Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2023) by Canada's Top 100 Employers

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THE COMPLETE LIST: Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2023)

METHODOLOGY & CRITERIA: How this year’s winners were chosen 5

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CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS

Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kristina Leung, MANAGING EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Juliane Fung, RESEARCH EDITOR

Sonja Verpoort, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jing Wang, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Ye Jin Suhe, MANAGER, PUBLISHING

Chariemagne Kuizon, JUNIOR COORDINATOR

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sabrina Wu, SENIOR CONTENT & PUBLISHING SPECIALIST

2023 WINNERS

ACCENTURE INC., Toronto. Professional services; 5,682 employees. Reviews a Canadian scorecard monthly that provides metrics around gender, recruitment and attrition, in order to track progress towards its workforce representation goals.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 4,959 employees. Created an Indigenous student recruitment initiative to provide opportunities for students to transition to the workplace after their education is complete.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES / AHS, Edmonton. Healthcare; 49,928 employees. Hosted career conversations with

Indigenous candidates to demystify the application process, participation in summer employment programs and attending Indigenous student events and career fairs.

AMEX BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Credit card issuing; 1,733 employees. Launched a mentorship and ally program in partnership with its Black Engagement Network through self-directed and structured mentorship framework.

BANK OF CANADA, Ottawa. Central bank; 2,035 employees. Created a master’s scholarship program for women in economics and finance to help create more gender-balanced talent pipelines for the bank in the future.

inclusion for women, Indigenous, individuals of varying abilities, newcomers,

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga. Chemical manufacturing; 1,089 employees. Made significant progress in its diversity and inclusion journey over the past year, establishing a three-year strategy and launching a dedicated council for oversight and guidance.

BC HYDRO, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 6,533 employees. Created an Indigenous Professionals in Development Program, a one-year paid internship for Indigenous post-secondary graduates, providing work experience, skills and exposure to help them compete for future jobs.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria. Provincial government; 33,041 employees. Launched the Indigenous Leadership and Mentorship Pilot program in 2022, which aims to

increase representation of Indigenous people in senior roles within the organization.

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,340 employees. Promotes inclusion and supports the advancement of Black legal professionals through the Black@Blakes internal network, with members contributing to Black History Month client events and anti-racism training.

BNP PARIBAS, Montreal. Banking; 1,042 employees. Launched a new leadership for women program for women at the AVP level (in collaboration with BNP Paribas Switzerland).

BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,490 employees. Has maintained a mental health strategy since

5 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

TELUS

 Vancouver-based TELUS Communications has employee-led resource groups promote Black and LGBTQ2+.

2023 WINNERS

Continued

2016 and is committed to raising awareness and reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues in the workplace.

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

CANADA ULC, THE, Toronto. Management consulting; 475 employees. Manages an Apprenticeship in Action program to retain and advance women, which focuses on encouraging development of “performance-enhancing relationships” and communication effectiveness.

BRUCE POWER LP, Tiverton, Ont. Nuclear power generation; 4,187 employees. Develops diverse pipelines of talent through an integrated process in its talent management review programs, ensuring underrepresented groups are reviewed for development and promotional opportunities.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montreal. Secondary market financing; 2,556 employees. Created five new financing programs for diverse entrepreneurs to increase access to capital (in partnership with other organizations).

CAMH / CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH, Toronto. Specialty hospital; 2,689 employees. Launched its three-year Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan in 2021, which outlines its strategy to build stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people at CAMH.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government; 55,588 employees. Maintains a Women’s Collaborative Network to celebrate women’s achievements and increase visibility and representativeness at all levels while highlighting systemic barriers, raising awareness of bias and calling out inequality.

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO., Montreal. Railroad transportation; 16,402 employees. Provides inclusive leadership training for senior leaders and middle managers to equip employees with the necessary tools to create inclusive work environments.

CBC / RADIO-CANADA, Ottawa. Public broadcaster; 8,209 employees. Allocated more than $750,000 in 2020 and 2021 to its diversity and inclusion fund to help create internships and other development opportunities to employees from underrepresented groups.

CGI INC., Toronto. Information technology; 10,829 employees. Has rolled out behaviour-focused diversity, equity and inclusion learning plans for more than 1,000 leaders in partnership with FranklinCovey.

CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Child and youth services; 707 employees. Created an equity-based hiring strategy to close the gap of underrepresented individuals and increased the number of permanent roles in its diversity, equity and inclusion department.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 40,048 employees. Achieved gender parity of its board of directors, with 50 per cent representation of women, and for the first time in the bank’s history, the board is chaired by a woman.

D2L CORP., Kitchener, Ont. Software publishers; 963 employees. Provides training to enhance employee and manager knowledge and expectations specific to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

DENTONS CANADA LLP, Edmonton. Law firm; 1,357 employees. Introduced an Inclusion and Diversity Framework with three key areas of focus: gender advancement, anti-Black racism and Indigenous reconciliation.

ECOLAB CO., Mississauga. Cleaning and sanitation products and services; 888 employees. Provides interview training on unconscious bias in hiring and expectations for diverse slates of candidates.

EMERA INC., Halifax. Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,468 employees. Expanded its employee resource groups from two to five, including groups for Black employees, women in engineering, women in trades, LGBTQ+ and women in IT.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau, Que. Federal government; 37,334 employees. Launched a Muslim Federal Employees Network in 2022 to provide a safe forum for employees to connect and discuss issues related to a healthy and inclusive work environment.

ENBRIDGE INC., Calgary. Energy infrastructure; 7,384 employees. Conducts annual pay equity analyses to help ensure fair pay across gender and ethnicity, as

6 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Rozella Johnson, an employee at Tiverton, Ont.-based Bruce Power, in front of a mural celebrating local indigenous communities BRUCE POWER

P.SIMARD/CN

 Stéphanie Proulx, a conductor at CN, at the railroad company’s Taschereau Yard in Montreal.

DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

well as analyses during performance reviews, leadership development and succession planning.

EY, Toronto. Accounting; 7,318 employees. Launched a neurodiversity centre of excellence model in Toronto in 2020 to improve the recruitment, development and integration of a neurodiverse workforce.

FISPAN SERVICES INC., Vancouver. Software development; 122 employees. Participated in an external audit to assess communication, culture, procurement, product, and development on the basis of DEI.

GIBSON ENERGY INC., Calgary. Oil and gas distribution; 434 employees. Introduced a company-wide course on Conscious Inclusion and tied course completion to employees’ annual short term incentive program.

HATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering; 3,653 employees. Set a goal to have women represent 40 per cent of its workforce by 2023, and aims to have a third of all experienced hires and half of student and young professional interview slates be women.

HEALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 9,987 employees. Has a teaching and healing centre onsite (The Iskotew Lodge) where Indigenous teachings, meetings with Elders, storytelling and craft circles are held for employees and members of the public.

HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, Toronto. Hospitals; 527 employees. Created a new Human Rights and Equity Navigator role in 2022 to advance its priorities of anti-oppression, anti-racism and social accountability to promote a respectful and inclusive workplace.

HOME DEPOT CANADA, Toronto. Retail; 36,497 employees. Relaunched its diversity and inclusion committee as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council in 2020, with representation across all major stakeholder groups at the organization.

IBM CANADA LTD., Markham, Ont. Software development. Offers a Tech Re-Entry program for technical professionals who took a break from the workforce and are looking to restart their careers.

IGM FINANCIAL INC., Winnipeg. Financial services; 3,818 employees. Embeds accountability for diversity, equity and inclusion in performance objectives for all people leaders who have more than three direct reports.

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 6,160 employees. Includes diversity and inclusion objectives as part of management’s formal performance management agreements.

JAZZ AVIATION LP, Goffs, N.S. Air transportation; 4,768 employees.

Honours Truth and Reconciliation

Day as a paid holiday and is currently working with its Indigenous employee group to revise its Indigenous practices leave policy.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 9,926 employees. Formed an anti-Black racism plan in collaboration with its Black Professionals Network and launched a dedicated mentoring program for Black senior managers, pairing them with managing partners.

LAFARGE CANADA INC., Calgary. Concrete manufacturing; 6,286 employees.Committed to a 2030 action plan, which includes a goal of having 30 per cent of management roles held by women by the year 2030.

LEDCOR GROUP OF COMPANIES, Vancouver. Construction; 6,873 employees. Rolled out six inclusion and diversity toolkits last year to help leaders introduce topics to employees (includes building an inclusive culture, equity versus equality and unconscious bias).

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 31,708 employees. Prioritized addressing systemic barriers in the recruitment process and requires all people leaders to complete mandatory training on inclusive hiring.

MANITOBA HYDRO, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 4,764 employees. Launched pre-placement programs for women in power line technician and power electrician trades programs, with a goal of increasing representation of women in the workforce.

MANULIFE, Toronto. Insurance; 11,925 employees. Implemented diverse

7 CANADA’S BEST

2023 WINNERS Continued

 Staff at Toronto-based Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital supporting the ‘Dear Everybody’ campaign, a national movement to end stigma and eliminate bias against people with disability. HBKRH

FISPAN

 Vancouver-based Fispan Services retained an external auditor to assess its communication, culture, procurement, product, and development on the basis of diversity, equity and inclusion.

1. Partners at the Toronto office of McCarthy Tétrault mark the law firm’s support of National Truth & Reconciliation Day with orange shirts.

2. A female boilermaker works at an Ontario Power Generation site.

3. The Government of Nunavit hosts cultural immersion days to help employees better understand life in Canada’s north and their colleagues.

4. Manitoba Hydro has actively sought to increase the representation of women in the skilled trades.

8 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP):

MCCARTHY OPG MANITOBA

NUNAVUT GOVT.

HYDRO

2023 WINNERS

candidate slate requirements to increase hire and promotion rates of diverse candidates for director-level roles and above.

MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,576 employees. Invested in several programs to expand the pipeline of Black and Indigenous students into law school and support BIPOC lawyers.

MCMASTER UNIVERSITY, Hamilton. Universities; 6,516 employees. Launched an employment equity facilitator program to support all hiring processes, act as process consultants and ensure equitable outcomes.

NIAGARA HEALTH, St. Catharines, Ont. Healthcare; 3,129 employees. Ensures that interview panels for leadership positions are diverse, for both staff and physician roles, plus all hiring panels must complete inclusive recruitment training.

NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT CANADA LLP, Calgary. Law firm; 1,549 employees. Launched the Origins Network in 2020, which aims to connect racialized employees across Canada and hosts educational events for employees internally and for clients.

NUNAVUT, GOVERNMENT OF, Iqaluit. Territorial government; 3,502 employees. Strives to increase the representation of Inuit in government and provides expanded training opportunities to help prepare Inuit employees to assume new roles.

