management and my fellow employees came through with flying colours.”

“I think the biggest thing for me is our staff has been truly resilient. They’re adapting in ways I didn’t know was possible.”

— Shauna Lukaitis Chief Operating Officer

BCI is a leading provider of investment management services for B.C.’s public sector. Headquartered in Victoria, it handles over $171 billion of managed assets, ensuring financial security for more than 630,000 pension plan beneficiaries and 2.5 million workers.

BCI management supports Velji in his outside role as chair of the Victoria Foundation, the second-oldest

community foundation in Canada.

Seeing the need to respond quickly, Velji helped organize the Rapid Relief Fund, raising money to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE), help the homeless, support domestic abuse facilities and more.

BCI contributed $75,000 to the Rapid Relief Fund. BCI’s employees also responded enthusiastically making individual donations and in recognition of their generosity, the executive management team donated an additional $50,000 of their own funds.

“We thought it was important, especially during this time when we’re so fortunate to be able to continue working, supporting our families and looking after our loved ones, to look at the broader community,” says chief operating officer Shauna Lukaitis.

“When the management team saw the staff was really getting behind Zaman, we thought it was important for us to show that support as well and recognize the generosity of our staff.”

Community giving is ingrained in BCI’s culture. Whether it’s by supporting the United Way or giving employees paid time to work for charity, BCI’s management and employees enjoy giving back.

BCI’s people-first philosophy was challenged at the beginning of the pandemic when employees transitioned to working remotely. Fortunately, there were already plans for greater work-at-home options, easing the transition. Employees received a stipend to help fund their home offices and safe pickup dates were arranged to access items needed from the workplace.

“I think the biggest thing for me is our staff has been truly resilient.

They’re adapting in ways I didn’t know was possible,” says Lukaitis.

Building Building Meaningful Futures Meaningful Futures

for our clients, our investments, our people for our clients, our investments, our people

EMPLOYEES CATCH UP AND SHARE IDEAS OUTSIDE BCI'S HEADQUARTERS IN THE HEART OF VICTORIA, BC “And that’s not just because we’re making it possible for them. They have that in them. I’m so very proud of the people that I work with.”

BCI holds virtual town halls to stay connected, has set up a COVID-19 section of its intranet and developed a series of “playbooks” to guide staff and managers through COVID-19 protocols and practices. It also regularly updates clients via webcasts, communiques and a new client portal.

For Velji, a big challenge has been keeping connected with BCI’s investments around the world. Instead of flying in for a face-to-face meeting, he uses technology to stay in touch with the boards and management teams of BCI-owned companies.

“My webcam has recently taken me to discussions with our partners

around the world, from London to Mumbai, Singapore to Indiana, and elsewhere. It's like virtual jet lag and living in different time zones without ever leaving the province," says Velji.“So that dimension has really changed things.” 

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Teamwork helps BDC rise to the pandemic challenge

I

n March 2020, Lisa Christensen, an employee for over 20 years at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), boarded a flight to Vancouver, where she was scheduled to meet with a group of local women business owners in her capacity as senior adviser, women entrepreneurship team, for BDC. A Crown corporation and national development bank owned by the Government of Canada, BDC has a mandate to help create and develop Canadian entrepreneurs through financing, growth and transition capital, venture capital and advisory services, with a focus on small and mid-sized businesses. Montréal-based, BDC operates business centres across Canada on behalf of 62,000 clients.

“Our systems weren’t built for this volume. But our employees rose to the challenge.”

— Pierre Dubreuil Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Everything changed on that day in March, including Christensen’s immediate plans and the focus of her job, when she received word that BDC was sending its 2,400 employees home to reduce their exposure to COVID-19.

“When I got to Vancouver, I didn’t take my meeting, I took a flight straight back to Calgary,” she says. “The bank wanted to ensure no employee was put at undue risk and from that day forward, we’ve all been

working from home.”

At the same time, businesses in Canada were forced to close their doors, and many of them needed BDC’s help more than ever. In the initial days of the pandemic, the bank received more loan requests through its online platform in just three weeks than it typically receives in a full year. Its website received almost a million visits.

“We have a crisis management plan in place, but we never imagined something like this,” says Pierre Dubreuil, BDC’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“Our systems weren’t built for this volume. But our employees rose to the challenge.”

Within days, Christensen’s role at BDC changed radically, as she became the leader of a team responsible for processing loans.

“We had employees from all departments on the team,” she says.

“Some were experienced with loan processing, some weren’t. We all had to learn new jobs, technology and processes to support our clients.”

BDC acted quickly to accommodate its employees and clients. “We made sure that employees who were dealing with these situations knew where to send them for support and where to seek support themselves,” says Dubreuil.

For clients, that included increasing access to capital, introducing more flexible terms, postponing payments and innovating internal processes to be more agile. Efforts were also made to fast-track the bank’s digital transformation.

For employees working from home, the bank acted quickly to ensure teams had the support they needed.

Senior leaders appeared on weekly video updates to share news, offer en-

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BDC’S INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED EMPLOYEES TO TRANSITION SEAMLESSLY FROM IN-OFFICE WORK TO REMOTE WORK couragement and answer employees’ questions. The bank provided funds for employees to purchase equipment for their home offices. The intranet provided information and tools to weather the crisis, from how to work from home with kids to managing remotely.

Many employees took advantage of the bank’s virtual healthcare, mental health support and other benefits. To help leaders and their teams navigate ambiguity and make decisions during a crisis, the bank also hosted virtual resiliency sessions.

“The first 40 days were non-stop,” says Dubreuil. “It was a big challenge and a great learning experience, but also very stressful.”

For Christensen, the pandemic has

given her a new appreciation for her own capacities. “It’s made me career-resilient,” she says. “Our leaders trusted me to oversee a national team during a crisis. Now I know that I can rise to the challenge again.” 

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25

( 2021 )

Flexibility and empathy are key at Canada Life

S

tephanie Halligan wasn’t surprised when The Canada Life Assurance Company told its employees to work from home to help flatten the COVID-19 curve.

“I believe Canada Life looks out for their employees, and our leaders really embrace the company’s purpose of improving the financial, physical and mental well-being of all Canadians. I wasn’t surprised that they wanted to keep us safe,” she says.

One of the company’s program managers in its Community Relations department in Winnipeg, Halligan made the transition quickly and with little inconvenience, she says. As an employee with teammates from across Canada, and a student in an online MBA program, she was familiar with the technology and process of communicating remotely.

“Our team has risen to the occasion during this challenging time. This has been one of my proudest moments.”

— Jeff Macoun President & Chief Operating Officer, Canada

“I already felt like an expert in Microsoft Teams,” she says.

From her home office, which she set up with the help of financial support from the company, she continued to manage its community investment strategy, evaluate proposals and make grant recommendations for projects in Canada’s western and Atlantic provinces.

“I feel safe,” she says, “and that’s the way you want it.”

For a company in the financial services and insurance business for more than 170 years, it’s natural that health and safety are deep values at Canada Life. From its offices across the country, it now provides insurance products and financial services to approximately one in three Canadians.

“When the pandemic struck, we were clear that the safety of our employees was our number one priority,” says Jeff Macoun, president & chief operating officer, Canada. “We wanted to do all we could to support them.”

“Ninety-five per cent of our nearly 11,000 employees began working remotely in March and about eighty to eighty-five per cent continue to do so today. If you would have told me a year ago that we’d transition to working from home in a matter of weeks, I wouldn’t have believed you.

But we did it.”

In addition to providing employees with financial support to help set up their home workstations, the company has introduced other new measures as well.

“Physical and mental health are linked,” says Macoun, noting that the company is proud to have compressed 12 months of health benefits into an interim six-month plan to support employees. This allows for access to an additional $5,000 in mental health coverage.

“And we communicated like never before, with town halls, weekly meetings and a dedicated internal COVID-19 site,” he explains.

In July, the company also acknowledged its employees’ exceptional efforts by providing two additional paid days off on the Thursday and Friday after Canada Day, giving them a five-

Proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

IN APRIL 2019, CANADA LIFE INTRODUCED ITS NEW BRAND AND EMPLOYEES CELEBRATED THE LAUNCH day weekend to rest and recharge after a busy start to the year.

“Our team has risen to the occasion during this challenging time. This has been one of my proudest moments,” says Macoun.

The appreciation is mutual. Halligan is grateful for the support offered to her and her colleagues during the transition to working from home. In fact, she says, the qualities that the company has shown in its response to the pandemic are the same as the ones that she emphasizes in her work.

“Flexibility and empathy are critical,” she says.

“I think the company has done a fantastic job,” says Halligan. “Since day one of this pandemic, I’ve felt

supported and that our leaders understand what we’re going through.

That’s invaluable.” 

10,524 63% $12.8 700+

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26

( 2021 )

The drive for safety keeps everyone on track at CN

A

t Canadian National Railway, safety is a core value and an integral component of every employee’s role, including that of Raman Boparai in the Montréalbased company’s Brampton, Ont., office.

“A railroad is composed of many complex ecosystems, both groups of people and technology. For our employees on the trains, trucks, tracks and cranes, there are no compromises when it comes to safety,” says Boparai, director of optimization and innovation.

The annual Rail Safety Week campaign is one example of how CN promotes safety with its employees, neighbours, customers and partners, whether through a podcast or by partnering with schools and local government. The aim is to create more community awareness about best safety practices around crossings, tracks and trains.

“I’m always trying to systematically improve things.

My role at CN is the perfect opportunity to pursue that passion.”

— Raman Boparai Director of Optimization and Innovation

An industrial engineer with experience in the transportation and airline industries, Boparai is passionate about end-to-end supply chains. “I’m always trying to systematically improve things,” he says. “My role at CN is the perfect opportunity to pursue that passion.”

Currently Boparai is overseeing the multi-year Smart Terminal Program, which will enhance the capacity of CN’s 20-plus North American terminals and improve customer service.

“We’ll be transforming our terminals’ computers and making them state-ofthe-art. Collaboration is crucial right from the top.”

Teammates include CN departments such as IT and finance, as well as external vendors and consultants.

“Everyone is part of this huge transformation in taking our company to the next level,” says Boparai. “I love solving operational problems so we have smooth processes and satisfied customers.”

Those customers could range from a big-box store picking up 100 containers each week from a CN terminal to a much smaller business collecting one container a week. “We appreciate every one of our customers and get to know their business so we can meet their unique needs,” says Boparai.

To offset the intensity of his workdays, Boparai has taken part in CN’s company-wide Wellness Challenge, tracking his steps throughout the day (his team didn’t win, but he still had fun). “I love working here. I feel this is where I belong to do all of the things I like to do.”

Quinn Zhang, manager of analytics and optimization, joined CN in 2018 and is also based in Brampton.

Originally from China, she learned of CN’s reputation as an internationally regarded railway company while earning a master’s degree in applied science at the University of Windsor.

“The railway industry is essential to the Canadian and global economy, and I’m proud to contribute not only to customer excellence but also to the economy.”

For Zhang, her customers are both

SAFETY IS A CORE VALUE AT CN internal, in the form of the operations team, and external, such as truckers who pick up containers at the terminal. Part of her job is to tackle operational problems and bottlenecks using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. For example, if it takes a trucker longer than normal to locate a container, she and her team do a deep dive into the data to discover why.

As much as Zhang enjoys her work, she also applauds CN’s inclusive culture and growth opportunities.

“I’ve had one promotion so far, and I have a mentor and management support to create my own career path.

I’m learning all the time, and I appreciate receiving meaningful input into which direction I should be going.”

Both Boparai and Zhang have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has

been a seamless transition thanks to new communications software and headsets. And although they miss seeing their co-workers in person, they still feel connected to them – and to the bigger picture. “No matter where we’re working, we’re all focused on advancing CN,” says Boparai. 

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27

( 2021 )

Sustainability is the whole package at Cascades

A

fter studying Cascades Canada ULC in class while earning a business degree at Université Laval, Emmanuelle Migneault planned to spend two years at the Kingsey Falls, Qué.-based head office following graduation before joining her parents’ restaurant business. Almost 20 years and four promotions later, she’s still there.

“The culture of Cascades is so attractive,” says Migneault, vice president of human resources. “It’s well-known for having good values and treating its employees and the planet well. And because it started as a family-run business, it feels like you’re working for a small business but within a large company.”

“Cascades is well-known for having good values and treating its employees and the planet well.”

— Emmanuelle Migneault Vice President of Human Resources

Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibres. Of the three founding brothers – Bernard, Laurent and Alain Lemaire – two are retired. The youngest, Alain, is executive chairman of the board and so accessible that any employee can call him on his cellphone and address him by his first name.

Sustainability is part of the founders’ DNA, and therefore the corporate culture. “Recycling was a way of life for the Lemaires long be-

fore it was trendy,” says Migneault.