NUTRIEN INC., Saskatoon. Fertilizer manufacturing; 5,666 employees. Set a goal to increase gender diversity in senior leadership roles to 30 per cent by 2025 and maintains 30 per cent gender diversity on its board.

ONTARIO POWER GENERATION INC., Toronto. Electricity power generation; 10,657 employees. Committed to growing economic impact for Indigenous communities and business to $1-billion over the next 10 years through ongoing operations, projects and initiatives.

OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURT LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,172 employees. Helps partners ensure that work is fairly allocated to both male and female associates through a gender work allocation report.

9 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY

2023

EMPLOYERS

Continued

 The summer social at the Black Lawyers’ Network, an employee resource group at Toronto-based Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt OSLER  Stanley Black & Decker has made a formal commitment to ensure that women will represent 50% of its leadership team across the world by 2030. SB&D

2023 WINNERS Continued

OTTAWA, CITY OF, Ottawa. Municipal government; 12,899 employees. Created a Women and Gender Equity Strategy which includes a systemic framework that sets corporate and departmental targets and defines commitments.

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,618 employees. Maintains a number of employee resource groups that help facilitate outreach and recruitment initiatives as well as internal training and awareness.

PUBLIC SERVICES AND PROCUREMENT CANADA, Gatineau, Que. Federal government; 17,710 employees. Established a task force on anti-racism, workplace culture and equity, responsible for initiating meaningful dialogue with diverse employees and groups.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 60,966 employees. Is committed to developing Indigenous talent pipelines through a dedicated Indigenous summer internship program to provide on-the-job learning and training to post-secondary students.

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver. Custom computer programming services; 3,325 employees. Created Women to Watch and Talent to Watch programs to build a diverse pipeline of talent for senior roles.

SASKPOWER, Regina. Electric power generation; 3,298 employees. Embedded diversity and inclusion metrics in its annual corporate balanced scorecard, which measures overall workforce diversity representation and sets annual targets.

SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,659 employees. Maintains a hiring strategy for persons with disabilities and conducts information sessions and pre-employment workshops with community partners.

SCOTIABANK, Toronto. Banking; 36,790 employees. Manages a Staff Ombuds Office to provide anonymous assistance with work-related issues when employees are unsure about using formal channels or need help to work out a plan or facilitate difficult conversations.

SINAI HEALTH, Toronto. Hospitals; 3,717 employees. Has managed a summer mentorship program in partnership with University of Toronto’s faculty of medicine since 2001, providing mentoring opportunities for Black and Indigenous high school students.

STANLEY BLACK & DECKER CANADA CORP., Mississauga. Tool and hardware manufacturing; 1,391 employees. Implemented a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, which aims to support and accelerate the company’s diversity goals.

STATISTICS CANADA / STATISTIQUE CANADA, Federal government. Ottawa; 6,506 employees. Maintains a women’s subcommittee to provide employees with a forum to discuss and create change related to workplace issues specific to gender.

TD BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 59,100 employees. Launched a new diversity and inclusion strategy with multiple areas of focus, and introduced a Black experience area of focus, setting targets to increase the representation of Black, Indigenous and other minority professionals.

TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC. , Vancouver. Telecommunications; 25,474 employees. Launched a five-year Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan in 2021, developed with guidance from Indigenous voices and Indigenous-led frameworks of reconciliation.

TORONTO, CITY OF, Toronto. Municipal government; 22,062 employees. Established the Profession to Profession Mentoring Immigrants program in 2004 in response to employment barriers faced by skilled immigrants.

UBC / UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver. Universities; 15,365 employees. Launched a Centre for Workplace Accessibility, which aims to remove barriers, expedite accommodations, and minimize the medicalization of disability by identifying resources, supports, or workplace adjustments.

UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montreal. Universities; 5,667 employees. Offers a Preferred First Name procedure request, enabling students and employees across the campus to use an alternate preferred first name instead of their legal one while studying or working at the university.

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, Calgary. Universities; 5,872 employees. Offers Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Awards to students, staff, faculty and mixed teams (that might include community members) who have demonstrated a commitment to inclusion and equity on campus.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, Winnipeg. Universities; 5,141 employees. Established its first anti-racism task force in the past year, co-chaired by the vice-president, administration and vice-president, Indigenous.

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA, Ottawa. Universities; 5,210 employees. Has an Indigenous action plan including steps to develop an Indigenous faculty recruitment and hiring policy for tenure-track and part-time positions, and an Indigenous staff recruitment plan.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Universities; 11,502 employees. Manages its diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives through a tri-campus network of equity offices, a dedicated employee with equity-related responsibilities, and employee affinity groups.

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, Victoria. Universities; 3,399 employees. Hosted its fourth annual Five Days of Action: 365 Days of Commitment event, to highlight its commitment to ending discrimination, harassment and sexualized violence.

WALMART CANADA

CORP., Mississauga. Retail; 44,437 employees. Manages a female accelerator program, called the Women in Retail Rising Star Program, to advance female talent from assistant store managers to store managers.

– Diane Jermyn

10 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

U.VIC

 Each year, the University of Victoria hosts a week-long event (‘5 Days of Action’) amplifying the work of community groups and highlighting the university’s commitment to ending discrimination, harassment and sexualized violence.

METHODOLOGY 2023:

The Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp competition recognizes employers across Canada that have exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply to enter the contest.

While the selection process to choose the winners of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp continually evolves to include new questions that reflect changes in the workplace, the methodology and selection criteria for the competition are essentially the same as in previous years. Those criteria include successful diversity initiatives for employees from five groups: women; members of visible minorities; persons with disabilities; Indigenous peoples; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual (LGBTQ2S) peoples.

To determine the winners, the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp review the diversity and inclusiveness initiatives of a large number of employers that applied for this year’s national competition of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Employers are compared to other organizations in the same field to determine which ones offer the most noteworthy and unique diversity initiatives. The finalists chosen represent the diversity leaders in their industry and region of Canada.

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers 2023 by Mediacorp is an annual national competition and all applicants must pay a fee to enter. The Globe and Mail is not involved in the judging process.

– Diane Jermyn

11 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

N.IWANYSHYN/UNIV.

TORONTO

 Head dancer Miyopin Cheechoo performs at a ceremony honouring Indigenous students at the University of Toronto.

12 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Employees from EY showing their support at the annual Pride march in Toronto.

A Long March Toward Equity

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers are becoming ever more progressive and inclusive

Saher Fazilat has seen a lot of the history of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in her career. You could say she qualifies as diverse on at least three fronts – a woman, a person of colour and a Muslim immigrant to Canada. Moreover, she trained in India as a civil engineer, a profession dominated globally by men.

“I’ve lived the DEI piece,” says Fazilat, who, far from being daunted by such challenges, is now the vice-president, operations and finance, at McMaster University, one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2023. She started in New Delhi as the only female engineer on a worksite of 400. “I just thought, construction in India must be very male-

dominated,” she says. Then she came to Canada in 2000 and soon found work in construction management for a major city – without much change. “I was one of only two visible minorities on my team of 60,” she recalls.

As her construction career continued, she says, “I was the only female sitting in the room.” When she arrived at a Torontoarea town as head of new construction and major renovations, “I found myself among 30-40 men with no women.” If she went to a construction site, “I had to work with 250 men, no female there, and no washrooms for me. I had to use Tim Hortons,” she says. “It was just a tough environment and, let alone minorities or racialized females, there weren’t even white females there.

“And this,” notes Fazilat, “is in the last two decades.”

In 2014, she started working for various Ontario universities and left front-line work for administration. Not surprisingly, especially since she now has human resources in her portfolio, she sees leading progress on DEI as essential for people like her. “It is very much needed. For those of us in positions of privilege, where we can make a dent, we need to make a dent, and promote and support employers who do this.”

But Fazilat is the first to agree that Canada, and Canadian employers, have made major inroads in expanding diversity, equity and inclusion. Women have made the most obvious strides, but

Top Employers have constantly widened their reach to include more people of colour, more Indigenous Peoples, more members of the LGBTQ+ community, more persons with disabilities, more everybody.

Increasingly, Top Employers are reaching out to a wide variety of groups to encourage them to apply, and they are revolutionizing the recruitment process, with diverse panels required for every interview. Once people are hired, there are a whole series of supports to ensure inclusion and equity in decision-making and promotions.

And as management guru Peter Drucker once said, “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” That’s exactly what

13 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

ENBRIDGE

 Calgary-based Enbridge conducts annual pay equity analyses to ensure fair pay across gender and ethnicity, plus analyses during performance reviews, leadership development and succession planning.

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LONG MARCH TO EQUITY Cont.

employers are now doing, notes Stephanie Leung, editor for Mediacorp Canada, which runs the competition. “We’ve noticed that, overall, there’s an increase in the amount of metrics and data employers have available for either incoming candidates be interviewed or their current workforce. And within that, they are drilling even further into more selfidentified categories – not just visible minorities but Asian, South Asian, Black, etc., and more gender identities.”

At the same time, it’s clear that apart from being the right thing to do, DEI policies are also attractive to job seekers. Kristina Leung, managing editor for Mediacorp Canada, says applications from organizations to be considered for Canada’s Best Diversity Employers were up 20 per cent for 2023. “It speaks to what employees and applicants are valuing more,” she says.

And that trend includes more small and medium enterprises, adds Stephanie Leung. “In the past, it tended to be larger, well-established companies or ones with a global presence that emphasized diversity.”

In fact, progressive policies have become so widespread among Top Employers that the biggest challenge now may be to settle on the definitive abbreviation. Is it DEI, intentionally putting diversity first, or IDE, favouring inclusion, or EDI, with equity at the fore? Or as some activist groups and employers have it, adding “justice” to make it JEDI!

Kristina Leung notes that especially since the roiling year of 2020, with George Floyd in the U.S. and truth and reconciliation in Canada, employers – even the largest banks – now talk routinely about “systemic racism”, a term formerly used only in academic environs or by political radicals.

“It is quite incredible to think that over the course of last 10 years, you can go from, ‘oh, we don’t want to talk about racism,’ to addressing it directly – saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to talk about it, we’re going to learn about it. We’re going to get comfortable with this phrase in order to address it properly and meaningfully and intentionally.’”

It has indeed been a decade of intense, and intentional, change.

– Berton Woodward

15 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 McMaster University recently launched an employment equity facilitator program to support all hiring processes, act as process consultants and ensure equitable outcomes.

MCMASTER

TELUS

 Employees of Vancouver-based TELUS Communications taking part in a presentation on the ‘Witness Blanket’ as part of the company’s Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.

BASF accommodates visible and invisible disabilities

When BASF Canada Inc. hired a summer intern with an invisible disability, it became a learning experience for the world-leading chemical manufacturer on how to create a more inclusive environment.

(ERG) titled Awareness for Visible & Invisible Disabilities, which all employees are welcome to join.

“Once employees see vulnerability in leaders, they feel comfortable voicing their own vulnerabilities,” says Mukherjee. “You need to listen to create a trusting environment so people feel that this is a safe place where they can express their opinion because without that an organization cannot learn and grow. It’s critical that people feel

their opinion counts and will be acted on, not just for those with disabilities but for anybody to be able to bring their authentic selves to work. It’s important you’re not having to hide part of yourself.

“Having those individual conversations one after the other starts to nucleate until it becomes part of the organization’s DNA, but it takes a little push initially,” she says.

Mukherjee believes the

company’s many ERGs help bind people together, allowing them to foster an inclusive atmosphere.

“Our employee-led ERGs build that fabric for us inside BASF,” says Mukherjee. “When you have DEI being felt by the employees, they feel represented. Belonging is a great, powerful motivator for engagement and productivity.”

What attracted Kanika Johnson, an administrative support specialist, to join several ERGs were the

— Apala Mukherjee President

“It was an ‘aha’ moment for us that accommodation requires the organization to be creative and flexible,” says president Apala Mukherjee. “This person required a permanent desk in a quiet area which provided a sense of calmness and served as an anchor, both of which allowed him to perform so much better. It’s amazing how much of an impact these small adaptations made on this person’s working experience.”

Shortly after Mukherjee became president in 2021, the company launched a new Canadian diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework focused on six critical areas, including strong leadership action and accountability. DEI is especially meaningful for Mukherjee, who speaks freely about her own disability – she has a metal plate with four screws in her left arm that affects how her hand functions.

Mukherjee is also the executive sponsor of the Canadian DEI Council and of the North American employee resource group

16 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 An employee checking incoming shipments at BASF Canada.

Belonging is a great, powerful motivator for engagement and productivity.

opportunities for leadership and learning, and expanding her network of people across the company. Since starting with BASF in 2017, she’s been involved with the company’s Toastmasters club, the Black, Indigenous & Multi-cultural group, ALLchemie (for LGBTQ2+) and

Women in BASF.

“I’m a visible minority, so diversity is very important to me,” says Johnson, who is Black. “With the ERGs, you’re not only bringing people together but you’re learning something about another culture and having fun. We want to be

visible, so I’m always coming up with new ideas we can offer to people. For instance, I recently created a movie and food club, where every month, we meet to talk about a movie and encourage people to try different meals inspired by the film.

“Because of the pandemic, many

of our activities have been virtual, but it’s also allowed us to connect with our many sites across Canada,” adds Johnson. “I’ve been meeting with colleagues in Windsor, Calgary and Regina and like the idea that one day soon, I’ll see them in person.”

17 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Diversity, equity and inclusion is a pillar of BASF Canada’s Social Engagement strategy.



Diversity programs for women Mental health diversity programs Diversity and inclusion training for leadership Employee Resource Groups

How BNP Paribas moved from diversity to inclusion

When Bernadine Jules, now a talent acquisition recruiter at BNP Paribas, arrived at the Montréal offices of the France-based international bank five years ago, she was struck by the diversity of her fellow employees, who hailed from around the world. But it was the inclusive culture of her workplace that cemented Jules’ appreciation for BNP.

“I felt like I could fully be myself there,” says Jules, the daughter of Haitian immigrants and organizer of the bank’s first Black History Month event in February 2020.

Volpe’s backing was no surprise. Since she assumed her position as CEO in 2018, Volpe has steadily accelerated BNP’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. “We’re just under 1,500 people, from over 80 nationalities, very much reflective of the Montréal and Toronto environment we operate in,” says Volpe.

“It’s important for organizations to reflect their environments, and we know that diverse teams result in better conversations and hence, better outcomes. So then, the question is, how do you organize yourself to attract, retain and develop that talent?”

The only way, Volpe says, is to move beyond diversity alone and focus on inclusion. “You have to make sure inclusion is lived by the employees, so that they really feel they belong and that they are heard.”

The bank’s annual self-identification survey provided not only understanding of how employees view themselves, but pointers to useful actions. “How else do you get data?” asks Volpe. “How do you measure progress or set goals? Not everything is measured through the self-identification data, but you do really see where you are doing well and where you have more to do.”

The surveys revealed an evident need for a women’s leadership program, Volpe says. “As women progress within the bank, they look for tips and networks and interactions and experiences that are different from their male counterparts.”

Male and female senior bankers all display certain common attributes, Volpe says. “But how women get there and how they acquire them are not the same, as I can personally attest,” adds the 20-year banking veteran. “Some of our ‘aha’ moments are different.”

The employee resource groups, or ERGs, span a broad spectrum of

“Then, in the wake of the pandemic and George Floyd’s death, there were a lot of us feeling we wanted to speak up, express how we were feeling, and ask what the bank could do. So I started the Black Heritage Employee Resource Group to create a space for that. And it had the full support of management, from our CEO, Sonja Volpe, on down. The culture here in BNP Paribas in Canada really is to walk the talk.”

18 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 BNP Paribas employees at its diversity, equity and inclusion event.

You have to make sure inclusion is felt and lived by the employees, so that they really feel they belong and that they are heard.

— Sonja Volpe CEO

employees’ lives and selfidentification – from ethnic heritage, gender and sexual orientation to family affairs and diverse abilities – and play a crucial role in BNP’s drive to inclusivity. The groups plan calendars of priorities and events to raise awareness

and help accelerate change, Volpe says, and they develop partnerships with expert outside organizations.

All of these are factors with a large impact on recruitment and retention, says the CEO. “I don’t refer to ERG chairs like Bernadine as ‘chairs’ – those are

leadership roles.”

BNP Paribas has employee groups elsewhere in its global operations, Volpe says, but the Canadian ERGs stand out in the scope of their activities. “We now have eight, with another coming this year. In 2022, on their own,

they put on 75 events in which more than 700 employees participated. That, I think, is unique,” she says.

“It speaks to a high level of engagement. And that gives me the sense that, okay, we're on the right track.” 

19 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Employee resource groups at BNP Paribas drive inclusivity by developing partnerships with expert organizations. Formal diversity strategy Community partnerships Training and awareness initiatives Senior executive who oversees diversity initiatives

BLG shines a light on legal diversity with PRISME

Marco Castelli has been practising law for less than two years but has already had a major impact at his employer, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG). With BLG’s support, he co-led a national team to found the first national LGBTQ+ legal conference, PRISME, in 2022.

by the firm’s national management committee,” adds Castelli.

“This firm is walking the walk and talking the talk in advancing 2SLGBTQ+ initiatives.”

Beyond financial support, BLG let PRISME host the inaugural conference in their Toronto offices and provided valuable logistical support. Enter the firm’s events manager.

“The biggest challenge in planning and executing the event was when the PRISME planning committee and I thought about what we wanted to do and accomplish. We planned this new conference entirely from scratch

and had no idea what was possible if other firms didn’t join BLG in sponsoring PRISME or where we would be with COVID,” says Kathleen Wells, manager, events for BLG.

“The fact that the firm had the faith in us that we could make this event a success just really speaks to how they view us as employees,” Wells says.

To make PRISME as welcoming as possible, Wells worked with the committee to provide attendees a physically accessible venue, supports for persons with hearing and visual impairments, simultaneous English and French translation and

a full virtual offering for those who couldn’t attend in person.

Wells worked with the committee for a year. “It was a moving target the first couple of months. We ended up getting 12 other firms as sponsors,” she says.

Ultimately, PRISME ran at full capacity, with 180 in-person attendees along with another 120 connected online.

“Seeing everyone come together was so rewarding. There were some tears in the room and a lot of laughter,” says Wells. “You could tell the event actually had an impact on the community.”

Castelli echoes her sentiments.

“This was a grassroots initiative which emerged organically from an earlier 2SLGBTQ+ ‘firm hop’ initiative spearheaded by myself and other junior associates in the firm, starting in 2020,” says Castelli, an associate. “But it wouldn’t have been possible without all the support from the top.”

BLG has offices across Canada in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa. PRISME was designed to bring together lawyers and students from across the country with a commitment to building networks in LGBTQ+ communities, increasing representation and equity for LGBTQ+ legal professionals in Canada and discussing current legal issues facing the community.

“It’s great to work for an organization that supports junior people taking a leadership role. It took a significant amount of time and it was never questioned, indeed, was championed and supported

20 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Borden Ladner Gervais employee at the 2022 PRISME conference, held at BLG’s Toronto offices.

This firm is walking the walk and talking the talk in advancing 2SLGBTQ+ initiatives.

— Marco Castelli Associate

“It’s a demonstration that the legal profession is evolving and making real efforts to create a profession that is more welcoming and inclusive. It’s important to feel safe and valued in your work environment,” Castelli says. “Firms taking these proactive strides makes you feel like

there’s actual change happening.”

In tandem with PRISME, Castelli adds, BLG helped greatly with the incorporation of a new bar association, the Canadian Association of LGBTQ2S+ Lawyers (CALL). This followed the success of the PRISME conference.

Castelli serves as a director for CALL.

“Ultimately, the reason CALL was incorporated was to house all the fantastic initiatives we’ve been working on, including the PRISME conference,” Castelli says.

Accomplishing PRISME makes

Anti-racism training available to all firm employees

Optional affinity mentorship programs

Unconscious bias training for all involved in recruiting

Indigenous student recruitment initiative

Wells feel very proud of where she works.

“It’s one thing to put up a rainbow flag in the summer, it’s quite another to put your money where your mouth is,” says Wells.

“It’s listening to what your employees are asking for.” 

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Picture yourself at Canada’s law firm blg.com

 With PRISME, Borden Ladner Gervais is committed to increasing representation and equity for LGTBQ+ legal professionals across the country.

Bruce Power promotes diversity inside and out

It’s one thing to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals in a large multicultural city, and quite another in a small town. But recognizing the many business benefits of DEI has led Bruce Power to step up its efforts to attract and retain a more diverse workforce for its nuclear power generation facility in Kincardine, Ont.

also working toward her executive MBA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I’ve gone to my leaders about opportunities many times, and I’ve always been supported,” she says. “They’re very much behind ensuring we have gender parity and investing in DEI initiatives, and the results are evident. Ten years ago you could count how many women of colour worked here, but no longer.”