“We won’t make a product if it isn’t good for the environment. We always ask ourselves, are we able to help the planet and people when we innovate?”

First hired as human resources manager, Migneault never imagined that she’d spend two decades at the same company. “I’ve stayed because I’ve been able to use my creativity, and I was given a lot of responsibility even at a young age. I’ve also always felt supported and trusted, which has made me take some risks and keeps challenging me.”

Senior innovation product manager Maude Fournier-Farley also feels supported in her role. She was pleased but surprised to learn that her supervisor had quietly recommended her for a year-long leadership training program called LIFT. “I’m proud to be accepted into the program,” she says, “but also proud of my supervisor for seeing my potential.”

Fournier-Farley’s passion for developing environmentally friendly food packaging has won her and Cascades three provincial prizes, and they’re in the running for an international prize. Yet perhaps even more exciting than receiving awards was the first time she saw one of the packages she had developed in a grocery store. The tray was made of 100-per-cent recycled fibre and completely recyclable.

“I took some pictures and sent them to my parents and my boss,” says Fournier-Farley. “I felt so proud!

You want to feel that again, so you keep working harder.”

Two years ago, however, Fournier-Farley wasn’t feeling so upbeat.

She was separating from the father of

CASCADES ULC'S EMPLOYEE IN FRONT OF CONTAINER BOARD BOXES

her two young children and credits her supervisor’s support, plus that of a psychologist sourced through Cascade’s employee assistance program, for helping manage that stressful time so she could keep being productive at work.

“My supervisor has been there for me when things are going well and also not so well,” says Fournier-Farley, who remains grateful for having ready access to the help she needed.

“This humanity is very important, and it makes me want to do more for her.”

Now feeling more balanced, Fournier-Farley is once again revelling in her work. “When I feel that I’ve contributed something to this

company, my day was well invested – whether that’s developing a new idea or a project to help Cascades continue to be a leader in sustainable packaging. It’s the best feeling to be part of that history and movement.”

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28

( 2021 )

CIBC’s culture is rooted in caring for others

S

ince she started working at CIBC 32 years ago, Martine Leblanc has enthusiastically volunteered to help causes that were important to the company, including CIBC Run for the Cure, United Way, Tour CIBC Charles Bruneau and more. So it was no surprise that as COVID-19 began to impact communities, Leblanc found a way to help those who needed it.

For the CIBC business risk leader, that meant shopping for and delivering groceries to seniors. And through CIBC’s employee giving and volunteering program, One for Change, Leblanc was also given $12.50 for each hour she volunteered, up to a maximum of $500, which she could donate to any cause that mattered to her. In honour of her son, who had cancer eight years ago when he was 13, Leblanc gave that money to Fondation Charles-Bruneau, a research foundation for pediatric cancer that CIBC has supported for the past 20 years.

“We see the power of rallying around a common purpose.”

— Andrew Greenlaw Vice-President of Community and Client Relationships “At the end of the day, I know I did something good for somebody,” says Leblanc. “The feeling I have, and everybody has, when we do this is pride – we are invincible because we helped people.”

But Leblanc is just one of the thousands of CIBC team members who have reached out in some way to help those who need it during the pandemic. “Martine is really a proxy

for all of us,” says Andrew Greenlaw, vice-president of community and client relationships. “Take her and times it by 40,000 and you’ll get a sense of what our culture is really, honestly like.”

Part of what drew Greenlaw to CIBC eight years ago was the Toronto-based bank’s work with the Canadian Cancer Society. “We have a purpose-driven culture which is really rooted in being genuinely caring,” he says. “It all starts with our CEO and his leadership team and permeates the organization.”

Right out of the gate, CIBC responded to the immediate needs of charities that were being hardhit by the pandemic by increasing their corporate donations. Two new programs were launched right away, as well: CIBC Holiday for Heroes, which awarded healthcare workers hundreds of travel vouchers so they could take a much-deserved paid break when things settle down; and the Future Heroes Bursary Fund, which was designed to grant 200 $2,500 bursaries to students pursuing healthcare as part of their post-secondary studies.

In addition, this fall CIBC is launching a corporate matching campaign, to match employees’ donations to the charities of their choice. And an annual Purpose Day provides employees with a day where they can further their personal or professional ambitions. Many CIBC employees have been using the day and their personal time to deliver groceries, make masks, provide tutoring and do whatever else might be needed.

On his Purpose Day, Greenlaw will spend the morning donating blood – “That’s one aspect of the healthcare system that’s been largely neglected, as people are scared to go out and

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ANDREW GREENLAW PLANS TO USE HIS CIBC PURPOSE DAY THIS YEAR TO DONATE MUCH-NEEDED BLOOD TO CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES give blood,” he says. He’ll spend the afternoon tutoring his nephew.

When you start doing the math, those initiatives have a big impact across the organization. “It’s 40,000 Purpose Days,” Greenlaw says, “40,000 team members having access to $500 to support charities that are important to them and tapping into a corporate matching campaign where they can double up to $500 worth of donations.”

Despite the fact that this year’s CIBC Run for the Cure was largely a virtual event, Greenlaw says CIBC raised $2 million with over 7,000 team members participating. “Even during a pandemic, our organization can’t be

stopped,” he adds. “We see the power of rallying around a common purpose, one that’s about having a positive impact on our communities.” 

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29

( 2021 )

Citi Canada: in the COVID storm, people come first

M

atthew Bu was on vacation in the U.S. in March when Citi Canada sent its employees home to weather out the COVID-19 pandemic. A treasury & trade solutions analyst, Bu had planned to do some work from the parent company’s office in New York before he returned to Toronto.

“But then Citi shut down there, as well,” he says. “I came home and had to quarantine for two weeks. I never did get a chance to go back to the office.”

The Canadian subsidiary of Citi, a financial-services multinational, Citi Canada focuses on safeguarding assets, lending money, making payments and accessing the capital markets on behalf of its clients. With headquarters in Toronto, it maintains offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Mississauga and Montreal.

“The pace of change is the difference. Usually we have more time to plan. Now we’re making decisions in the moment.”

— Christine Discola Director & Country Human Resources Officer When the bank decided to send its nearly 2,400 employees home, its primary concern was their health and safety. “That was the north star guiding every decision,” says Christine Discola, director and country human resources officer for Citi Canada, in Toronto.

“We knew that people had to care for their families and loved ones,” she

says. “Their health was the driver.”

Like Bu, most employees adapted readily to working from home. The bank even continued its community contribution programs, participating virtually in its Global Community Day, for example, and providing career mentoring for more than 50 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who face multiple barriers to employment.

In March, bank employees raised $13,000 for Food Banks Canada in a matching program to purchase $26,000 worth of food for local communities, while the bank donated another $100,000 to the organization to support children and families struggling during COVID-19.

“We also partnered with ACCES Employment to provide speed mentoring sessions for new immigrants with a background in banking,” Discola says.

Citi supports several non-profit organizations across Canada with virtual Citi Skills Marathons, donating the talent and expertise of bank employees to address organizational issues in areas such as human resources, information technology, governance, and public affairs.

Internally, Citi’s home-based employees like Matthew Bu continue to provide their services to the bank’s clients across the country.

“In a weird way, not a lot about my work has changed,” he says.

“Most companies need to hold more cash to stay liquid. But just because of COVID-19, it doesn’t mean companies don’t need financial services.”

Whether it’s readily apparent or not, though, the pandemic has forced Citi to make some rapid adjustments.

“We’ve gone through many different phases since I joined the bank more than 25 years ago,” says Discola.

CITI CANADA EMPLOYS 2,400 PEOPLE ACROSS CANADA WITH OFFICES IN VANCOUVER, CALGARY, MONTREAL, TORONTO AND MISSISSAUGA “But this is unprecedented.”

Discola participates in a daily rapid-response call with Citi’s North American human-resources team, adjusting on the fly to changing circumstances imposed by the pandemic.

“The pace of change is the difference,” she says. “Usually we have more time to plan. Now we’re making decisions in the moment. We’ve had to get comfortable with risk-taking, learning to make corrections and move on.”

Some of the adjustments that the bank has made in response to COVID-19 will have a permanent impact, Discola says.

“We’ve realized how much our personal lives are intertwined with our work lives,” she says, “and I don’t think we can ignore what we’ve experienced.

“Our humanity and vulnerability

have been brought to the forefront, and I think that’s critical to connect us all. At the same time, there’s a desire to go back to the way things were in the sense of normalcy.”

Although he feels comfortable working from home, Bu agrees. “The enjoyment of work is to see people,” he says. “I hope everyone goes back to the office.” 

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30

( 2021 )

Danone asks its people, What Do You Think?

W

hen COVID-19 hit, Danone Canada was ready and moved fast to take care of its employees at its head offices in Boucherville, Qué., and Mississauga, Ont., by setting them up to work at home. At the same time, it turned its attention to how best to support its plant and retail employees.

“At the outset, we quickly rallied around what measures to put in place for everyone to be safe,” says Mélanie Lebel, vice president of human resources. “Our priorities were the safety of our employees first, food safety and business continuity.

Without the health of our people, we couldn’t continue doing business.”

“At Danone, we’re encouraged to engage in creating the future of the company.”

— Shikha Uppal Senior Manager, Sales Strategy

Caring for its employees aligns perfectly with Danone Canada’s core values. “Even as a fast-growing, top-tier, consumer packaged goods company, we challenge the notion of traditional business that focuses solely on financial returns,” says Lebel. “We also want to do good for our employees, our communities and the environment. I am proud to work for such a humble and purpose-driven company.”

Lebel was attracted to Danone Canada’s reputation for its fastpaced, forward-thinking, socially responsible corporate practices and for

treating its employees well. In April, the company launched a 60-minute discussion group called What Do You Think? to take the pulse of its employees as the pandemic continued. Every two weeks, Lebel and company president Dan Magliocco meet virtually with nine different employees to listen to their challenges and suggestions.

“I’m inspired by our people’s collective compassion and commitment,” says Lebel. “When I see them shining, especially during difficult times, or an important project a team has been working on comes to fruition and I see the pride in their eyes, that’s a great day for me.”

Two projects triggered by the pandemic were an internal panel discussion and virtual coffee chats with the theme of Finding Balance, co-led by senior manager of sales strategy Shikha Uppal. “A lot of lines between work and home have become blurred, and we wanted to create a space where people can share how they’ve managed to find their balance,” she says.

Uppal has found better work-life balance by bringing a puppy into her household and spending more time reading. Previously, she took part in the company’s virtual fitness challenge to see which team could record the most fitness hours in a week. “It was great because I’m not very athletic but I’m competitive, so I reached about 10,000 steps a day – I even took meetings while walking!” she says. (Her team came in second.)

Uppal joined Danone Canada in 2016 and has been promoted from a position in the supply chain to business development and, now, sales strategy. “I’ve been fortunate to have had very open and supportive managers and mentors who have

DANONE CANADA'S BOUCHERVILLE PLANT PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR, MOMAR DIAGNE, WEARING PPE

recognized that I’m willing to work hard and to grow,” she says. “We’re encouraged to engage in creating the future of the company.”

Uppal is looking forward to participating in an upcoming What Do You Think? discussion. “The leadership team is so accessible, and they really want to know how we’re doing. There’s a real family feel to this company, which keeps me motivated.” 

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31

( 2021 )

The Desjardins mantra: proximity and flexibility

T

he first thing Shereeza Ali did when Desjardins Group topped up employees’ health spending accounts was to buy an ergonomic desk chair. The piece of furniture was the final item she needed to work safely and comfortably from her home office in Stouffville, Ont. Canada’s leading cooperative financial group had begun sending employees home on March 10, 2020, just four days after executives returning from business trips abroad described the impact COVID-19 was having on regions of Asia and Europe.

“We were created as a cooperative. It means we make decisions based on what’s best for our people.

After all, we’re all in this together.”

— Marc-André Malboeuf Vice President, HR Solutions Development

At the time, about five per cent of Desjardins employees worked remotely; IT teams rapidly ramped it up to 80 per cent. Marc-André Malboeuf, vice-president of HR solutions development, describes it as the largest shift in the company’s 120-year history.

“We are absolutely determined not to be a vector of contagion,” he says, noting that teleworking is just one of many measures the financial cooper-

ative took to protect its employees, members and clients.

Ali says few of her clients even noticed a difference in how they were interacting. A claims adviser, accident benefits, with Desjardins Insurance since 2013, she spends a lot of time on the telephone with people who’ve been in motor vehicle accidents, reassuring them and arranging medical care. But Ali herself detected a significant change.

“The biggest part of the job has always been listening,” she says, “but people are far more stressed now.

Some have felt stranded when their treatment clinics closed. Others are alone and lonely and just need someone to speak with. Some calls have lasted over an hour.”

Knowing that delaying therapy can impede an accident victim’s long-term recovery, Ali is always eager to get them the help they need.

So, although she can rely on her 14-member team and direct manager for virtual backup and brainstorming, she says maintaining a healthy worklife balance has become a challenge.

Leaving work used to clearly demarcate the end of her shift, but now it’s all too easy to keep on making phone calls, Ali says. “I’ve had to learn to step away. I have two young daughters who also need me.”

Malboeuf says that Desjardins expected employees working remotely would experience certain problems and augmented its range of supports.

Managers, he says, were given two key mantras: proximity and flexibility. In other words, they should stay in close contact with their team members and accommodate individuals with demanding child- and/or elder-care obligations, depressed by social distancing, or

We don’t offer you a job.

We offer you job satisfaction.

There’s a difference.

THE COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS TEAM AT DESJARDINS GROUP PROMOTING THE 'WHEN DISTANCE BRINGS US CLOSER' CAMPAIGN

faced with other complications.

Desjardins also prioritized clear communications, including regular employee web conferences with president and CEO Guy Cormier.

New internal websites offer employees comprehensive information about COVID-19 or opportunities to simply socialize with colleagues they miss seeing daily. The company has also posted how-to videos and capsules on everything from teleworking with children to home office ergonomics.

At the same time, the company has introduced a variety of initiatives to help members and clients navigate tough times. Ali’s anxious clients, for instance, now have access to teleconference counselling with third-party psychologists.

Other group divisions have, among other things, deferred payments on credit cards and loans, offered members aged 18 to 30 psychological and

legal assistance by telephone, and worked with outside partners to help businesses shift online.

Desjardins has a different mindset that doesn’t just focus on the bottom line, Malboeuf explains. “We were created as a cooperative that gives back. It means we make decisions based on what’s best for our people.

After all, we’re all in this together.” 

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32

( 2021 )

EDC is all about support, globally and locally

W

hat is the best thing about working for Export Development Canada? A lot of its employees would answer, “Working for Export Development Canada.”

“One of the greatest advantages at EDC is the mandate we have,” says Willy Fogang, a Winnipeg-based senior account manager on the commercial market and small business team. “It’s the ability to get up every day and do impactful work for Canadian companies that are doing business abroad, and see the difference that makes in the communities we live in.”

Fogang started at EDC as an intern in 2011. “The first day, instead of just getting me to print papers or serve coffee, they gave me meaningful work. That says a lot about the culture of the organization. It is very supportive, and not just at the beginning. I joined in 2012, and I saw how much they invest in their people. It’s very inclusive as well.”

“I joined in 2012, and I saw how much they invest in their people. It’s very inclusive as well.”

— Willy Fogang Senior Account Manager In fact, Fogang, who was born in Cameroon and came to Canada with his family as refugees in 2003, was able to gain an MBA while working at EDC, with tuition support from the organization. Now he helps Manitoba companies sell anything from eggs to mineral water to tractors abroad.

He still takes pride in one of the first facts he learned about EDC. “For every dollar in our pockets, EDC contributes about five cents of it,” he says. “That really hit home to me – that five per cent of GDP is through the activity of this organization.”

President and CEO Mairead Lavery likes to point out that the organization started as a couple of people in an Ottawa office in 1944 after the Bretton Woods Agreement established global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund. “Now, after passing our 75th anniversary, we have 1,700 people – all working at home,” she says.

The pandemic led EDC to shut down all 41 of its offices around the world, but no one was laid off. The work continues virtually, and people can come back to offices that have reopened if they wish. “It’s 100 per cent voluntary,” says Lavery.

In addition, EDC has taken on domestic responsibilities amid the pandemic, helping even Canadian businesses that don’t sell abroad to get critical help through government programs or banking support. That extra mandate, which is set to last until December 2021, has meant that many of EDC’s people around the world have switched to the domestic effort.

And EDC is hiring. “We’ve been recruiting team members that can help these companies on the front line,” says Lavery. “We’re a financial institution, so there’s a lot within our underwriting organization, plus the back office.”

The organization is also wellknown for its community involvement. Aside from outreach to business associations, now virtual, EDC stepped up its support for charities in

AS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, EDC EMPLOYEES TAKE TIME TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY 2020, including for new immigrants, for Lebanese citizens affected by the disastrous Beirut explosions, and for Canadian food banks.

And given the outpouring of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, including from its own employees, EDC also looked inward, says Lavery. “It was a wake-up call for us. We needed to sit down and listen to our employees.” The result was the hiring of a full-time chief diversity officer, as well as facilitated conversations and a training series covering such topics as unconscious bias, microaggression and white privilege.

She notes that EDC was named one of Canada’s Best Diversity

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Employers in 2020, “but that never means the journey is over. You absolutely have to be continuing to reflect the community of EDC employees.”

It’s all part of the mandate. 

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33

( 2021 )

Fidelity uses creativity to build community

I

n normal times, Sacheen Mehta would start his workday at Toronto-based Fidelity Canada by having a casual chat with a colleague or stepping out for a coffee.

These days, the dealer relations manager holds a morning huddle – virtually, of course – in which he and his team members raise their mugs of java and start their day with team-building exercises like “Sparkle (Highlight) or Spike (Downfall) to keep everyone up to date.

“We’re just trying to keep things fun,” says Mehta. “Everybody is excited to meet and chat as a team.”

“We’re doing onboarding and orientation virtually and creating virtual teams so new hires know how to contact each other.”

— Diana Godfrey Senior Vice-President, Human Resources

Like employers across the country, Fidelity had to adapt almost overnight to having its entire Canadian workforce operating remotely when the economy went into lockdown in mid-March. “We’ve always had a formal work-from-home program,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice-president, human resources. “But we never had to make this kind of wholesale change this quickly.”

Business as usual was no longer an option, but a lot of routine business like hiring, onboarding and training still had to be done and Fidelity adapted. “We’re doing orientation virtually and creating virtual teams so new hires know how to contact each other,” says Godfrey. “We also had

to look at creating buddies as well as mentors, so newcomers get the support they need.”

Fidelity routinely hires 50 to 55 summer students and had already made offers to the 2020 cohort when the lockdown began. Godfrey says the company decided to go ahead with the program but called each student and gave them the opportunity to opt out if they weren’t comfortable working remotely. In the end, everyone accepted the offers.

The company typically recruits heavily from university-level business and commerce programs and recently entered partnerships with two post-secondary institutions to broaden the pool of potential candidates. In addition, it has created scholarships for women in the business program at the University of Guelph.

The company has also entered into a three-year partnership to sponsor a series of boot camps run by the Ted Rogers School of Business at Ryerson University in Toronto. The camps are weekend-long sessions in which students have the opportunity to explore in depth subjects that may not be covered as part of their programs. This partnership also provides Fidelity with the opportunity to deliver virtual Master Classes. The first, attended by close to 50 students, covered topics such as delivering effective presentations and effective communication skills.

“We think it’ll be a great way to find students we wouldn’t traditionally find through our co-op office,” says Godfrey.

Mehta’s job involves managing the 180 registered dealers across the country who can sell Fidelity mutual funds and other financial products to retail customers. Normally, he travels four times a year to Montreal,

AT FIDELITY CANADA, MENTORSHIP WITH CO-WORKERS HELPS STAFF GROW Vancouver and several other cities for face-to-face meetings with dealers.

“We miss the social interaction that goes along with meeting in person,” says Mehta. “That said, Fidelity has done a great job providing us with the tools and technology to get the job done.”

The company has done more than just provide technology solutions.

Fidelity contracted with a consulting firm that provides online health support, such as arranging virtual doctor’s appointments and filling prescriptions. “We wanted to take the strain off the employees and their families so they could focus on their well-being,” says Godfrey.

She adds that the company has also drawn on the personal skills and creativity of employees to enliven the

Remarkable times.

Remarkable employees. careers.fidelity.ca

new virtual workplace. On Fun Fridays, employees host many interesting sessions such as yoga, woodworking class, beer-making, kombucha making, photography tips and a cello recital. “It’s been fun, a great way to build community,” says Godfrey. 

1,165 38

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, AVERAGE AGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES

37%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

32%

OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

STAY AHEAD

34

( 2021 )

Employees have a voice in charitable giving at GSK

W

hen COVID-19 hit back in March, Michael Moyna felt overwhelmed by the staggering economic effects the pandemic was having on his local community. So Moyna, territory manager, western region, for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global healthcare company, took action.

He sought approval for a charitable gift matching campaign to help those close to home, and in other regions across Canada. The goal of the campaign was to support local charities in four regions – West, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic, through Canadian employee donations that GSK then enhanced with a two-to-one donation match.

“The charitable matching campaign was born from that desire to offer help where it was needed most and be part of a positive solution with respect to our own individual communities.”

— Michael Moyna Territory Manager, Western Region “It was easier for me to focus on others in my community than on the global problem,” says Moyna. “At the same time, GSK was responding rapidly to the pandemic, demonstrating its desire to provide support globally and nationally. I hoped to stretch that desire beyond these large philanthropic projects so I approached our director of communications and community engagement about a regional charitable gift matching campaign that would give employees a voice

in the organization’s COVID-19 response. After all, charitable giving is a very personal experience.”

Given its comprehensive vaccines portfolio and expertise, GSK is supporting national and global efforts to tackle the virus. Currently, GSK is collaborating with companies around the world in the development of promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates. As part of its collaboration with Sanofi, GSK has signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to supply up to 72 million doses of adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine.

Globally, the company has also responded with new volunteering processes for employees with medical expertise to provide support to frontline health workers and for salesforce personnel to help with delivery of personal protective equipment and testing items. Specialists, such as procurement leaders, are working with national governments on developing supply chains.

“What GSK does is help people,” says Moyna. “So when COVID-19 forced us into lockdown, and we were told we could help people by staying home, it was a shock for us. By our very nature, staying at home seemed counterintuitive to helping, and you didn’t need to look far to see that people needed help. The charitable matching campaign was born from that desire to offer help where it was needed most and be part of a positive solution in our own individual communities.”

The initiative was designed to give everyone an opportunity to have a voice, regardless of where they worked in GSK, Moyna explains.

Employees could nominate a charity in their region of Canada and write about it as part of their submission, often from personal experience. Then

GSK EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN AN ANNUAL BACKPACK-FILLING EVENT IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF EMERGENCIES employees voted for their choice from among the nominated charities. The final step was for employees to make a donation and share the information with GSK for the two-to-one matching system.

Nicole Stuart, human resources country head, says it was very important for GSK to engage with employees in its community giving effort, and to listen to what was important to them.

What stands out for Stuart is how employees have continued to give back to the community during a crisis, even when they’re dealing with their own personal impact. Further examples include the company’s support of Save the Children, which includes an annual bike-riding fundraiser, “Ride for Kids”, that employees were able to re-create virtually and in their neighbourhoods, as well as an event where employees and their chil-

dren assemble backpacks filled with toiletries and comfort items for Indigenous children in crisis.

“The backpack event was reshaped and approved to be done in employees’ homes instead at the office,” says Stuart. “The initiative and innovation shown by our employees to remain engaged and supportive of their communities have been amazing. It’s truly inspiring.” 

2,632

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17

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

45

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

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OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

A healthcare company with a special purpose Today millions of people have no access to basic healthcare, millions more suffer from everyday ailments and there are thousands of diseases without adequate treatments. So we’re working to develop tomorrow’s treatments and to find new ways to get today’s treatments to those who need them.

ca.gsk.com

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( 2021 )

Hatch employees are ‘agents of positive change’

A

t one of the regular virtual meetings of employees this past spring, Hatch Ltd. CEO John Bianchini said the Mississauga, Ont.-based global engineering firm was working on ways to help communities struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he encouraged employees to figure out what they could give individually as well.

Recalls Hannah Ehtemam, a project engineer with the infrastructure group: “We became little voices in our communities.”

Ehtemam, together with members of a professional engineers association, devised a design challenge for children’s masks. Doctors, local politicians and industrial engineers served as judges to determine the winner – a mask that actually fits children 12 and under and is comfortable. The winning design was to be manufactured and then distributed to local health care centres and hospitals.

“We feel a deep sense of responsibility for the communities in which we work.”

— David Neilly Global Director of Human Resources

“Generally, we’re a very flat organization – you can have an idea and you’ll be told to take it to wherever you can,” says Ehtemam. “Instead of looking up to find out what you should be doing, it’s looking at what you can do.”

Hatch’s manifesto – its mission, vision and values – is what guides the company, according to David Neilly, global director of HR. “We see

ourselves as agents of positive change – it’s what drives us,” he says. “So we feel a deep sense of responsibility for the communities in which we work.”

The company’s philanthropy tends be driven by the energy and efforts of its employees. In typical years, those initiatives range from robotics sponsorships to cancer fundraisers.