Those opportunities are not just at the entry level, but in leadership roles, she says. “More and more I’m seeing women take on roles traditionally held by men, which is changing how we operate as a company because it’s giving us so many different perspectives. And we’re not looking at diversity from just a race or gender perspective –it’s also different mindsets.”

Khan also serves on the board of Women in Nuclear Canada and

as a member of a women’s forum at Bruce whose leadership sponsor is actually male. “It’s interesting, because opening his eyes to what matters to the female workforce is moving mountains, and getting us the allyship we needed,” she says.

Jordan Marshall, who is plant manager at Bruce A, one of two four-unit plants at the site, also values the different perspectives a diverse workforce provides.

“DEI training is teaching us to

Aiman

The organization provides DEI training for all its leaders and staff, encourages women at engineering schools to consider the nuclear sector, maintains employee support groups and committees for diverse populations and sponsors cultural events in the surrounding communities to make sure staff feel welcome outside the facility as well as inside it.

Aiman Khan started as a project manager four years ago, managing engineering contracts, and has since worked her way up to senior program manager in Major Projects, leading a team that’s refurbishing six of the plant’s eight units. She’s

22 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 The diversity and inclusion program at Bruce Power is committed to treating employees with fairness and respect.

More and more I’m seeing women take on roles traditionally held by men, which is changing how we operate as a company because it’s giving us so many different perspectives.

—

Khan Senior Program Manager

value individual talents and skills, and recognize that everybody brings something unique to the table,” he says. “Recently we had a transgender awareness session with one of our employees who spoke to the staff about some of the challenges they face. We’re

making their work station more friendly, changing washrooms to unisex – doing small things to raise awareness.”

But it’s about more than making employees feel comfortable, he says. “Diversity of approach and mindset are critical to keeping the

plant operating safely, so there’s a lot to be gained by having different points of view building the way we make decisions.”

Marshall is also the leadership sponsor for the organization’s outward-facing DEI committee.

“We look at how we can promote

Hosts annual Indigenous Career Expo

Supports local chapter of Women in Nuclear

Measures diversity of promotions on a monthly basis

Unconscious bias training for new leaders

and improve the local community to attract people,” he says. “Because it’s not just a matter of hiring diverse people – if they don’t feel wanted, either at work or in the community, they won’t stay. It’s been a focus for us, and we’re reaping the benefits.” 

23 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 An employee at Bruce Power monitoring operations in the control room.

At BDC, fully investing in diversity is the goal

When Kunle Tauhid and his wife were looking to leave Nigeria to settle in another part of the world with their two young children, their top choices were Australia and Canada. Australia was too far from their families, so in 2002 they moved to Toronto, where they felt they could assimilate culturally. Nine years later, Tauhid joined Montréalbased Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and felt at home right away.

employees from all over the world,” says Tauhid, who became vice president of financing and consulting in 2017. “This helped us serve our diverse community and make them more comfortable dealing with people who looked like them and spoke like them.”

In 2020, Tauhid was appointed to the bank’s Diversity Leadership Council to be the bridge between senior leadership and employee resource groups. “Our first task is to ensure that we reflect diversity in our hiring process across all departments,” he says.

In addition, he participated in the Black Professional Network, which offers coaching, support and professional development opportunities to Black employees. “BDC is putting its money where its mouth is in terms of diversity and inclusion, for both employees and entrepreneurs,” he says. BDC has always recognized that different people, perspectives and ideas are fundamental to a high level of employee engagement. In recent years, the internal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) curriculum has grown. This is key

to ensuring that all employees have the fundamental skills and knowledge to foster an equitable environment, where people can show up as their authentic selves. Employee surveys gather views on different challenges facing employees at work to help prioritize areas of focus, and DEI listening circles are held on a regular basis. “Initiatives like these are a reflection of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and they contribute to strengthening respectful interactions,” says Tauhid.

BDC is a financial institution that helps create and develop strong Canadian businesses through financing, advisory services and capital, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. Tauhid was a perfect fit – in Nigeria, he had worked for a bank that dealt exclusively with entrepreneurs.

Although Tauhid lives in Toronto, his branch office is in Ottawa. His first role – to manage the business centre in the Toronto district of Scarborough – shone a spotlight on diversity.

“At the business centre, we had

24 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 BDC employees collaborate in workspaces that inspire an agile way of working.

BDC is putting its money where its mouth is in terms of diversity and inclusion, for both employees and entrepreneurs.

— Kunle Tauhid Vice President of Financing and Consulting

 BDC supports employees seeking new opportunities and career development.

Employees hail from all over the world and can express themselves in the almost 40 languages that are spoken across the organization. Bulgarian is one of those languages – it’s the first language of Paulina Kapashikova, the senior commercial account manager in Vancouver.

Like Tauhid, she immigrated to Canada and carved out a fulfilling career path at BDC, joining as an underwriter in 2009.

A Canadian citizen since 2014, Kapashikova felt welcomed as soon as she arrived at BDC and has had ongoing support as she assumed

new roles in credit, online financing and sales. “Diversity enables teams to be more creative and to innovate constantly, thanks to the impressive wealth of their experience,” she says.

Over the years, Kapashikova has had several mentors, plus

coaching and training, to help learn the bank’s myriad systems and networks. “I feel lucky to work with such diverse, close-knit teams,” she says. “That’s why I’ve stayed so long – because of the people, the collaboration and the opportunities.” 

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Diversity programs for LGBTQ2+ Listening circles DEI leadership council Black Professional Network

CAMH is founded on a sense of belonging for all

ohn Fernandes’s job is getting others jobs. He is the Employment Works!

program co-ordinator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. His criteria are twofold: a person needs an employment goal and has had personal experience with mental health and addiction.

has satellite sites across Ontario.

The centre is committed to all areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. ‘Dismantling Anti-Black Racism’ is a strategy CAMH has renewed in 2023 that ties into the sense of belonging at the organization.

“Dismantling is getting to the root cause of racism,” says Dionne Sinclair, vice-president clinical operations and chief nursing executive.

“You have to look at the cultural competency of leadership and staff and help them appreciate other cultures, genders, religions and other abilities. It’s getting them to know and understand others and

seeing them as equal, not different,” adds Sinclair.

She explains they must feel included, appreciated and able to appreciate others’ work.

“Research shows if people get together and know each other on an intimate level, they find out they have a lot in common,” says Sinclair.

“We know we have it right when staff feel valued, appreciated and that this is a place where they belong.”

Some 80 per cent of the people Fernandes works with want to work at CAMH, he says. To all, he offers guidance and support, whether it's beefing up a resume,

practising possible interview questions or even giving a heads-up to a recruiter about a viable candidate.

“As a hospital, we want to encourage people to create opportunities for people to recover, including recovery to employment, but also walk the talk and actually have a presence in-house,” says Fernandes, “That’s creating and supporting people who would like to work here.

“It’s like a warm human contact to sort of make the process of applying for positions at CAMH a little less anonymous.”

Fernandes says support continues past the hiring phase.

“Sometimes they still need

“Over the years, Employment Works! has supported hundreds of people with lived experience to pursue their employment goals,” he says. “Through effort and determination they don’t just find work, they recapture a sense of belonging and purpose.”

Fernandes explains that he helps people who have lived experience with mental health and addiction to access or enhance employment; many want to work at CAMH. The unemployment rate for people with serious mental health issues is about 80 per cent.

“So I connect with people who may feel underemployed or have been out of work for a while,” he says.

CAMH, with a staff of some 3,000 all told, is Canada’s largest mental health hospital, providing care to about 37,000 patients annually. Headquartered in Toronto, it

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 Dionne Sinclair, VP clinical operations and chief nursing executive, at CAMH.

CAMH is a psychologically safe place where everyone knows they belong.

— Dionne Sinclair

Vice-President Clinical

Operations and Chief Nursing Executive

assistance to make sure things are going well. So they may need some support to make sure that they maintain their health while they are returning to work or starting a new role,” he explains.

Another essential element is that Employment Works! helps

employees advance once working at CAMH.

“So Employment Works! also supports employees who may have started in a contract or temporary role and would like to advance.

Last year I talked to 30 employees who had been supported by

Employment Works! They received advancements to a new role or a more permanent one with our support – and through their own efforts, obviously,” says Fernandes.

Sinclair is proud of where she works because whatever their identity, a person can present their

authentic self at CAMH.

“As the VP, clinical operations and chief nursing executive, I make sure that everyone coming through the doors feels welcomed, valued, appreciated, and that CAMH is a psychologically safe place where they belong.”

You can put mental health at the centre of health care. Join our team.

We’re proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s most diverse employers.

27 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 The pharmacy team at CAMH.



2,689 full-time employees in Canada 30 people promoted in 2022 through Employment Works! 78% of the executive team are women 37,000 people seen at CAMH sites in 2022

At CAS Toronto, there are new faces at the table

When Brittany Gormaly started working for the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) as a summer intern eight years ago, she could not have imagined being able to reach her current position as the agency’s Indigenous practice integration lead. In fact, back then she couldn’t have imagined such a role even existing.

overseeing CAST services for Indigenous families, partnering with local agencies and supporting equity and trust in both the workforce and the community.

“I help build the agency’s capacity to support families by better understanding Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and how this can impact our approach and decision-making,” she says.

“I think we have a responsibility to provide equitable service, and that’s not often something they’ve experienced in the past.”

Gormaly has been working with CAST staff to review all its policies and procedures through an equity lens, acknowledging painful

histories and shifting old mindsets.

“Often organizations get steeped in a ‘This is the way we’ve always done it’ attitude,” she says. “What’s great is that our senior leaders are willing to disrupt that and look at where some policies have perpetuated hurt and harm, and how we’re going to meaningfully change those policies to address the disparities.”

One important change was establishing an equity-based hiring strategy to boost diversity in the CAST workforce. “Representation matters,” says Gormaly. “We need to have staff that represents the diverse population that we serve – not only our Indigenous

community, but other equitydeserving groups as well.”

CAST interim CEO Lisa Tomlinson is proud of the initiative. “To my knowledge we’re the only child welfare agency to launch an equity-based hiring strategy,” she says. “It allows us to ensure we have opportunities for all identities and equity-deserving groups to move into positions of leadership. It’s led to new faces at the table, and that’s important.”

Tomlinson also stresses the importance of partnerships with agencies in various sectors. “We can’t do our work without community partners,” she says. “It’s been a long haul to get people to

“I thought I’d have to work for an Indigenous child and family agency to do this,” says Gormaly, who is Métis and feels a personal connection to the role. “But the way our executive team and the agency as a whole have supported meaningful change, and created spaces for staff to bring things forward and have their voices heard, has been really great.”