But this year, with different needs arising out of the pandemic, the focus has been more back to basics. In one initiative, Hatch raised more than $20,000 for local food banks just by stirring up support -- virtually – among employees.

Following conversations with representatives of Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, two remote Indigenous communities in northern Ontario, the company delivered 300 care packages of cleaning supplies to last up to six months. “Anything we pitch in and help with usually involves elbow grease from our employees,” says Neilly, “so we typically follow those things that our employees are passionate about.”

Hatch is also working with researchers at McGill University in Montréal to produce a cost-effective antiviral coating that can be used to reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission on high-touch metallic surfaces in public spaces, such as hospitals or on public transit. “We don’t know where it’s going to go but we believe we can use our engineering expertise to help it along,” Neilly says.

Despite the disruption of the last several months, the experience has not been without its benefits. For one thing, Ehtemam says, it has sparked innovation – hardly surprising in a company full of engineers. One team devised a headset equipped with a camera, connected to the internet and providing a live feed from a site

Forge your future

EMPLOYEES AT THE MONTRÉAL OFFICE OF HATCH LTD., WORKING AT THE COMPANY'S PLACE VILLE MARIE LOCATION so that engineers could do site assessments without leaving their home offices. “We could meet our deadlines and keep the projects going and not let the current situation affect us,” she says.

The unusual circumstances also dramatically increased connectivity within the company from their CEO to the most junior employees.

“In a funny way, being remote and working together has kind of democratized communications,” Neilly says. “When we’re on calls together, collaboration is improved and our flat organization has become even flatter, which fuels innovation.”

The company has been agile, employees have been innovative, and clients, Neilly adds, have become more open to working in a flexible way with them. “This has improved

our ability to engage Hatch expertise around the world to solve our clients’ toughest challenges,” he says. “So there’s definitely a lot of silver linings for us – although we’re just as anxious as everybody to get to something resembling normal.” 

3,353 70,264

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

26

WEEKS, MATERNITY & PARENTAL TOP-UP PAY

49

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

36

( 2021 )

Feeling supported, connected and heard at Irving Oil

A

rriving in Saint John from India in 2015 to start his MBA at the University of New Brunswick, Rahul Bahuguna quickly settled into his new life in the port city. Five years later, he calls it home and says Irving Oil is a big reason why.

“When I walk on the streets, everyone smiles at me,” says Bahuguna.

“Saint John is so welcoming. That’s exactly how I feel working for Irving Oil.” Founded in 1924 in Bouctouche, N.B., Irving Oil is an international refining and marketing company.

Bahuguna, a computer engineer, was hired in 2017 as a field procurement specialist and promoted to a category specialist the next year. “I started from scratch at Irving Oil as a new immigrant,” he says, “and I always felt that if I wanted to try something else within the company, I would be supported.”

“What matters most to me is the people I work with.”

— Rahul Bahuguna Contracts and Procurement Specialist Bahuguna joined the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, composed of 20 teammates from across the business, and has enjoyed connecting with members from all of Irving Oil’s locations – from Ireland to the United States to Canada. “I feel I am there because of what I bring to the table – that I am valued, which is a very empowering feeling.”

“Our Diversity and Inclusion Council is contributing to conversations about important issues both at

Irving Oil and in the world around us,” says Sarah Irving, executive vice-president. “This makes us stronger as individuals, as a company and as a community.”

The company has made a commitment for all directors and senior leaders to take mandatory unconscious bias training before the end of 2020, which provides tools to adjust automatic patterns of thinking and eliminate discriminatory behaviours.

“The training has allowed me to take a step back to ensure that I am considering the broader picture,” says Jennifer Beach, chief human resources officer. “It’s an important step in fostering a sense of belonging, and it begins with each one of us.”

Because of COVID-19, both Irving and Beach acknowledge how difficult 2020 has been – for their company as well as for their employees and families. “Many of our employees are working remotely, and we have made it a priority to work to keep everyone connected and engaged,” says Irving.

To mark World Mental Health Day in October, the company offered virtual programming where mental health professionals shared information and tips with employees. In addition, employees volunteered to lead sessions to talk about COVID-19 and the challenges of working from home.

“It’s important to have these conversations, to know that we are not alone in our challenges,” says Beach.

Throughout the pandemic, Irving Oil has been innovative in addressing national challenges, which has created many development opportunities for its people. The Irving blending and packaging facility shifted production lines to accommodate the creation and distribution of hand sanitizer for healthcare facilities and

BOBBY-JO PHILLIPS WORKS ON IRVING OIL'S HAND SANITIZER SOLUTION AT IRVING BLENDING AND PACKAGING IN SAINT JOHN, NB other organizations across Canada.

And to ensure a secure energy supply, Irving Oil began sourcing crude from Western Canada and Newfoundland, supporting the country’s domestic natural resources.

Important annual events have continued online this year, such as recognizing employees’ years of service and offering virtual volunteer opportunities through the company’s Good Energy in Action online giving and volunteer platform.

Bahuguna applauds his company’s efforts to keep employees informed through routine calls with senior leaders and fun events like a virtual musical talent show. “What matters

, r e h t e tog

most to me is the people I work with,” says Bahuguna. “Whether I’m in the office or working at home, if I have a difficult day, I know someone will say, how can I help? It turns my day around.” 

2,876 97% 21,302 483

strong.

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF CANADIAN WORKFORCE IS PERMANENT JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

we are

irvingoil.com

37

( 2021 )

Kellogg Canada feeds the heart and soul

I

n two-and-a-half years with Kellogg Canada Inc. in Mississauga, Ont., Clare Ingham had advanced from a financial analyst to finance manager. She’d also joined some of her teammates at Kellogg as an ongoing volunteer with the Breakfast for Better Days program, serving healthy food to students at a public school in Mississauga.

“We’d see the same kids every day,” she says. “It was an amazing experience.”

In early March, for National Cereal Day, Ingham and her team showed up at their office and packed breakfast hampers for each child to help cover March break. At the time, they had no idea those kids wouldn’t be returning to school.

“The company recognized that people were getting fatigued at home, so they launched new sessions covering emotional health and mindfulness, financial well-being and physical wellness.”

— Clare Ingham Finance Manager

When the COVID-19 pandemic spread to Canada this year, conditions changed. Kellogg Canada closed its offices, and the school where Ingham volunteered was shut down. But the community efforts didn’t stop.

Since then, Kellogg has initiated several activities to give back to its hunger partners, including an employee letter-writing campaign to thank volunteers and a partnership with the Grocery Foundation to provide gift

cards for students.

Part of its parent company’s global initiative, Kellogg’s Better Days program addresses food insecurity around the world. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the company has donated more than $18 million to fund global COVID-19 food relief efforts, including over $1 million in Canada.

“Kellogg has always been a company with a heart and soul,” says Tony Chow, president of Kellogg Canada.

“Here in Canada, our food bank partners and breakfast club partners are stretched to their absolute limits, providing more food to more people than ever before, and we’re doing our part to provide all the support we can.”

That includes the commitment of food and funds to Food Banks Canada and Breakfast Club of Canada.

Internally, Chow says, the company has focused on three key priorities since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Canada: keeping its employees safe, supplying food to the marketplace and giving back to the communities in which employees live and work.

Ingham herself has made an effort to purchase groceries and supplies from local businesses around her home in the west end of Toronto.

To support her and the rest of her teammates in keeping neighbourhood businesses afloat, Kellogg Canada provided them with $100 apiece to purchase meals from local restaurants.

Such initiatives reflect the values that encouraged Ingham to join the company in the first place. “They’ve done everything they can to make this period as comfortable as possible,” she says.

That includes clear and frequent communication with employees as well as programs to bring people together even as they work from their individual homes. “The company recognized that people were getting

LAST YEAR, KELLOGG CANADA TEAM MEMBERS BUILT OVER 700 ‘BETTER DAYS’ BREAKFAST BUNDLES ON NATIONAL CEREAL DAY fatigued at home,” Ingham says, “so they launched new sessions covering emotional health and mindfulness, financial well-being and physical wellness.”

And when Ingham had to cancel her wedding in June, her team showed up at her home to boost her spirits. “They came with food baskets, and we all met outside the house,” she says.

With their support, Ingham and her husband-to-be revised their plans and were eventually married three months later, in August. Only 25 people attended the service, but her whole team were sending virtual cheers to the newlyweds.

“We’ve been tested in incredible ways and it has required an incredible amount of agility and resilience from our employees,” says Chow. “Yet,

through it all, the Kellogg Canada team has risen to the occasion and truly met the moment. I’m extremely proud of our team and how they’ve adjusted to the pandemic and supported our business and each other during this challenging time.” 

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Food with roots.

People with purpose.

Kellogg Canada is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

38

( 2021 )

Kindness is a hot commodity for Keurig Dr Pepper Canada

W

hile the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily routines, habits and the way companies operate, it hasn’t changed Canadians’ love story with their morning coffee and favourite beverages. Indeed, Keurig Canada Inc., doing business as Keurig Dr Pepper Canada (KDP), has experienced a substantial surge across many categories in its brand portfolio.

The increased demand has kept KDP employees busier than ever to keep hot and cold beverages pouring into Canadian households. This being said, with professionals switching to remote work, the situation has also brought its load of challenges and complexity to KDP’S commercial operations serving coffee corners in Canadian offices.

“It was the strength and dedication of our entire team that made our success possible.”

— Stéphane Glorieux President

Even so, one thing has remained constant at KDP: its emphasis on giving back. “As the COVID-19 crisis progressed, KDP wanted to donate time, money and products to communities in need,” says Stéphane Glorieux, president of the Montréal and Toronto-based company.

In an initiative called Fuelling the Front Line, KDP gave all its Canadian employees the chance to send a care package to a healthcare, day care or other essential worker in their community. Each package included a Keurig coffee maker, a

reusable My K-Cup coffee filter and a three-month supply of coffee.

Although employees could choose a recipient from their personal networks, program manager Benoît Depardon donated his package to a local market with instructions to the manager to pass it along to the right person.

“Everyone at the market has worked tirelessly to make sure all their neighbours have the food and products they need,” says Depardon, who was happy with having been given the opportunity to show his gratitude to the community.

KDP’s generosity didn’t stop there. Glorieux says the equivalent of five million cups of coffee have been donated to Canadian food banks, hospitals and healthcare centres since the beginning of the crisis. It also financially supported the Breakfast Club of Canada Emergency Fund so vulnerable children continue to have access to healthy food. This donation strengthens their existing partnership with the organization, which KDP supports each year with tons of Mott’s Fruitsations applesauce cups.

As the third-largest Canadian-based non-alcoholic beverage company, KDP has branch offices in 30 cities across the nation, but now the vast majority of office personnel are working remotely. The company has implemented the now familiar range of health and safety measures in their plant facilities and for their sales and delivery employees, including increased sanitation, plexiglass dividers, wellness initiatives and a newly launched telemedicine program.

But Glorieux also views the crisis as an opportunity to reinforce employees’ sense of belonging. “Our focus on everything we’ve done is a one-team approach,” he says. “It was

CONGRATULATIONS!

KEURIG DR PEPPER CANADA EMPLOYEES REUNITED TO BUILD A PLAYGROUND AS PART OF THE COMPANY'S 'LET’S PLAY' INITIATIVE the strength and dedication of our entire team that made our success possible even in an unparalleled environment.” The company also encouraged its employees to give and volunteer time to support urgent Canadian social needs, in addition to launching an internal funding campaign matching their charitable donations.

As Depardon sees it, the company’s ability to work as one team made the transition to working remotely far easier than it might have been otherwise. Indeed, the only problem he encountered was his two young children playing with trucks under his desk while he was trying to work – and that situation was remedied when Quebec allowed day cares to reopen.

In fact, Depardon says he’s been

impressed with how the company operates since he joined in May 2019 and he’s had no reason to change his mind since. “Pandemic or no pandemic, Keurig Dr Pepper Canada is one of those rare companies that does what it says it’s going to do.” 

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39

( 2021 )

KPMG displays its integrity amid the pandemic

C

all Morgan Rathwell the right person at the right time with the right skills.

As a senior consultant at KPMG LLP (Canada) in Toronto, Rathwell was already involved in the firm’s healthcare practice.

She had a lifelong passion for the field, instilled by parents who both work in healthcare. Then came the COVID-19 crisis. Very quickly, she found herself working on the most pressing health issue facing society.

For Rathwell, just three years out of Western University’s Ivey Business School, a big part of her job was helping to coordinate the global search for personal protective equipment (PPE) – no easy task when some of the biggest manufacturers of masks, gowns, testing equipment and the like were in some of the hardest hit countries in the world. And the whole world was after them.

“I have a lot of faith in my coworkers and my leaders that we’re going to do the right thing.”

— Morgan Rathwell Senior Consultant, Management Consulting

“Every day there was a new challenge,” says Rathwell. One was watching out for the many scam artists who bedevilled the early PPE search with too-good-to-be-true deals. “We called these ‘unicorn’ offers, just popping out of nowhere,” she says. “It’s been quite the ride.”

The work has continued through the fall as the team turns to other

ways of supporting efforts to combat the virus. For Rathwell, the experience has bonded her even more to KPMG in Canada, part of the global network of firms offering advisory, audit and tax services. Headquartered in Toronto, KPMG in Canada has more than 7,500 professionals based in communities across the country.

“KPMG is a firm with a lot of integrity, both in the way we work with our clients and also internally, the way that staff are treated,” she says. “I have a lot of faith in my co-workers and my leaders that we’re going to do the right thing and we’ll do right by our client, and by virtue of that, the people of Ontario.”

When the pandemic hit, she adds, “right off the bat the communication from the leadership was constant and felt very open and transparent. I’ve been really impressed with the support from the firm in terms of staff being empowered to continue working in a relatively normal way and the resources we’ve received. The culture is a big draw at KPMG.” From the start, KPMG’s leadership was determined to maintain that culture, says Stephanie Terrill, business unit leader, Management Consulting. “We were able to move over 7,500 people to a remote environment very quickly,” she says. “In my own group, we had 650 people across Canada set up in 48 hours in pods from home on Microsoft TEAMS – staying connected and engaged at a time of crisis. And always at the forefront was the welfare of our people physically, mentally and financially.”

Even interns were included. When the firm was unable to offer in-person

MORGAN RATHWELL AND THE KPMG PPE SUPPLY CHAIN TEAM CONNECTING VIRTUALLY FOR THEIR DAILY DEBRIEF TO DISCUSS STRATEGIC UPDATES AND ALIGN ON ACTIONS ITEMS

internship opportunities, a fully virtual program was created for summer students across the country, designed to build their digital skills. Another creative idea was the KPMG Kids Network, a digital platform that enlisted the teen and young adult children of some employees to help teach and entertain the younger children of others.

“I’m really proud,” says Terrill, “that we’ve been able to help each other through the pandemic.” 

Bringing together diverse perspectives that make a difference.

Discover a career at home.kpmg/ca

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( 2021 )

Resilience carries Labatt through the pandemic

W

orking remotely – at home or elsewhere – was never an option for Meagen McLarty and her colleagues at the London, Ont., brewery of Labatt Breweries of Canada. After all, beer-making is a hands-on process and breweries were declared essential businesses when governments across the country shut down the economy last spring.

“Our day-to-day normal has changed considerably,” says McLarty, filtration business process manager at the London facility. “We had to re-arrange our open office workstations to maintain social distancing and some people had to move to other locations, but I’m proud of how resilient our employees have been.”

“It was very important for us, in a world of uncertainty, to keep intact as much of our annual routines as possible.”

— Oksana Chuyko Vice President, People The company’s head office employees in Toronto, and others not directly involved in brewing, delivery and sales, were sent home to work remotely last March and it happened almost overnight, says Oksana Chuyko, Labatt’s vice president people.

“The circumstances required that we move quickly while ensuring the health and safety of all employees,” says Chuyko. “It was very important for us, in a world of uncertainty, to keep intact as much of our annual routines as possible.”

That included continuing the company’s summer internship program for close to 60 students. Some interns were placed in breweries across the country while others worked from home. Both benefited from the experience of working as members of a team and contributing to specific projects.

Nonetheless, bringing them into the company and introducing them presented an unusual challenge. “We really had to re-think how our students connected in a virtual world in spite of the fact that they had never been in the company before and had met very few people,” Chuyko says.

The company also went to unusual lengths to re-assure employees in the early days of the pandemic. “Back in March and April the world was much more uncertain than it was later on,” says McLarty. “Every week we had communications meetings with the president or other senior leaders explaining what the business looked like and what measures they were taking to make sure everyone was kept well-informed.”

Chuyko adds that the company rolled out wellness measures that were available to all employees to ease concerns or pandemic-induced stress. Guest speakers with medical backgrounds gave talks on the nature of the coronavirus while a psychologist provided advice on how to deal with stress.

The company also introduced virtual workouts to replace some of the normal physical activities such as the Michelob Ultra Night Runs, in which employees could participate.

In 2012, Labatt established its Disaster Relief Program to help communities hard hit by natural disasters or other emergency situations. So the company activated the program to as-

LABATT’S MEAGEN MCLARTY EMBRACES CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMPANY’S LEGACY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT sist municipalities, frontline workers and others who were impacted by the pandemic.

In April, the company delivered 225,000 cans of drinking water to the community of Fort McMurray, Alberta and to the City of Toronto, which distributed them through its Drop-In Network and Streets to Home programs.

The company also produced hand sanitizer at its facilities in London, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto to support food banks, frontline workers and employees of bars and restaurants.

Meantime, in the early weeks of the lockdown, the marketing team partnered with Restaurants Canada

on a gift certificate initiative. Consumers could buy the certificates and use them at specified restaurants when they re-opened and for takeout, thereby providing a much-needed cash infusion. 

3,417 51 7 240

Labatt Employees: Rising to the Challenge Then, Now and Always

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE WEEKS, MAXIMUM VACATION ALLOWANCE CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Medtronic clients got critical help amid pandemic

N

icole Martel is living the mission. The 28-year-old biomedical engineering graduate from the University of Guelph is a field service representative with Medtronic Canada ULC, the Brampton, Ont.based medical technology, services and solutions company whose mission is to “alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.”

Says Neil Fraser, president of Medtronic Canada: “The reason people work for Medtronic is because they want to make a difference in people’s lives through healthcare.

When something like the COVID-19 pandemic happens, it really energizes them.”

Martel does repairs and preventative maintenance on ventilators – the medical devices that help critically ill patients breathe and are crucial to the care of the most gravely ill COVID-19 patients. She works closely with the bio-medical engineering department or the respiratory therapy department of 20 hospitals throughout Ontario.

“There are a number of heroes among our employees who are helping out the healthcare system.”

— Neil Fraser President Early in the pandemic, when airline flights were shut down, Martel drove 12 hours to a community hospital in northern Ontario to fix their only ventilator. She spent four hours at the hospital troubleshooting, repairing and testing the device. The

hospital was very grateful to have the on-site support from the company, she says.

“I take our mission very seriously,” says Martel. “I understand the impact that these machines have on patients.” At Medtronic, she is part of a six-person team across Canada that focuses entirely on ventilation.

“Since the pandemic, team members have been in constant touch every day, meeting weekly. I know that whatever I run into, I have incredible support to back me up.”

Martel spends four days a week in the field with customers and the fifth day working from home. Medtronic has provided her with the personal protective equipment (PPE) – masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes – to be able safely to do her job. And the hospitals are especially appreciative of the on-site support during this crisis, says Fraser. “There are a number of heroes among our employees who are helping out the healthcare system.”

Demand for ventilators was so great last April that Medtronic globally worked towards increasing its output of the machines five-fold.

The company also publicly shared the design specifications for one ventilator model to enable others to manufacture it, including a Canadian company. “We helped them through regulatory hurdles and advised them on how to set up and manufacture,” says Fraser.

Before COVID-19, Medtronic was already helping Canadian hospitals to reduce wait times. This took on new urgency due to the hundreds of thousands of procedures that were cancelled or delayed in the first few months of the pandemic in Canada.

Medtronic technology enables clinicians to perform minimally invasive

CAREERS THAT CHANGE LIVES Do meaningful work, make a difference, and improve lives — starting with your own

NICOLE MARTEL, A BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER AT MEDTRONIC CANADA, TRAVELED ACROSS ONTARIO TO SET UP AND SERVICE VENTILATORS IN HOSPITALS surgery, such as trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and pelvic procedures. This means shorter recovery times and earlier patient discharge from hospital.

With the onset of COVID-19, Medtronic Canada adopted a mandatory work-from-home policy that is applicable to 94 per cent of its employees. The company has prioritized employee well-being and communication. All employees have free access to virtual health and wellness programs, including the Not Myself Today program for mental health.

“We’ve partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to inform people how to maintain a good worklife balance,” says Fraser.

He began hosting a weekly (now bi-weekly) all-employee phone call

to ensure everyone has a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions. He invited a public health expert to participate in the calls. “This was a voice of reason at a time when a lot of misinformation was circulating,” says Martel. 

685 5,717 17 50%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR WEEKS, MATERNITY & PARENTAL TOP-UP PAY OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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( 2021 )

Keeping things safe and sweet at Mondelēz

W

ho wouldn’t want to work in a cookie factory? Julian DeSilva was fine with the idea when he started working at a plant operated by Mondelēz International in the Toronto district of Scarborough in 2016. It made such sweet delights as Chips Ahoy!, Dad’s Oatmeal and Oreo Peanut Butter cookies.

But DeSilva found that, as he dropped dough into the system as a dropper operator, he was gaining a lot more from the experience than just cookie-love. Previously, he’d had a tough time working and getting through high school, only graduating at age 22. “I was in a bad place at that time.”

But at Mondelēz, he was struck by the positive, inviting environment, and by his colleagues. “Everybody here has made me a better person,” he says. “When I came here, things started looking up. Things got better.” Now, managers have told him he’s on track for a supervisory role within the next few years.

“Very early on, we decided we’re going to be on the right side of right.”

— Martin Parent President, Mondelēz Canada DeSilva’s experience especially makes sense when you hear the perspective of Martin Parent, president of Toronto-based Mondelēz Canada, who talks about the company’s focus on being values-led and creating a positive working environment. “Our three core values, which guide our

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business and our actions, are: We love our consumers and brands, we grow every day, and we do what's right.”

That last value is especially important in the workplace. In part, it includes a focus on fostering diversity and inclusion – “if we leave one person behind in the organization, everybody's left behind,” says Parent – but it also involves how people are encouraged to work together. “We expect people to deliver on their commitments, not just to the organization but to their peers internally and externally, which is important in building trust and building opportunities as we go forward,” he says.

“For me, it all starts with putting people first.”

Doing what’s right also served the company well when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “Very early on, we decided we’re going to be on the right side of right,” Parent says. “We’ll do what’s right to safeguard the well-being of our people.” By March 12, on-site nurses and screening were in place in the manufacturing plants, shifts were segregated, and employees working on the manufacturing lines were socially distanced. “We listened to our frontline workers and took important steps to keep everybody safe,” says Parent.

Another goal, he says, was to make sure that the Canadian public was able to still find their favourite snacks on store shelves. As Canada’s second-largest snack company, Mondelēz offers a wide range of global brands, including Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, Toblerone, Dentyne, Triscuit, Mr. Christie and lots more, many of which came from the split of Kraft Foods in 2012 into two separate publicly traded companies, with Mondelēz International based in Chicago. (The Mondelēz name

MONDELĒZ CANADA'S PRIORITY IS TO KEEP ITS EMPLOYEES AND CONSUMERS SAFE IN MANUFACTURING PLANTS is designed to suggest a world of delicious treats.)

Ironically, perhaps, the do-right decision helped fulfill the other two values: sales increased during the pandemic as consumers sought out their favourite snacks for comfort, allowing the business to further invest in its long-standing community partners and give back to those in need.

“All in all, our pandemic response was very much aligned with our values,” he says. “I told the team, you are empowered to do what’s right.

And I am so proud of how we showed up for our employees, our customers,

our consumers and our communities at such a challenging time.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

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OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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OF CANADA LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS ARE WOMEN

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( 2021 )

At Novo Nordisk Canada, it’s always people first

L

indsay Garner was travelling for work the week in March that COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and Novo Nordisk Canada was calling everyone in from the field.

“I was getting calls from my managers wondering when I was getting home and would my flight be cancelled – just ensuring I was safe,” says Garner, district business manager of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan for the Canadian affiliate of the global healthcare company. “As we’ve emerged in a business sense from those first few weeks of shock, for lack of a better word, it’s really been people first every step of the way.”

That attitude is part of the company’s story, she adds, and comes from the top down globally. “The corporate culture is people first – whether they’re internal or external,” explains Béatrice Clerc, president of Novo Nordisk’s Canadian affiliate.

“Our people and our patients.”

“When you put people’s needs at the forefront, you get a lot more out of them at work and you cultivate an environment that everybody wants to be in.”

— Lindsay Garner District Business Manager, Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan Equally important, she says, is the company’s commitment to its triple bottom line: financial, social and environmental sustainability. “The social part is about trying to make an impact on the societies we are

in, internally and externally,” Clerc adds. “When you join Novo Nordisk, it becomes part of your DNA.” As it became clear that healthcare systems across Canada were stretched because of COVID-19, Novo Nordisk employees who had skills to offer – in this case, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and diabetes educators – stepped in to help remotely at Diabetes Canada. Those who volunteered continued to receive their salaries while they fielded patients’ calls to the organization’s office.