Gormaly is the first person to occupy the position, which involves

28 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Children’s Aid Society of Toronto employees wear orange to honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

To my knowledge, we’re the only child welfare agency to launch an equitybased hiring strategy. It allows us to ensure we have opportunities for all identities and equitydeserving groups to move into positions of leadership.

— Lisa Tomlinson Interim CEO

partner with us, but we’re building identity-focused relationships with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, particularly youth, the Black community and other equitydeserving groups.”

CAST offers extensive diversity training to its staff, and a mentor-

ship program for Indigenous and racialized employees. “That’s so important, because there can be a struggle and a real disconnect when you don’t see people that look like you in management,” says Gormaly.

“It made all the difference for me.”

Tomlinson says that increasing

diversity in the workforce has had multiple benefits, bringing new perspectives and creativity to the agency, and leading to stronger relationships and improved services for the community.

“We want to be able to reflect our communities,” she says. “It’s

important for families to see folks that represent them, and it also allows us to build on the expertise of those folks, whether that means their lived experience or their critical feedback, which we need to hear in order to inform our work.”

29 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Join us in championing equity, diversity and inclusion in child welfare. Learn more at torontocas.ca/careers

 Children’s Aid Society of Toronto strives to build identity-focused relationships within the community and workforce.



Diversity programs for 2SLGBTQ+ and disabilities Indigenous and racialized staff mentorship program Equity-based hiring strategy Cultural safety training for leaders

CIBC hosts team members with new styles of work

When Haddie Majnoon, director, financial crimes technology for CIBC, returned from child-care leave, she was still breast-feeding her baby and wondered if the bank could accommodate her.

Even with the flexibility of working in the office once a week, she still needed a place to pump breast milk several times a day.

our inclusive design team reached out directly to employees from CIBC’s WorkAbility Employee Network, an employee-led resource group for team members with disabilities, and asked what we could do to help create a workplace that worked for them,” says Steve Webster, vice-president of workplace business management.

“We wanted it to be more than just accessible. We wanted a workplace that made everyone feel welcome from day one.”

Based on employee feedback, CIBC’s inclusive design strategy went above and beyond industry standards, Webster says.

CIBC SQUARE not only includes a lactation suite for new mothers like Majnoon, it also includes a seventh-floor Legacy Space, designed in partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund and with input from the CIBC Indigenous Employee Circle, “to foster open dialogue among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and to make it clear that reconciliation is a priority for CIBC,” says Webster.

At the entrance to each meeting room, a braille sign is posted to accommodate those with low vision. Noise on each floor is minimized with sound-absorption

panels, and colours have been chosen for their calming effect on the occupants.

There’s a quiet room every three floors where employees can go to pray or meditate, and universal washrooms on each floor.

Food stations offer vegan options and menus designed to prioritize health and well-being. In the parking garage, there are more spaces for bicycles than cars, and the space is equipped with showers and change rooms.

“We aimed to create an end-toend experience,” says Webster.

Like other employees, Majnoon, whose team develops technology

— Steve Webster Vice-President, Workplace Business

“I was anxious about it,” she says. “I couldn’t go to a quiet room, because people go there to pray and meditate. I couldn’t stay in the office because people would find it too distracting. So I was planning to use the washroom.”

Then her manager told her that, when her department moved to CIBC SQUARE, the bank’s new global headquarters at the foot of Bay Street in Toronto, the new facility would include a lactation room.

“I got tears in my eyes when she told me,” she says.

CIBC designed its new facility with the unique needs of its employees in mind.

“Before we began construction,

30 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Access to a private lactation suite at CIBC helped Haddie Majnoon transition back to work after child-care leave.

We wanted it to be more than just accessible. We wanted a workplace that made everyone feel welcome from day one.

Management

that identifies patterns associated with money laundering and human trafficking, worked from home during the pandemic. Now, she works in a hybrid model with her time spent between home and the office.

“I’m a leader,” she says, “and I

often want to be with my team.” When she arrives at CIBC SQUARE, Majnoon does not work in an assigned office. “It doesn’t matter if you’re an executive vice-president or coming to your second day on the job, practically no one has an assigned seat or

office,” says Webster. Instead, employees equipped with laptops find a convenient workstation where they find fully adjustable sit/stand desks and chairs and access to high-speed wi-fi.

“When employees come to

Mentorship programs for new Canadians

Inclusion and Diversity Leadership Council

Banking program for entrepreneurs from the Black community

Five-year Accessibility Roadmap

CIBC SQUARE, they can choose from a variety of workplace settings to suit their activities for the day,” says Webster. “Whether they need a space to collaborate, focus, host clients or connect with team members, the space is there to serve them.” 

cibc.com/CT100

31 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Steve Webster at CIBC SQUARE, where inclusive design has laid the foundation for future office re-designs.

All employees grow in Ecolab’s inclusive culture

Samer Loubieh began working with Ecolab Co. seven years ago in Dubai. When his family moved to Canada, he was thankful to be hired at Ecolab Canada.

together with diverse perspectives to challenge ourselves, reach our goals and do what’s right.”

Kler says Ecolab’s approach includes leadership commitment and accountability; awareness and education; and embedding diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the associate experience. The company sets goals, measures its programs and provides progress updates internally through a monthly scorecard.

“The inclusive experience at Ecolab begins with recruitment and continues through the circle of the life of an employee,” says Kler.

To start, recruiters work to find

a diverse slate of candidates, and the interview panel reflects diverse perspectives and a gender balance from within the organization. Questions and position profiles are reviewed annually to ensure they are inclusive.

Once hired, employees are supported to participate in employee resource groups (ERGs) as a member or ally of various communities. ERG meetings are scheduled on the work calendar and management encourages staff to take the time to participate.

Loubieh belongs to an ERG focused on diversity. EcoMondo is made up of members from

around the world who share experiences and learn from each other. They may also ask, or be asked, to provide education for others, or to translate or introduce someone from their country to the organization.

Every meeting begins with an inclusion and diversity moment. Someone shares a best practice, an experience, a tip or a story. “And that is every meeting in the organization, not just ERGs,” says Loubieh.

All employees have the opportunity to take courses on topics such as allyship and unconscious bias through Ecolab’s intranet. The

“I’ve been encouraged to grow and develop with this company,” says Loubieh, senior marketing manager for Ecolab Canada’s institutional division. “The company does all it can to help me reach my potential. I work with colleagues who have been here 35 years. People feel valued.”

Ecolab is a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions. Working with customers in more than 40 industries, the company helps them to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, operate efficiently and achieve sustainability goals.

“Our focus on building diverse teams isn’t new,” says Chandan Kler, human resources director, Ecolab Canada. “It reflects our longstanding values of working

32 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Ecolab employees participating in ‘Movember’ to raise awareness for men’s health.

Our focus on building diverse teams isn’t new. It reflects our longstanding values of working together with diverse perspectives to challenge ourselves, reach our goals and do what’s right.

— Chandan Kler Human Resources Director

 Ecolab employees celebrating its 100 year anniversary.

number of people participating in these courses is on the rise.

And employees are supported to develop in other ways, both internal and external. A few years ago, Loubieh asked to take a two-week Six Sigma course to advance his work and career. Ecolab sent him

to take the program.

“Now I manage a team and when someone asks for development, I have an opportunity to support them,” says Loubieh.

Loubieh was promoted to senior manager within a year of working with Ecolab Canada. “I was able to

build a strong marketing team in a short time,” he says. “When your performance is good, you are recognized and promoted, no matter where you are in the organization.”

Kler has found working with Ecolab to be an amazing experience with opportunities to meet,

Diversity programs for women

Interview bias training for managers

Allyship in action training

Monthly scorecards to track diversity progress

be mentored by and share practices with people across the globe.

Loubieh agrees. “At Ecolab, I’ve had mentors and I’ve mentored. It’s in the company DNA that leaders expect and welcome employees to reach out. They have an open door.” 

33 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Small steps have a big cultural impact at Emera

Long before Carol Dayment became director of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) at Emera, she worked for a public utility in Ontario as a front-line worker.

“One day,” she says, “someone asked me what it feels like for me to take a job from his son.”

environment was becoming more equitable.

“Since then,” she adds, “there’s been mind-blowing growth in DEI awareness. We’re putting the company out there as a safe space to come to work.”

The changes have been deliberate and tailored to the diverse cultures among Emera’s 2,600 Canadian employees.

“This is a large organization spanning multiple provinces and countries,” says Dayment. “Every operating company within the business has its own workplace

culture, from crews in power plants to employees in our corporate finance division.” And each company has its own strategy for incorporating Emera’s DEI culture.

The secret, she says, is to start where people are and to create a safe space where people feel supported to tell their stories.

It’s important to explain to people the nature and objectives of the company’s DEI initiatives, Dayment says. “Humanize the topic. It can make people feel slightly uncomfortable, but it’s important to get their attention

and to get them to participate, then keep adding to what people are learning.”

In 2020, Upshaw observed the impact that the death of George Floyd at the hands of police had on employees of Nova Scotia Power, and especially on people of colour.

“His murder weighed heavy on a lot of folks’ hearts,” she says. “Some of my co-workers had a hard time focusing on their work.”

When an employee composed an email message on the topic, it circulated to the attention of Dayment and the leadership group

Jessica

Similar experiences of others inspired her to do all she can to promote diversity, equity and inclusion at Emera and its subsidiaries. And her work, combined with a company commitment to advance DEI within its culture, is driving results.

“When I first joined the company, there seemed to be nothing really happening regarding DEI,” says Jessica Upshaw, senior solicitor at Emera subsidiary Nova Scotia Power, who spent four years in private practice before answering a job posting to join the utility. “I’m Black and female. You know when you’re the only one in the room.”

A year later, after returning to work from maternity leave, Upshaw noticed some remarkable differences. “It was a more welcoming workplace,” she says. “A DEI network was forming, and the

34 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Emera and Nova Scotia Power employees proudly marked Indigenous People’s Day with a smudging ceremony.

There’s been mindblowing growth in DEI awareness. We’re putting the company out there as a safe space to come to work.

—

Upshaw Senior Solicitor

at Nova Scotia Power, who invited the employee and Upshaw to participate in a panel discussion on the impact of Floyd’s death on the day-to-day lives of Black employees living in Nova Scotia.

“It was raw, and it was real,” says Dayment.

Not only did the panel conversation win a corporate award for prioritizing DEI at Nova Scotia Power, it also mobilized the organization’s leadership to support psychological safety in the workplace. “Our leaders listened,” says Upshaw.

Emera issued a public statement, as well. “We’re focused on growing our diversity and fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging,” it said. “As part of this ongoing process, we know it’s crucial to acknowledge that there are systemic issues that create employment barriers.”