“It’s interesting to hear how happy they are and how gratified they feel being able to use their expertise for good rather than feeling hopeless,” says Garner of the employees who take part in the company’s Take Action volunteer program. “Much as it’s great that they’re doing something for others, they’re getting a lot out of it as well.”

The mandate of the program is to give help wherever it’s needed. When the explosions devastated Beirut in August, for example, volunteers from the Lebanese affiliate of Novo Nordisk stepped up to help. Others may do something as simple as educating groups of people about how to cook healthy food. “I find that here in Canada, the program also contributes to people being proud of being part of the company,” says Clerc, “because it does really give you a sense that you are doing more than just your job and it also creates a sense of belonging.”

At Novo Nordisk, the company’s values run deep. International facilitators conduct internal audits at affiliates to ensure those values are kept alive (and make recommendations for improvements, if needed).

And all employees are encouraged to follow through with initiatives that benefit others. One Ontario

life-changing careers

NOVO NORDISK FOCUSES ON A CULTURE THAT MAKES IT FEEL LIKE A FAMILY ORGANIZATION salesperson recently decided to favour Black-owned businesses when external providers were needed. The idea caught on and, before long, lists of Black-owned businesses were being passed around. “We’re sharing those local initiatives to trigger ideas in other regions,” Clerc says.

Even though the Canadian affiliate has grown dramatically since Garner started there in 2008, the culture has remained the same. “It still really feels like a family organization,” she says. “The senior leaders make everyone feel like what they do and contribute to the organization is so important. When you put people’s needs at the forefront, you get a lot

more out of them at work and you cultivate an environment that everybody wants to be in.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, MATERNITY & PARENTAL TOP-UP

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OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

$2,000

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR EMPLOYEES' KIDS

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( 2021 )

Nutrien helps lift all boats in the pandemic

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or Nutrien IT analyst Jared Pritchard, it was no big deal. After his friend, a pediatrician, sent him a picture of clips that hook on to a face mask and take pressure off the ears, Pritchard designed one and used his 3D printer to print it. “My friend said it was a life saver because it took the strain off from wearing the masks all day long,” says Pritchard, who has been with the Saskatoon-based agriculture solutions provider for the past five years.

Word got out about Pritchard’s invention, and before he knew it, his 3D printer was whirring away all day and he had shipped hundreds of his mask clips to those in need.

“It was a unique way I could help,” he adds. “It did definitely give me a routine and gave me a purpose. In my opinion it was really minor, but it felt good to help out.”

“When you get a note from a neonatal hospital saying you really made a difference with the N95 masks – boy, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

— Mike Webb Executive Vice-President and Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer Like Pritchard, many Nutrien employees were eager to lend a hand to those who needed it, particularly in the early days of COVID-19. In response, Nutrien raised their one day of paid leave for volunteering to five, almost immediately. And the resulting outreach has been incredible,

according to Mike Webb, executive vice-president and chief human resources and administrative officer.

“Volunteer hours have just skyrocketed.”

The global company also quickly realized that a number of charitable groups were getting perilously close to running short of money and supplies. “We approved an additional $1 million U.S. to focus specifically on organizations that were in really difficult financial circumstances,” explains Webb. “It was very broadly spread around the world.” The company also provided loans to help farming businesses survive the pandemic.

A 30-page COVID-19 “playbook” guided the company’s efforts, documenting policy and protocol on everything related to the virus, from human resources and legal perspectives to communications and IT. And then they shared it with anyone who needed it – including large organizations that would have traditionally been considered competitors and farming customers who run small businesses.

“It was just like, ‘Hey, all boats rise with the tide,’” says Webb. “This is not a time to hold back something that other people can benefit from.”

And because Nutrien staff routinely use masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE), the company has relationships with logistical organizations and manufacturers – and they leveraged it, donating thousands of PPE items to hospitals, among other places. “When you get a note from a neonatal hospital saying you really made a difference with the N95 masks – boy, it doesn’t get any better than that,” Webb says.

When Nutrien formed in 2018, he explains, the leadership considered what it wanted the company’s core

NUTRIEN EMPLOYEES SHARE THEIR MASK PHOTOS AND 'WHY' STATEMENTS TO ENCOURAGE COVID-19 SAFETY

values to be. “Our two values are safety and integrity, and these are things that we really wanted to stand for,” Webb says. “But they were really tested.

“When you get into a crisis, you see whether what you’ve done is going to work, and if we hadn’t got it right, I think this all would’ve looked really different,” he says. “And it demonstrated to our employees and to stakeholders that even during a period of crisis, this is what we stand for as a company and we’re going to live up to it.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

100%

PAID-PREMIUMS, HEALTH PLAN (HIGHEST OPTION)

2,300+

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

We’re honoured to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers

nutrien.com/careers

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( 2021 )

PCL Construction paves a unique pandemic path

S

o, here’s a new COVID-19 test. How do you comply with the required two-metres safety separation for the two workers it takes to lift and install a heavy door that is only one metre wide? That’s the challenge Lisa Gray faced as PCL Construction project manager for a $720-million new hospital being built just north of Toronto that involved up to 1,000 workers.

“When COVID-19 hit, some people didn’t feel comfortable coming to the site,” recalls Gray. “Everyone was anxious. We had to make them feel secure; we had to ensure they were safe.”

Meeting with the various trades collectively and individually, Gray pointed out that PCL was ahead of the curve on implementing government COVID-19 health-safety mandates. Indeed, the Edmonton-based company, with operations throughout Canada, the United States, Caribbean and Australia, had made wearing face masks mandatory well before it was required anywhere.

“We can work through this, and we can work through this safely.”

— Mike Olsson Vice-President of Human Resources and Professional Development

At Gray’s hospital project, PCL installed more washrooms and additional hand-washing sites and scoured rural distilleries for hard-toprocure hand sanitizer. Hotel rooms were rented for those who felt a need to self-isolate after work. Nurses were hired to operate an onsite screening

careers.pcl.com

protocol, including temperature taking, before workers were allowed entry to the site.

“The screening made people feel safer,” Gray says. “As for the door challenge, we acquired personal protective equipment that allowed for people to work safely closer than two metres.”

Safety, whether during a pandemic or not, is ingrained into PCL’s culture. A large part of that stems from PCL being a construction company, but a large part also comes from the fact that PCL is employee-owned.

“As a construction company, we are obviously concerned about safety,” says Mike Olsson, vice-president of human resources and professional development. “But our ownership culture makes all the difference.”

Explains Olsson: “As employeeowners, especially during a pandemic, we want everyone to be safe so the company can continue to be successful. For us, wearing face masks in our offices and on job sites is just as important as wearing hard hats and steel-toed boots. Our attitude is: we can work through this together, and we can work through this safely.”

Olsson is also proud that PCL employees have maintained their historic support for the community throughout the pandemic. “We are likely to surpass the $9.4 million the employees and company donated last year,” he says. “We believe in our communities as well as in our projects.”

In Ottawa, for example, a PCL crew and its joint-venture partner, EllisDon, working on a years-long renovation of the Centre Block Parliament Building, helped raise more than $200,000 for a local mental health hospital. Across the country, PCL donated N95 masks to hospitals and local health authorities.

PCL CONSTRUCTION WAS QUICK TO IMPLEMENT AND ADOPT COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS COMPANY-WIDE Working with industry partners and an Ontario architectural firm, PCL developed and built “care” pods for COVID-19 testing and temporary isolation for patient treatment. The initiative was so successful that Manitoba has ordered 90 of the pods to be used as a safe place where long-termcare residents can meet visitors.

This marks the 12th consecutive year that PCL has been selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

But Olsson maintains that the distinctive ownership structure means the honour is really an employee award.

“We believe we are a top employer because employee-owners care about building people, not just projects, through professional development

and other opportunities to make sure everyone is successful.”

Gray agrees. “As a part-owner, everyone wants to help each other. That way, we all share in our success.” 

2,681 90% 97 $9.4

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF SALARIED STAFF ARE SHAREHOLDERS COVID-19 CITIZEN CARE PODS DISTRIBUTED MILLION DONATED TO CHARITIES

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( 2021 )

Pembina pivots quickly to meet community needs

A

s a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider, Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation has a long tradition of investing in the well-being of the dozens of communities where it operates. But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the scale and nature of those needs shifted dramatically. So, too, did Pembina’s response.

“We learned immediately from our community partners how their priorities had changed,” says Erica Parker, supervisor, Aboriginal & community affairs. “We adapted quickly to launch some very specific pandemic-related initiatives.”

In addition to existing community investments, Pembina provided nearly $600,000 in COVID-19 relief to non-profit and charitable partners.

The initiatives targeted five key areas: food security; frontline healthcare and first responders; social service continuity; mental health services and well-being; and other educational supports.

“We had a lot of employees eager to know how they could help.”

— Erica Parker Supervisor, Aboriginal and Community Affairs Among other things, this translated into support for food banks, personal protection equipment (PPE) for local hospitals and subsidized access to mental health counselling for community members.

Targeted funding was also provided to more than 25 Aboriginal communities for everything from food hampers

for elders to the delivery of cleaning and medical supplies for those in need.

While strictly following all public health protocols, Pembina also mobilized employees as volunteers.

“We had a lot of employees eager to know how they could help,” says Parker. “Following public health orders, employees were able to get out in the community and deliver masks to community hospitals and food to seniors.”

The company also maintained its longstanding commitment to the United Way (Pembina was the top corporate donor in Calgary in 2019).

This November’s pandemic-era campaign, dubbed United Apart, focused on employee engagement through mostly virtual events.

At all times, says Parker, giving back is a core value for Pembina.

“Communities put their trust in us by allowing us to operate in their backyards and we want to honour that relationship by investing in them,” she says. “What we’ve learned through this pandemic is that we can be very agile and adaptable in how we do that.”

Adaptability has also been the watchword for Pembina’s internal operations, says Paul Murphy, senior vice-president & corporate services officer.

When the lockdown took effect, the roughly 40 per cent of Pembina employees who work at the Calgary headquarters or in regional offices began to work from home. The other 60 per cent, who work in field operations, continued to do so, while following social distancing and other jurisdictional and company safety and health protocols.

Starting in June, senior executives and managers gradually returned to the downtown Calgary office, though

Dynamic growth. Dynamic people.

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KEEPING THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCE, EMPLOYEES OF PEMBINA PIPELINE HELP AT A CALGARY FOODBANK DURING THE PANDEMIC the majority continued to work remotely.

“We are an energy infrastructure company, so we have detailed emergency management plans for dealing with incidents, whether it’s floods, wildfires or operational outages,” says Murphy. “We’ve long equipped our people to be mobile and we’re able to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations.”

As an essential service, Pembina maintained normal operations throughout.

“It’s reinforced our ‘safety first’ culture and demonstrated our resilience and agility in an unstructured situation,” says Murphy. “We’ve kept the company running well and continued to serve our customers who depend on us to provide essential energy to fuel people’s lives everyday, including during a pandemic.”

It has also revealed the inner strength of the Pembina team, he adds.

“What’s made me most proud is the way our employees have responded and our commitment to keeping each other and our communities safe.

They’ve driven our continued success through challenging times.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE STAFF VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Pomerleau worked fast to keep employees safe

W

hen it became clear that COVID-19 was a worldwide scourge, Pomerleau Inc. was comparatively well-positioned to adapt.

Not that it was easy, but the major Canadian construction company – founded more than 50 years ago in Saint-Georges de Beauce, south of Québec City – already had a culture of creativity.

“It can be very difficult to innovate your operations,” says CEO Pierre Pomerleau, “so we decided two years ago that we would have a team of people that would create and push change in the organization, make sure that every process was streamlined, and analyze everything we do across the country. Every time we create a better way of doing things, we spread it across the organization.”

“Pomerleau was very instrumental in helping legislators set up the COVID-19 guidelines.”

— Marius Tawembe Preconstruction Manager

So once the pandemic hit, the company quickly created an emergency response team (ERT) and appointed Ian Kirouac – then executive vice-president of strategic initiatives, responsible for innovation, and now its executive vice-president of Canadian building operations and corporate transformation – to head the group. “Quite frankly, I think putting the ERT in place was an outstanding decision,” says Pomerleau. “It turned out to be a monumental task.”

He points out that the company’s corporate culture of making rela-

tionships among staff its top priority, for the greater benefit of its people and communities, has been central to every decision made during COVID-19.

For a time, there were several conference calls a week involving all employees across the country to keep them up to date, and much 24/7 planning. Thanks to this process, the company – along with some of its major general-contractor partners – came up with safety protocols that not only protected its staff and the myriad subcontractors involved in its projects, but would keep numerous projects going.

“This organization was very instrumental in helping legislators set up the COVID-19 guidelines,” says Marius Tawembe, the company’s preconstruction manager in Toronto.

“We had the aptitude and intelligence within the company to handle a crisis like this on the fly; a lot of subcontractors didn’t have the know-how to do that. So Pomerleau and other major general contractors stepped up to the table and collaborated with the industry and governments to come up with guidelines that I believe have helped to keep our economy open.”

Pomerleau was also innovative in-house. A concept that’s part of its culture is “love.” Which explains why, once COVID-19 struck, the company immediately thought of the well-being of its employees. When gyms closed, the company – which had traditionally fostered physical activity among its staff – created what it called the “Pomerleau Virtual Challenge,” whereby employees competing in two teams were encouraged to cover the equivalent of the distance around the world by doing different sports such as cycling, running, walking, workout training and yoga.

POMERLEAU INVESTS HEAVILY IN EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT “The health and well-being of our employees are important to us,” says Pomerleau. “Athletic challenges have been a staple in the Pomerleau culture and DNA for many years.

When our employees started working from home, we wanted to give them a whole new reason to stay active and connected, so we created the Pomerleau Virtual Challenge.”

Besides benefiting staff members, the Virtual Challenge was a boon to the community. Under the theme “love is an essential service,” Pomerleau donated $2.50 for each kilometre travelled, for a total of $600,000, to help organizations working in health care, health research and food sup-

port for vulnerable populations most affected by the COVID-19-19 pandemic. This total included personal donations by the two company owners, Pierre and Francis Pomerleau. 

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CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Rio Tinto offers opportunities to advance – and to help

B

orn and raised in the mining town of Labrador City, N.L., Michelle Manning always thought she’d have to move away from the community she loves to pursue a career. Instead, Manning has spent the last 14 years working her way up from haul truck driver to superintendent, mine operations, at Rio Tinto’s IOC iron ore business.

Manning credits IOC’s culture of continual learning for her steady development, having also served in supervisory roles in mine dispatch and the mine’s operations centre.

“The opportunities are endless,” she says. “There’s a positivity and focus on professional growth. People recognize when you do good work and they want to help you build a career.”

“The resilience of our team through COVID-19 is truly remarkable and reflected in the stability of our operations.”

— Alf Barrios Chief Executive, Rio Tinto Aluminium

From underground miners to data scientists, Rio Tinto offers a variety of challenging, flexible and rewarding careers. In addition to producing aluminum, iron ore, titanium and diamonds from sites in Labrador, Québec, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and metals company that operates in 36 countries.

Montréal is one of the company’s three global hubs and also home to Rio Tinto’s Processing Centre of Excellence.

In a traditionally male-dominated

industry, Rio Tinto is committed to gender parity. The company’s goal is to increase women in senior management by two per cent each year and for its graduate intake to be 50 per cent women.

“This is really adding to the strength of our business, making sure we have the best people bringing a diversity of thinking to the table,” says Alf Barrios, chief executive, Rio Tinto Aluminium, whose leadership team has already achieved gender parity.

Rio Tinto’s five core values are safety, teamwork, respect, integrity and excellence. Barrios says these values have proven critical as the company responded to a once-in-acentury health pandemic.

As an essential industry, Rio Tinto has continued to operate through COVID-19, keeping more than 10,000 employees at work across 35 Canadian sites.

The company’s first priority is the health and safety of its people. Since March, employees not required on site – including nearly 800 people at its Montréal hub – worked from home. On site, the highest standard of COVID-19 safety protocols are enforced following government guidance, including temperature checks, increased sanitizing, social distancing, and mandatory testing for fly-infly-out workers in some regions.

Operationally, there have also been adjustments. Rio Tinto Aluminium, for example, has shifted its product mix through 2020 to meet market requirements.

“The resilience of our team through COVID-19 is truly remarkable and reflected in the stability of our operations,” says Barrios. “While increased safety measures continue to be enforced, our operations are essentially back to normal.”

RIO TINTO HAS DONATED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MASKS AND OTHER PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT TO ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS CANADA SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC The company also responded proactively to community needs. Overall, Rio Tinto pledged US$10 million to support grassroots COVID-19 relief across North America.

In Canada, the company donated thousands of masks and other personal protection equipment to local hospitals, clinics, RCMP detachments and fire stations. From Labrador to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Rio Tinto partnered with community organizations and First Nations to fund food banks, support local businesses and supply tablets and other electronic tools to facilitate distance education.

Employees also stepped up. In the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Québec, health and safety advisers volunteered to help advance COVID-19 prevention measures in long-term care homes. Technicians and researchers in Saguenay and Sorel-Tracy, Qué.,

Engineering is full of growth opportunities for women willing to invest in a sustainable future for generations to come.” Gabrielle Milot, Process Coordinator You never know where a career at Rio Tinto will take you. riotinto.com/careers

produced hand sanitizer to ease pressure on local supplies.

In Labrador City, where Rio Tinto has provided alternative housing for a local women’s shelter, Manning says this is typical of how close-knit the company and community have always been.

“It’s just amazing how everyone pulls together,” she says. “By working together, we’ll get through this.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE HEALTH PLAN PREMIUM & FAMILY COVERAGE CHARITIES SUPPORTED LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Rogers helps Canadians and team members amid COVID-19

P

utting its people first and giving back to the community have always been core values at Rogers Communications. So early in the COVID-19 pandemic, when Rogers received its first call for support – from a women’s shelter in Nova Scotia – it soon launched one of several initiatives to help Canada’s most vulnerable during the crisis.

“In our 60th year, we are doubling down on supporting our people, customers and communities when it’s never been more important.”

— Kaitlyn LeFeaver Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility “They said women were now in isolation with partners who had a history of domestic violence,” recalls Kaitlyn LeFeaver, the company’s manager of corporate social responsibility. “The risk of abuse was rising because of COVID-19, so we reached out to Women’s Shelters of Canada to see how we could help.

We started airing Women’s Shelter Canada’s website – Sheltersafe.ca – across our Rogers Sports & Media digital assets, and we provided hundreds of free smartphones with six months of free service to more than 60 women’s shelters across Canada.”

In another major COVID-related project, notes LeFeaver, Rogers partnered with Food Banks Canada and its Jays Care Foundation, and committed to assembling food hampers to provide eight million meals for Canadians who needed it most.

Because Rogers owns the Blue Jays and their home, the Rogers Centre, it had – amid the pandemic shutdown – an ideal staging area for the hamper program, which it called Step Up to the Plate. And it promoted the initiative through its media and to Rogers customers.

Jim Reid, chief human resources officer, says employee volunteers were critical in making this program a success. In just 90 days, Rogers team members donated 20,000 volunteer hours and packed 390,000 food hampers – the most food hampers ever packed for Food Banks Canada in one campaign.

Rogers team members are supporting other community initiatives too. “From our partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, to our FIDO brand’s partnership with Pflag, and more, the way our team has come together during this unprecedented time to help our people, customers and communities is second to none,” says Reid.

Another key aspect of the company’s culture is its commitment to “building one of the best places to work in the country,” says Reid.

That has been reflected in its measures to help its employees weather the pandemic. Rogers introduced a National Wellness Fund to help team members and their families cope, offering increased benefits for mental health, access to virtual healthcare and free access to activities for parents working at home with children.

Additionally, “we introduced new communications vehicles to keep our team informed and engaged,” says Reid. This includes weekly Q&A sessions with Rogers CEO Joe Natale, weekly COVID-19 information sessions with health and well-being experts including the compa-

THE ROGERS TEAM VOLUNTEERS AT 'STEP UP TO THE PLATE' FOR FOOD BANKS CANADA ny’s Chief Medical Officer, and a weekly communication from Reid to all of employees about the status of COVID-19.

“Our people are the heart of our success,” says Reid, “and as a result of many of these things, our employee engagement score went up to 87 per cent in August, a two per cent increase year-over-year, and our corporate social responsibility score reached 90 per cent, five percentage points above last year, and up from 66 per cent in 2015. These are pretty sizeable moves in the middle of a pandemic.”

For LeFeaver, Rogers’ commitment to creating the best possible employee experience and its strong tradition of giving back has made her especial-

ly grateful she joined the company seven years ago. “In our 60th year,” she says, “we are doubling down on supporting our people, customers and communities when it’s never been more important.” 

25,349 48 87% 1,435

Together, we make more possible.

See why we’re one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for the 8th year in a row at jobs.rogers.com

STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Putting people first is key to the mission at RBC

I

n a career spanning 44 years with RBC, Agnes Viau always worked on site. That was until March 27, 2020, when she joined more than 70,000 RBC employees adapting to new working conditions virtually overnight because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of driving to RBC’s Contact Centre in Mississauga, Ont., as she’d done just the day before, Viau carried on managing inquiries from employees throughout Canada from the safety of her home in Guelph, Ont. “It just felt natural,” Viau says of her first experience with a virtual workplace. “The transition was seamless.” The only question, she adds, was whether she or her husband – also an RBC employee – would work in their home office while the other took over the kitchen island.

(Viau got the office.)

“Staying true to our Purpose keeps a clear focus on making the health and safety of our employees and clients our first priority.”

— Jikin Shah Interim Senior Vice President, RBC Tech Infrastructure

Jikin Shah, interim senior vice president, RBC Tech Infrastructure, says that every decision RBC makes pertaining to the pandemic is informed by its Purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. “Staying true to our Purpose,” he adds, “keeps a clear focus on making the health and safety of our employees and clients our first priority.”

To that end, RBC has introduced a

broad spectrum of measures complying with the best advice from top public health officials. Shah says this includes temporarily closing some branches across Canada and many offices worldwide while following strict hygiene and sanitation protocols in premises that are still open. RBC, one of Canada’s largest employers, also has operations in 36 countries globally.

Along the way, they’ve had to redefine the RBC workspace, says Shah. Pre-pandemic, about 20,000 employees could work remotely; that number has soared to over 80 per cent of RBC’s global workforce.

And they all require the right tools, technology and secure connections to work full-time at home.

Consequently, RBC did such things as distributing more than 7,000 laptops and offering each employee up to $400 to equip their home offices, Shah says. He adds that the bank’s IT employees have worked round the clock to enable their colleagues to work efficiently and to protect data privacy. This includes new virtual collaboration tools and the setup of a dedicated intranet page for tech support, making technology resources easily accessible for all employees.

Another bright spot was that while other companies cut back on their summer programs in the wake of the pandemic, RBC continued its commitment to students, virtually onboarding and providing training to more than 1,400 students globally.

While technology has played a key role, Shah says it’s not the whole story of RBC’s response to the pandemic. “Protecting people’s health includes tending to their mental and emotional well-being as well as their physical safety,” he explains,

RBC EMPLOYEES WORK TOGETHER OVER A VIRTUAL MEETING PLATFORM adding that numerous initiatives were launched so remote-working employees would understand that everyone is in this together.

These include more virtual town halls, regular surveys, Q&A sessions with medical and other experts, and regular online meetings with RBC leaders who, like everyone else, have children and pets wandering into view of their screens. The technology is also facilitating simple social interactions among co-workers via coffee chats and other fun activities.

Viau happily gave up her threehour-plus daily commute, but says she initially missed impromptu get-togethers with her team at the call centre. She’s pleased RBC has made virtual talks possible, alongside one-on-one conversations with her manager. It all speaks to how much RBC values its employees, Viau says.

“I’m truly grateful to be part of this organization.”

Shah says it’s still an open question as to when and how, or even if, employees will return to their former routines. Still, he’s certain of at least one thing: “No matter what the future brings, RBC’s ability to respond will go above and beyond expectations.” 

57,242 848,041 70 50%

We’re honoured to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

At RBC, our employees will always be what differentiates us.

We work together to help our clients thrive and communities prosper.

Imagine what comes next at jobs.rbc.com

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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( 2021 )

At fast-growing Shopify, unique challenges are normal

I

f you want to get an idea of what’s different about working at Canada-born global commerce company Shopify Inc., consider Nova Nicole. To begin with, Nicole herself is a bit different than your usual corporate employee, or even your usual tech-company employee.

For much of her life, she was involved in the music industry, mainly hip-hop, in Toronto and Los Angeles, and worked closely with major artists like Kanye West. Along the way she became a Buddhist and got into mindfulness and meditation. That led to a new career in motivational public speaking, consulting and wellness training. And that ultimately led to Shopify – which offers an all-in-one commerce platform for business owners and entrepreneurs – and to her job coaching leaders on how to approach their decision-making in a more holistic way.

“It’s pretty easy to get up every morning and do our work when we understand the impact we’re having.”