Engaged employee resource groups, with senior leader commitment

Themed multiyear DE&I strategy, with annual action plans

Adopted the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion benchmarks

Launched a DE&I Community Investment Fund in 2021

The statement, Upshaw says, “lifted a weight off my shoulders and I believe made a difference to minority communities in our province.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am to be employed by a company that takes a stand on these issues.” 

35 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Emera employees shared stories about Diwali traditions and taught their colleagues how to create rangolis, colorful patterns made with powder or sand.

Committed to fostering a culture of belonging emera.com/careers

Enbridge puts employee inclusion ideas into action

Conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion can require bravery. But when the going gets tough, Joeti Lall knows she can discuss any issue that arises with her colleagues in a safe, honest place created by Enbridge Inc.

“Enbridge has created a space to have difficult conversations and we’re encouraged to talk about our lived experience or the lived experience of our team members,” says Lall, senior program development advisor.

communities across Canada and North America. The company sees that as a strength and has incorporated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into its corporate marrow.

“We look at how inclusion fits within all our operating practices, from benefits and compensation to our business practices and how we engage externally,” says Melissa Moye, chief human resources and inclusion officer.

“It’s part of our decision-making process, so we create a culture where everyone can bring their authentic selves and their best ideas to work – that’s what contributes to a successful business.”

Foundational to Enbridge’s

ongoing commitment to diversity are its DEI Sponsorship Council, composed of executive leaders across the company; DEI Advisory Network, providing policy and program guidance; and its employee resource groups (ERGs), giving peer support, mentoring and leadership development. They create many safe spaces for employees to tackle conversations about what inclusion looks like and how the company can build a strong sense of trust and belonging.

ERG feedback is critical to improving and sustaining Enbridge’s corporate DEI practices. Some companies develop diversity codes, but don’t follow up. Enbridge has built a suite of mechanisms to

ensure the words on paper are put into action.

Enbridge keeps track of its DEI progress via its interactive diversity dashboard. The company has set ambitious goals. The board of directors membership includes 36 per cent women with the goal of 40 per cent by 2025. Other goals include increasing overall employee representation of women to 40 per cent and under-represented ethnic and racial groups, including Indigenous Peoples, to 28 per cent by 2025. The company exceeded its 2022 goal of having 30 per cent women in manager and above positions.

The company also reaches out externally to add depth and

“Because inclusion is one of our values, there’s a level of trust that makes the conversation very natural. This creates an environment to learn and grow.”

Headquartered in Calgary, Enbridge is a leading North American energy delivery company. Its 7,000-plus Canadian employees are part of a network that moves about 30 per cent of the continent’s crude oil production and transports nearly 20 per cent of the natural gas consumed in the United States. The company was also an early investor in renewable energy.

Enbridge employees are diverse and serve equally varied

36 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Enbridge has created a safe space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees to share, learn and grow together.

Employees

know

they

can talk about

important

diversity and inclusion issues

and

feel they’re valued and heard.

— Melissa Moye Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer

 Enbridge employees strengthen their communities through volunteer efforts.

strength to its DEI initiatives. It works with community partners to hire and support people with disabilities, recent immigrants and persons from a wide range of under-represented groups. Enbridge hosts an annual Women in Energy leadership conference

and participates in other initiatives to address gender bias.

Regular communication between employees and management is key to keeping the ever-evolving diversity culture current.

“Our strategy is how to turn the great ideas we hear from our

workforce on diversity and inclusion into tangible actions,” says Moye. “Employees know they can talk about important diversity and inclusion issues and feel they’re valued and heard.”

Enbridge has set a perpetual diversity machine in motion, one

Inclusion programs for a wide variety of communities and identities

where there’s no end-goal in sight. That’s just fine with Lall.

“While there are tangible goals, it’s always an ongoing conversation. It’s not something that will ever be done – there is no done,” she says. “It’s continuously evolving as we grow.” 

37 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Annual Women in Energy leadership conference Men Advocating Real Change (MARC), by Catalyst –workshops and dialogue FEMINEN employee resource group mentors Indigenous students

At EY Canada, employees excel by being themselves

Dionne Allison came to Canada from Jamaica with the credentials she needed to work in the financial sector and the confidence she needed to get hired by EY Canada. Working for the Jamaican division of a Canadian financial institution, she’d gained experience in corporate lending, investment banking, commercial credit and commercial real estate underwriting.

an infrastructure advisory associate.

“They hired me at the manager level,” she says. “EY recognized that I was passionate, determined and smart and that I could leverage my skill sets. They took a chance on me and supported me.”

One of her first projects was a highway in Nova Scotia. The provincial government wanted to build the highway under a consortium of public and private partners, and Allison played an integral role in developing the procurement

documents for the project.

“A lot was new to me,” she continues. “I went through a big learning curve.”

Though, within the company, Allison says, she has always felt free to be herself. “The senior people around me are confident in my skills, and that gives me confidence. I’m bringing experience, talent, knowledge and credentials to the table. People value me for that.”

Since she joined the company five years ago, Allison has advanced

from her initial position to become a vice president and an infrastructure project finance and delivery professional. She has also served as leader of EY Canada’s Black Professionals Network, one of eight diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) networks at the company.

As EY Canada’s diversity, equity and inclusion leader, Muriam De Angelis is involved with all of EY Canada's professional networks, from AccessAbilities, Indigenous, Latino and Pan Asian

But even with her experience, as well as an MBA degree, she decided to go back to school in Toronto to learn more about public-private partnership arrangements.

“I had confidence that I’d do well,” she says, “but I wanted to demonstrate to others that I had the right credentials.”

Enrolling in a post-MBA program in advanced management, real estate and infrastructure at the Schulich School of Business at York University, Allison was introduced to a guest lecturer involved in infrastructure development at EY Canada.

“Fortunately, the company was hiring at the time,” she says.

Before she began her final semester, the company hired Allison as

38 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 EY employees rally at the Toronto Pride event in support for greater diversity, equity and inclusion.

EY recognized that I was passionate, determined and smart and that I could leverage my skill sets.

They took a chance on me and supported me.

— Dionne Allison

Vice President

Diversity-focused community partnerships

 EY is committed to their focus towards an inclusive and engaging work environment for all team members.

to Professional Women’s, Today’s Families and Unity (2SLGBTQ+) networks.

De Angelis began her career at EY Canada 18 years ago as a consultant and moved, after nine years, into the area of talent management. After obtaining her human

resources certification and other credentials, De Angelis then moved into the area of DEI, when she started leading programs for minorities at EY Canada. Since then, she has obtained her anti-racism certificate from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion,

another certificate in Indigenous culture and a third in psychological health and safety.

“My role has been in place for 20 years,” she says. “We need this role to keep leaders accountable.”

With that in mind, EY Canada Chair and CEO Jad Shimaly also

holds the title of chief inclusiveness officer, emphasizing that the organization’s leadership holds itself accountable for DEI.

De Angelis adds, “Through collective action, dialogue and education, we're working to maintain a culture of belonging for all.”

39 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Belonging doesn’t happen by chance. It’s a feeling we create together.

YouBelong



Retention and development initiatives Senior executive who oversees diversity initiatives Formal diversity strategy

Hatch’s commitment extends well beyond gender

When Laura Mariani came to Hatch Ltd. as a steelmaking specialist in early 2020, she was pleased to join its Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) committee. “I was inspired by my previous experiences as a woman engineer in heavy industry,” she recalls. “There are many women in chemical and environmental engineering, but when I worked in a steel mill, I was definitely the only one. I know how that can be uncomfortable and take a lot of energy to deal with.”

winners of the company’s Positive Change Awards in 2022 – has worked hard to shape that culture.

“From the start, I’ve advocated to senior colleagues that we could do better in getting women into the company,” says Sarvinis, “and over the years we have been successful in hiring, mentoring and sponsoring them.”

Hatch’s commitment to diversity extends well beyond gender, Sarvinis says, pointing to senior executives marching in Pride parades to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, and the company’s efforts to keep in touch with the recipients of its

Indigenous scholarships.

Then there’s what Sarvinis calls diverse and inclusive design. “One of the things we do is consider how our designs work for different kinds of people. An example is control rooms where operators have a bunch of computer screens which can flash alarms that typically flash in red and green,” he says. “Now that we know that eight per cent of the population is colour blind, and that some flashing colours might not register, we design differently.”

During Black History Month in February 2022, Mariani’s committee focused on Black colleagues, raising awareness of

micro-aggressions and unconscious bias, and more recently turned its attention to neurodiversity. “For any particular issue, there are two parts – supporting the people from a particular group and providing resources for co-workers to understand how we can all work best together,” she says.

“For neurodiversity, we brought in an autism consultant who spoke about his experiences, what co-workers should be aware of, and some very simple accommodations,” Mariani continues. “Our work is really about ensuring we have an environment where everybody feels comfortable to

— Jim Sarvinis Managing Director,

The situation at Hatch was different, though, says Mariani, because the attitude at the global engineering and professional services company was different. “There are many women engineers at Hatch, and we don’t have to deal with isolation or an occasionally negative atmosphere. D&I has been a very welcoming committee at a very welcoming company. You don’t feel like you’re pushing against the tide here.”

Through his 27 years at Hatch, Jim Sarvinis, managing director, power – and one of the inaugural

40 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Hatch employees celebrating at the 2022 Toronto Pride Parade.

We need the best and brightest minds for the problems we aim to solve, and when you have a diverse team, you get better output, better ideas and more creativity.

Power

Unconscious bias training for leaders

Internal awards for diversity & inclusion

Diverse and inclusive design program

 Hatch focused on the theme of breaking unconscious bias for International Women′s Day last year.

just be their best selves, where everybody can give 100 per cent.”

Maintaining a culture that attracts and retains the best is a core necessity for Hatch, which could accurately describe itself as a climate-change mitigation company, according to Sarvinis.

“We need the best and brightest minds for the problems we aim to solve, and when you have a diverse team, you get better output, better ideas and more creativity.”

Mariani, whose work in Hatch’s Iron and Steel group helps clients find pathways to greener

steelmaking, concurs. “I’ve worked at different organizations – some more progressive, some more stuck in the past – and I’m really not interested in working for a company that doesn’t treat people well or where I don’t feel the work is important,” she says.

“But I am very happy working at Hatch, where both are true. The company attracts smart, interesting people who could go anywhere, but choose to come here, and I really feel we’re in a position to make a positive contribution towards the climate crisis.” 