— Tammy Connelly Director of Talent Acquisition “This is a really special place,” says Nicole. “From the first interaction I had, which was leading a wellness retreat for Shopify’s top women merchants in Canada, I just felt a real feeling of love and care and thoughtfulness in everything they do. There is a real people-centred approach to this place.”

Nicole joined full-time a year ago as a leadership development facilitator, and focuses her expertise on

a program called Leading Yourself.

“When I started working here, people would ask, what’s it like? And I would say, every person I meet here is the smartest person I’ve ever met,” she says. “It’s honestly the best people.”

The reason, she explains, is Shopify’s openness. “They don’t hire you to fit a role, they look at what you can bring to that role considering all of the transferable skills you bring from your entire life. For me, it was an hour-long, ‘Life Story’ interview, as they call it. They want to know everything about you.

“It’s just such a progressive company,” she adds. “And the fact that they had an in-house coaching team and they were prioritizing personal development for their leaders – it felt like such a perfect fit.”

Now she has her work cut out at the fast-growing, Ottawa-headquartered company, which in early 2020 became Canada’s largest by market capitalization. Some 30 per cent of the workforce has joined in the past year. Needless to say, ecommerce took off during the pandemic, and Shopify revenue has soared as more merchants and entrepreneurs go online.

That demand is the mission that drives Shopify people, says Tammy Connelly, director of talent acquisition. “More businesses have survived and more people are employed during these very difficult times because Shopify exists,” she says. “It’s pretty easy to get up every morning and do our work when we understand the impact we’re having.”

As the pandemic took hold, Shopify made news again in May by announcing its “Digital by Default” policy for employees, under which its offices would remain closed until

THE 'DIGITAL BY DEFAULT' POLICY AT SHOPIFY MEANS THAT EMPLOYEES CAN WORK REMOTELY FROM ANYWHERE 2021 and everyone would work remotely. Home-office allowances were generous: $1,000 to start, followed by a later $1,200 top-up, for all employees. Connelly expects Digital by Default to remain the ideal, with the future of Shopify’s reopened offices continuing to be decided.

And all that growth means Shopify is recruiting developers, UX designers, data scientists, product managers and more, across Canada and around the world. What kind of individuals is it looking for? “Because the problems we’re solving aren’t really being solved anywhere else right now, we’re looking for folks that can tackle a unique new problem and get excited about it,” says Connelly. “We’re looking for folks that have

had experiences – some might be life experiences, some may be specific work experiences – that allow them to thrive in a very experiment-driven, constantly changing environment.”

Just ask Nova Nicole. 

4,621 99,887

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

2,500

JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR

100%

HEALTH PLAN PREMIUM & FAMILY COVERAGE

Shopify is proud to be one of Canada’s top 100 employers Learn about our fully remote team shopify.com/careers

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

52

( 2021 )

At Stryker Canada, ‘giving your all’ is in the blood

E

laine Grace and her fellow Stryker Canada ULC employees are on the front line – virtually and literally – in the battle against COVID-19, even giving their own blood to help fight the pandemic. But when you work for a company whose mission is to make healthcare better, going that extra mile is in your veins.

“Our mission really stands out more now than it ever did because of this pandemic. It’s really opened our eyes to what we do and how important every single role is here no matter what it is,” says Grace, inbound team lead materials at Stryker’s Waterdown, Ont., distribution centre.

“Pandemic or not, our business has to continue in a safe manner. It was it was never an option to close our doors.”

“We’re like one little small family. It’s my second family – I have my family at home, but I also have my family here at Stryker.”

— Elaine Grace Inbound Team Lead, Materials

Stryker Canada is headquartered in Hamilton, Ont., and has over 600 fulltime employees across Canada. It’s part of the larger Stryker group, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, offering innovative products and services in orthopedics, medical and surgical, neuro-technology and spine treatments. By its very nature, the company helps in the fight against COVID-19.

Pre-pandemic, the company culture was close-knit and team-oriented. Employees’ views and ideas

were valued and implemented. Some of that feedback was provided by employee resource groups like the Stryker Women’s Network, Stryker’s Allies for Equality and Stryker Black Alliance Network.

While the way they connect has changed due to COVID-19, the company and its employees continue their constant communication, working on internal and external relationship-building, continuing mentorship and other development programs, promoting work-life balance and supporting community programs like blood donor clinics.

“Pre-pandemic, we partnered with Canada Blood Services so people could give blood and do our part to ensure there wasn’t a shortage,” says Lindsay Williams, Stryker’s senior director government affairs.

“We couldn’t continue at first, at the beginning of the pandemic, but when it emerged we could, we encouraged our people to do that.

They’re proud of that contribution and that’s just one example of our employees’ community engagement across Canada.”

Stryker has always had a strong suite of employee benefits, including 26 weeks of maternity leave top-up pay, up to six weeks of vacation allowance and extensive health benefits.

That’s all still in place, but when the pandemic hit, it was corporate culture to go above and beyond even that.

Employees were given two paid weeks off to allow for family/life transition. Office employees were allowed to take home their equipment, including their computers, to set up remote office spaces. In Grace’s warehouse, personal protective equipment was issued, masks were mandatory before provincial guidelines mandated them and shifts were changed to reduce the

FROM ITS WATERDOWN, ONT. DISTRIBUTION CENTRE, STRYKER CANADA EMPLOYEES PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPLIES TO CANADA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM number of employees in the distribution centre at any one time.

Out in the field, representatives who had in the past been present in operating rooms to guide healthcare professions in using new technologies found ways to adapt.

“They had to do a lot of that virtually. Sometimes a crisis spawns innovation, so there was a lot of camera virtual guidance, talking over an iPhone and using embedded cameras to watch what was happening in the surgery,” says Williams.

While activities like weekly get-togethers and social events have gone virtual, Stryker employees continue to find original ways to keep connected and positive.

“Our well-being committee set up a team site where people can sing music

to each other. They even write songs and it really helps with your mental well-being,” says Grace.

“We’re like one little small family.

It’s my second family – I have my family at home, but I also have my family here at Stryker.” 

650 12,027

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

26

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

44

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

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( 2021 )

TD Bank promotes a culture of care and growth

A

s a young university linguistics student in China, Mingming Ren never imagined she would ever work for a bank.

Fast forward to today, where Ren is a manager in business management at TD Bank Group in Toronto, a role she “absolutely loves”. There were plenty of challenges along the way, including her struggle to find work when she immigrated to Canada. Her break came when TD hired her as a part-time teller 16 years ago.

A former language teacher at Shanghai University – she is fluent in English, Japanese and Russian, as well as Mandarin – Ren jumped at the chance, not finding it strange to go from being an associate professor in China to a bank teller in Canada. Far from intimidating, Ren found TD’s work culture to be friendly and nurturing, with opportunities to grow.

“I was fortunate that people at TD trusted in me and gave me the opportunities and training to become the person I am right now.”

— Mingming Ren Manager, Business Management

“My career is a little different in that almost every promotion came from the encouragement of others who saw my potential and encouraged me to stretch,” says Ren. “I come from a background that values being humble and not putting yourself forward. I was fortunate that people at TD trusted in me and gave me the opportunities and training to become the person I am right now.”

With the support of her managers

along the way, Ren continued to upgrade her skills by taking the FSR (financial service representative) program and Canadian Securities Course. She saw her career pivot to a variety of roles in Canadian personal banking, including a branch manager at one of the largest locations in Canada.

Melanie Burns, senior vice-president, human resources, talent management, says TD is committed to developing its people for changing roles, whether existing or emerging, helping them to navigate new experiences and gain skills to meet the bank’s business priorities and talent requirements both today and well into the future.

“Colleagues tell us that career development and understanding internal opportunities continue to be important, even during the pandemic,” explained Burns. “So we’re increasing our focus and launching additional career solutions this fall to provide colleagues with tools and resources to navigate new experiences and learn new skills as they plan for their next career move.”

The bank offers a wide range of learning and development opportunities that allow people to take their career into their own hands and learn on their own terms, whether it’s building digital skills, deepening financial expertise, building relationships through internal mentorships and networking programs, or volunteering outside of their day-to-day roles.

A growing collection of curated tools and resources such as TD Thrive gives employees access to more than 35,000 articles and videos.

Launched during the pandemic, Digital Literacy @TD is a learning program that provides a foundational understanding of the digital trends

TD is proud to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. jobs.td.com

MINGMING REN IS A MANAGER IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AT TD BANK GROUP IN TORONTO and technology that are shaping the bank of the future – artificial intelligence, the cloud, open banking – and focuses on technology areas relevant to all employees.

TD Thrive will also have new skills assessment tools for employees to capture their skills, such as digital and data proficiency, communications and leadership. Through these assessments, people can identify areas of strength and support for more meaningful career development conversations with their leaders.

Mingming appreciates the positive impact leaders can make in an employee experience. One of her priorities is to encourage her TD colleagues to strive to upskill and advance their careers.

“I believe in the power of lifting people up,” she says. “That’s why

I’ve been doing my best to mentor colleagues. Whenever I can, I share my story and encourage them believe in themselves. I want them to know that, like me, they can do anything by building up their skill set, being confident in their own abilities and going for it!” 

53,694

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

4,000+

STAFF REDEPLOYED DURING PANDEMIC

$85.9 78%

MILLION INVESTED IN EMPLOYEE TRAINING LAST YEAR OF TOP TALENT MOVED INTERNALLY LAST YEAR

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( 2021 )

Teck marshals its own resources to help communities

W

hat stood out for Dallas Cain in the early days of the pandemic were the

dentists.

Cain, a health and safety manager for Teck Resources Limited, a diversified resource company based in Vancouver, coordinated the company’s initial community response on the fly, distributing supplies that were available at its mine sites. They’d had requests immediately from first responders, hospitals and local clinics and could deliver some N95 masks, nitrile gloves and disposable coveralls – all gratefully received. But the dentists were so appreciative to be able to resume services.

“The dental offices couldn’t perform emergency surgeries without N95 masks, so we were able to provide those right away and get them operating,” says Cain. “Over the past few months, we’ve been able to help out the schools, daycares and local businesses with things like distancing stickers and PPE as they’ve gotten back up and running. We haven’t denied a request since the onset.”

“It was all hands on deck to do whatever we could.”

— Don Lindsay President and CEO Since March, the company’s community relations groups have fielded numerous requests, searching across the globe for pandemic supplies, as well as challenging their own people to solve problems. Examples include 3D printing of parts for face shields when they were difficult to get and whipping up their own disinfectant wipes.

“Even with our ability and supply chain, there were just no disinfecting wipes available early on, so we empowered a team in the business unit to find innovative solutions,” says Cain. “They came up with a way to use paper towels and a disinfecting solution to create thousands of containers of disinfecting wipes to fill that gap.”

Teck’s COVID-19 response teams also secured hand sanitizer in bulk through multiple sources, including from a local distillery, which then had to be decanted into 100-ml bottles and labelled properly. The wipes and hand sanitizer were distributed internally across their offices and operations as well as donated to supply the full community.

“It’s been a tremendous experience,” says Cain. “There have been amazing efforts by so many people and so supported from the top down.”

By mid-April, Teck had announced a $20-million COVID-19 Response Fund to support critical social initiatives and increased healthcare capacity. Community response funding was provided for organizations in local communities in Canada, Alaska and Chile where Teck operates. A portion of this fund is specifically dedicated to support for Indigenous communities.

“Our first priority was figuring out how to keep people safe and getting the safety protocols onto our sites, but then we turned to the community because that’s where our employees and their families live,” says Don Lindsay, president and CEO. “While Teck has been able to maintain employment throughout the pandemic, this is a difficult time for the community as so many people lost their jobs, particularly in the service industries.

Join Our Team jobs.teck.com

EMPLOYEES AT TECK RESOURCES WORKING AT THE COMPANY'S REFINING COMPLEX IN TRAIL, BC Keeping the community going helps get the economy going.”

Besides additional safety protocols, Teck added services for staff, such as an on-demand virtual health service and an updated employee family assistance program supporting everything from mental health to financial issues to well-being.

“We all came together to fight this challenge and make people safe,” says Lindsay. “Sometimes in adversity people really step up and we’ve really seen a lot of that. It was all hands on deck to do whatever we could.”

“We saw the leadership of Teck working with the frontline workers, working with the unions, everybody working together to get to the

same goal of a safe worksite in a safe community. We had a strong culture of safety and community support before, but it’s even stronger now.” 

8,480 53 3 798

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE WEEKS,STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE, 4 WEEKS AFTER 3 YEARS CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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2021

Tell us your story If you are an exceptional employer with progressive human resources programs and initiatives, consider applying for next year’s edition of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Now entering its 22nd year, our project is the nation’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers.

For information on next year’s application process, visit:

CanadasTop100.com/2022 Applications for our 2022 competition will be released in February and must be returned by April.