41 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Internship program for Indigenous youth

At IGM, diversity practices are constantly evolving

For Shada Sagher, interviewing with IGM Financial Inc. was a welcome change from several of her previous job-hunting experiences. She says that even though she was born and raised in Winnipeg and graduated top of her class with an honours degree in English, some organizations challenged both her citizenship and language proficiency.

Sagher is also chair of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Business Resource Group (BRG) for all IGM companies, including IG Wealth Management, Mackenzie Investments, and Investment Planning Counsel. It’s one of seven BRGs that are playing a key role in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), a strategic priority for IGM.

Indeed, the organization has a comprehensive range of policies, practices and approaches related to the IGM workplace, starting with the executive suite, that reach out to a variety of community partners, vendors and suppliers.

Still, with her investigator’s eye for telling detail, Sagher points to a seemingly modest measure as emblematic of how IGM is honouring its commitment to DEI.

“The company has set up a system so that you can record your name and the pronunciation,” she says. “Small things really do make a difference. The recording deals with what can be a tricky situation in a way that lets everyone feel included, respected and valued.”

Chief Human Resources Officer

Cynthia Currie says IGM’s goal is to be a leading voice for advancing DEI across the financial services industry by creating an inclusive

culture where difference is embraced and leveraged. The world is constantly changing, she says, and IGM’s DEI principles and practices are continually evolving as well.

Recording one’s name is a case in point. It, along with other initiatives such as employees indicating their pronouns in their emails, enable people to self-identify in ways that are meaningful to them, Currie says.

“As we continue to build our inclusive leadership capabilities, we’re better positioned to embrace and leverage people’s differences. When you’re problem-solving, valuing

“I haven’t run into anything like that here,” says Sagher, who joined Winnipeg-based IGM in 2019. “My identity is not a barrier.” What’s also not a barrier is the fact that she doesn’t have the background typically called for in the financial services sector. Instead, she says, IGM’s leaders worked with her on a development plan so she could meet industry requirements within a suitable time frame. This included funding for her to take the Canadian Securities Course.

She is now an investigator in the compliance department at IGM, one of Canada’s leading wealth and asset management companies. She and her team are part of an internal audit process that ensures financial services provided to clients are in compliance with the relevant regulations and regulatory obligations.

42 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023



IGM Financial employees speaking at the ‘Party with a Purpose’ event.

When you’re problemsolving, valuing different viewpoints contributes to a much better answer.

— Cynthia Currie Chief Human Resources Officer

 In 2022, IGM Financial was a

different viewpoints contributes to a much better answer.”

IGM stays well-informed about employees’ wants and needs and it’s clear that they’re embracing such developments. Currie says its data shows that people feel that they belong and are highly engaged in

their work. “One person wrote, ‘it made me feel better that the organization recognizes me as an individual,’” Currie says.

The BRGs also represent an evolution of earlier affinity groups where members primarily supported and mentored one another. As

the BRGs’ charter indicates, their activities are more closely aligned to IGM’s business strategy, says Currie.

That point was brought home, she adds, at a recent board meeting, where the board met with employees who are key to top initiatives

Diversity programs for LGBTQ+ and visible minorities

Diversity-focused community partnerships

Diversity training and education

Diversity retention and development programs

within the company. As part of this, IGM set up a diversity table where the board of directors engaged directly with volunteers from the different BRGs.

“It elevated employees’ confidence that what we’re doing goes right to the top,” says Currie. 

43 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

donor for the Bill 7 Award, a scholarship for LGBTQ students.

KPMG empowers employees to come as they are

As senior manager of Indigenous enablement & recruitment for KPMG in Canada, Jade Psutka is doing work that is deeply meaningful to her –bringing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives to the core of corporate Canada. In the process, she’s breaking down barriers and working with others to move towards more inclusive recruitment and retention processes.

the top with an executive ID&E council comprising over 25 leaders from across Canada. Co-chaired by CEO Elio Luongo, the council is responsible for designing and delivering regional and national ID&E priorities. In addition to setting tangible goals, KPMG holds itself accountable by reporting its progress publicly.

There are also more than 30 ‘People Networks’ that support and celebrate diverse communities. In addition to providing a sense of belonging, the networks are important collaborators in advancing KPMG’s ID&E strategy.

That strategy applies to more

than the obvious practices like hiring, training and leadership development. Wellness benefits that now cover smudging materials and travel costs to attend ceremonies also help send the message that everyone belongs, Psutka says.

Wayne Yeung, global health executive at KPMG, also credits KPMG’s inclusive approach to benefits for helping many employees feel that they can bring their whole self to work. He adds that parental leave policies cover people of all genders which reassures everyone that their own unique identity is valued.

In fact, Yeung, who identifies

as East Asian, saw signs that he would thrive even before he joined the firm in Toronto in 2019 as an analyst in the quality and risk management office in Toronto.

“There is a lot of diversity at KPMG,” Yeung says. “I could see myself and I could see that I’d have opportunities for career development too. Representation matters.”

Now others can look to Yeung for motivation and inspiration. In October 2022, he became a global health executive for the Global Healthcare team, spanning advisory, tax and audit services. He is one of only three KPMG employees worldwide to hold the

Psutka, who is both Polish and Haudenosaunee from Oneida Nation of the Thames, says she has always been passionate about inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E). The fact that KPMG’s commitment to ID&E is both long-standing and constantly evolving is what drew her to join the full-service audit, tax and advisory firm in 2021, she says.

“In the talent attraction practice, ID&E isn’t a separate function,” says Psutka, who works remotely from Gatineau, Que. “It is embedded into everything we do.”

In fact, this sentiment applies to the entire firm, which has a wide array of initiatives supporting ID&E. From multi-year action plans to anti-racism training to targeted supports for newcomers to Canada, the shared goal is to reflect the clients and communities KPMG serves.

This commitment stems from

44 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Jade Psutka, senior manager of Indigenous enablement & recruitment, works with Indigenous communities to bring unique perspectives to KPMG.

Our people are very passionate about driving change.

— Wayne Yeung Global Health Executive

title; there is one each representing the European and Asia Pacific regions.

Yeung, an active volunteer in the community, is also co-lead for the East Asian Network and sits on the Leaders of Tomorrow Circle, an advisory committee chaired by

Luongo. When the issues and concerns of different People Networks intersect, they often collaborate on projects.

But whether Yeung’s forming an allyship with members of the Mental Health Network or the Disability Inclusion Network, he

Come as you are with your career at KPMG in Canada home.kpmg/ca

$500 Indigenous wellness benefit

Mentoring programs for Black Senior Managers

$10,000 lifetime gender affirmation benefit

says one thing remains constant. “Our people are very passionate about driving change.”

Psutka, who is co-lead for the Indigenous People’s Network, shares that goal. And in her case, it’s also part of her job description that she helped create KPMG in

Daily living benefit for employees with disabilities

Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Action Plan.

“The plan is designed to engage the entire firm,” she says. “Working together with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities means we can acknowledge the truth and build a path forward.”

45 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Wayne Yeung, global health executive (centre), at a panel discussion for the ‘East Asian Peoples Network’ at KPMG.



Manitoba Hydro tackles systemic barriers to careers

Carole Kouessi started with a four-month co-op placement at Manitoba Hydro that has turned into a 13-year career with the Manitoba’s provincial utility. When Kouessi moved from France to Manitoba in 2007, the professional engineer joined the University of Manitoba’s Internationally-Educated Engineers Qualification (IEEQ) program to qualify her to work in Canada.

work-life balance.

“There are a lot of opportunities to grow and to learn,” she says. “If you do the same job for a long time, at some point it may become routine. So I really like that Manitoba Hydro has diverse areas and specialties and provides opportunities to move across departments.”

Manitoba Hydro has long offered co-op placements for engineers from the IEEQ program, which Lisa Leochko, manager of talent acquisition and diversity, equity and inclusion, says is part of the utility’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in its workforce.

“We want to have a workforce that’s representative of the population we serve so we can best understand and meet the needs of our customers,” Leochko says.

The company has also run pre-placement trades training programs for Indigenous Peoples for over 15 years, and for women since 2020. These pre-placement programs provide paid academic upgrading and on-the-job guidance and experience, which prepare participants to apply for Manitoba Hydro’s trades training programs for power electricians, mechanical technicians and power line technicians.

The programs came from a desire to increase the company’s workforce diversity, and from finding that the education and experience requirements were a common barrier for both groups, Leochko says. Today, 20 per cent of Manitoba Hydro’s employees are Indigenous, and the pre-placement program has played an important role in getting the organization to that point.

“After these programs, people are in a much better place to apply for the trades training programs and have seen greater success,” she says. “It’s about being fair and addressing systemic barriers to put people

— Lisa

A partnership between the university and the province’s engineering regulatory body, the program assesses internationally trained engineers and helps them work toward being certified in the country. As part of her time in the program, Kouessi had to complete a co-op placement, and did hers with Manitoba Hydro.

After the co-op, she was hired into the company’s internal twoyear rotational career development program, and then hired on full time. Now working as a maintenance engineer, Kouessi says she’s stayed at the company for over a decade because of its safety-focused culture, work assignments, internal mobility and commitment to

46 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Manitoba Hydro offers training on gender-inclusive terminology and gender inclusivity.

It’s about being fair and addressing systemic barriers to put people on a more equal playing field.

Leochko Manager of

Talent Acquisition and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity programs for Indigenous Peoples

Pre-placement programs to help women develop trades-related experience

Training on gender-inclusive terminology and gender inclusivity

9.8% of the workforce has self-declared that they are immigrants

on a more equal playing field.”

Boosting diversity is an important first step, but Leochko says the company’s work hasn’t stopped there. “We’re focused on building a culture of inclusion – not just bringing in a diverse workforce, but ensuring that everyone feels valued,

respected and included.”

Part of its inclusion work was introducing education and training around gender-inclusive language and gender inclusivity more broadly. The educational resources cover gender identity, gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive language.

Leochko says she’s seen indications that the company’s efforts are having their intended effect. Not long ago she received an email from a construction director with his pronouns included in his signature. That gesture has only grown throughout the company.

Over her time at the company, Kouessi, too, has seen changes. “Across many levels, there’s more diversity. It reflects what the Canadian culture is,” she says. “I can see there’s improvement on that, and that it is something where we just have to keep working.” 

47 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

www.hydro.mb.ca | Available in accessible formats upon request INCLUSION & FAIRNESS RESPECTFUL WORKFORCE DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING ENGAGEMENT & EMPOWERMENT EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

TO BE ONE OF CANADA'S BEST DIVERSITY

 Field employees from the 'Power Line Technician' program at Manitoba Hydro.

PROUD

EMPLOYERS

Manulife ingrains diversity into its business fabric

When Michelle Joy Rafat was looking to make her next career move, Manulife’s commitment to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into every facet of its business, and the enthusiasm from the executive-level, struck a chord.

to education and training programs beyond the company’s mandatory unconscious bias training, such as regular listening forums and allyship training.

Manulife has also made function and segment leaders accountable for meeting diversity objectives and for consulting the DEI team on everything from client communications and product and service offerings to employee onboarding and the company engagement programs.

“DEI is ingrained in the DNA here,” Rafat says. “We’re at the

table and part of key discussions, which really makes it a team effort in terms of building belonging and inclusion.”

A central focus has been taking a diversity lens to hiring and talent development. Rafat says her team has been working on projects to take more unconventional approaches to reach talent from under-represented groups, build educational resources for staff and update and revise its employee training.

“We live in a society of systemic racism and discrimination that

impacts our colleagues internally, and that matters to us,” she says. "So we will pivot and make those adjustments as needed to address some of those topics.”

Amanda Ganie, a manager of communications who oversees the company’s DEI messaging, says she feels a “sense of pride” to see the company make tangible progress on its goals.

“We talk about living by our mission to make lives better and I believe we do that and ensure colleagues, customers and stakeholders feel respected and

“I know what it means to be working in environments that don’t appreciate who I am,” says Rafat, who joined the company in late 2021 and is now its director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Canada. “Here you can feel the authenticity of the conversation and the interest in making the company an inclusive and safe place. Not every organization is going to be at 100 per cent, but it’s pretty darn close here.”

The Toronto-based insurance giant is in the midst of a five-year commitment to promoting DEI in its workforce and communities. The pledge includes boosting minority representation in leadership positions by 30 per cent by 2025 and having at least 25 per cent of its graduate program hires be from a minority group. It also committed

48 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Employee resource groups help plan programming and learning opportunities to build inclusion at Manulife.

Here you can feel the authenticity of the conversation and the interest in making the company a safe place.

— Michelle Joy Rafat Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Canada

Inclusive language learning as part of annual training

Mandatory Inclusion Starts with You training

Observances, events and programming to create an inclusive workplace

connected to each other,” she says. While Rafat’s team is making high-level changes, the company has asked its 13 employee resource groups (ERGs) – including VIBE, a group for Black employees, and Proud, a group for LGBTQ+ staff – for insights and to build

inclusion and belonging through events for employees.

“ERGs have considerable impact through their programs and they’re completely run by colleagues at Manulife,” says Ganie, who was a former lead of Manulife’s ‘GenerationNEXT’ ERG and

also promotes ERG events and initiatives as part of her role. “They provide a space and a community for people who are looking for connection and a deeper sense of belonging. They’re really quite inspiring and unique.”

ERGs have helped with planned

program

programming during Black History Month, International Women’s Day and Lunar New Year, among other events. “We always make sure we have programming and intentional learnings so our colleagues feel like they’re being heard and they belong,” Rafat says. 

49 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Manulife has pledged to boost minority representation in leadership positions by 30 per cent by 2025. Diversity supplier

McMaster University is committed to equity everywhere

Not long before the pandemic hit, a delegation from McMaster University visited what was then the Immigrant Women’s Centre in Hamilton, Ont., to encourage new arrivals in Canada to consider the university as a place to find a job.

equity at the university, says building community partnerships with what is now the Immigrants Working Centre, for example, has resulted in many new hires at the university and regular partnership opportunities with this community. McMaster has also partnered with Indigenous Link, Pride at Work Canada and other organizations to share job listings, with more to come.

The result is an increasingly broad-based workforce. “When I came here in 2021, there was much more diversity than I was imagining,” says Saher Fazilat, vice-president, operations and finance, whose responsibilities include human resources. She says

she was attracted to the job because the university’s new strategic plan emphasized equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all areas of operation.

“Being an immigrant myself, EDI is a very close-to-heart topic to me,” says the India-born former civil engineer. “Of the five pillars in the strategic plan, three very deeply touch EDI, including inclusive excellence; operational excellence; and engaging local, national, Indigenous and global communities.”

She notes that in one of her areas, finance, over 60 per cent of McMaster employees are female.

“Finance used to be a very male-driven environment, and

often still is,” she says. Moreover, she adds, “if you look at my assistant vice-presidents, all of them are women – the chief technology officer, the chief facilities officer, the chief financial officer and the chief human resources officer.”

Garaffa’s role involves advancing initiatives in employment equity so it is part of McMaster culture.

“Diverse, equitable and inclusive practice is critical in everything we do, whether it’s our programming, our policies and our procedures,” she says.

That includes a deep commitment to fairness in hiring practices. “We are working to ensure that the interview process is a great employee experience,” says Garaffa.

“McMaster is a major top employer in the Hamilton/Niagara region that includes various career paths, from professors to IT to landscaping,” says Melanie Garaffa, associate director, talent, equity and development. “It is our responsibility to help students, new immigrants and our external communities know about opportunities here and understand the process of applying for positions.”

That kind of granular outreach is emblematic of McMaster’s commitment to diversifying its workforce and embedding equity in everything it does. Garaffa, whose portfolio includes employment

50 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Saher Fazilat, vice-president, operations and finance, at McMaster University.

It is critical that we have diverse perspectives at the table. When diversity is embraced, different perspectives are heard, included, and become part of our solutions.

— Melanie Garaffa Associate Director, Talent, Equity and Development

Diversity programs for LGBTQ+ and disabilities

That can include ensuring diversity on the interview panel, providing interview questions in advance, making accommodations for disabilities and ensuring transparency throughout. Moreover, “we encourage interviews to include both job-specific and

institutional-specific questions to reinforce our university priorities and commitments, so we do ask candidates about how they would advance inclusive excellence.”

The university has also set up a network of more than 300 trained employment equity facilitators

operating across the campus, who consult on recruitment practices and point out ways to enhance the process using an equitable, diverse and inclusive lens.

It’s another example of how McMaster continues to build capacity and collaborate, notes

Garaffa. “I’ve never been part of an organization that is so collaborative,” she says. “It is critical that we have diverse perspectives at the table. When diversity is embraced, different perspectives are heard, included, and become part of our solutions.” 

51 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Madeleine Agboton Neville, custodian for facility services, at McMaster University. Anti-racism and allyship training series Employment equity facilitator program Employee accessibility network

Building bridges and aiming high at Niagara Health

As one of Ontario’s largest hospital organizations, Niagara Health has made diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) a priority, pledging to ensure that everyone who walks through its doors feels safe, valued and cared for.

leadership and physicians, as well as inclusive recruitment training, explains Guerriero.

“I think one of the things you have to learn through experience is that having a diverse workforce is a highly valuable asset,” she says. “Diversity of thought and upbringing, diversity in value systems and life experiences bring a richness and increased value to the team.”

Niagara Health has also worked with Toronto Metropolitan University to establish a demographic baseline, understand experiences and review and revise

policies and programs based on best practices.

“We’ve enhanced a lot of our policies and programs to advance diversity and inclusion,” says Guerriero. “Each year, we review all of our policies and our continuing education programs with respect to diversity.”

As part of next steps, Niagara Health plans to launch a mentorship program for staff.

“Part of the program will be designed specifically for equitydeserving groups. We will highlight the individuals that demonstrate

leadership qualities and ensure that they have the tools and supports in place to be successful,” says Guerriero.

As the DEI specialist at Niagara Health, Zainab Awad is focused on supporting the organization’s vision as it relates to its team members’ experiences.

“Building bridges means being intentional about creating opportunities for people,” says Awad.

“It is extremely important to feel that you fit in and have potential to succeed at work. This truly has an impact on a person’s sense of

Niagara Health’s more than 7,300 staff, physicians and volunteers support a full-range of acute-care hospital services for 450,000 residents across multiple sites in the Niagara region. President and CEO Lynn Guerriero says she has forged ahead to build bridges despite a plethora of COVID-19 challenges. “Through the stress and strain on our health-care system as a result of the pandemic, we have continued to focus on this important work and have made great progress in a number of areas,” says Guerriero. Key measures include accepting the federal government’s 50/30 Challenge, with 50 per cent of the leadership team or board of directors being female and 30 per cent from an equity-deserving group. There have also been various DEI processes implemented to reach members of all communities, including an inclusive recruitment process, diverse interview panels for

52 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Zainab Awad, diversity, equity and inclusion specialist, at Niagara Health.

Building bridges means being intentional about creating opportunities for people.

— Zainab Awad Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist

 Niagara Health staff learn about Indigenous experiences, traditions and teachings during ‘Indigenous Inclusion Month.’

belonging, accomplishment and identity.”

Awad stresses that the entire organization, from the board to the senior leadership and management teams, is on side with this focus on diversity.

“The support from every level of

the organization and from our DEI committee has been absolutely instrumental in the success in establishing our DEI profile,” she says.

Shining a light on the staff, physicians and volunteers who make a difference in the lives of

patients and colleagues every day, Niagara Health is also sharing a series of stories called, ‘We are Niagara Health.’

“These stories have been a powerful tool to build inclusion because they allow us to understand others’ perspectives and how they impact

Acknowledges 32 DEI-related dates throughout the year

Inclusive recruitment outreach and initiatives

Organizationwide DEI training and education plan

Activities related to Black History Month, Truth and Reconciliation, Pride Month and more

day-to-day experiences,” says Awad. “Empowering our team members as they build career bridges is what I love about the work I am doing,” she says. “It starts with building a true understanding of the challenges people face and the support they need to overcome them.” 

53 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Diversity creates opportunity at Nutrien

One week after writing her final exam as an environmental engineering student at the University of Saskatchewan, Lyndsay Stobbs accepted a position with Saskatoon-based Nutrien through the company’s Indigenous internship program.

Canada, the U.S., Latin America and Australia.

The company has developed a comprehensive strategic inclusion strategy. “On the enterprise level, inclusion is one of our company’s core values, along with safety, integrity and results,” says Candace Laing, senior vice-president and chief human resources officer.

“Those values are embedded in everything we do. It’s how we do business.”

One of the core components of the inclusion strategy is a focus on Indigenous relations. That includes an Indigenous awareness program aimed at educating the workforce on the shared history of Canada, as well as an Indigenous

internship program.

The company hires Indigenous interns out of colleges and universities and some remain in the program for up to 16 months. “The program fosters a sense of community through the engagement of previous interns,” says Laing. “They serve as mentors for personal and professional development. We have a really good success rate when it comes to retaining our interns as permanent employees.”

Nutrien’s Indigenous relations strategy includes partnering with Indigenous communities and institutions based on shared values and mutual respect. “We look for opportunities across our entire value chain to have an impact,”

Laing says. “One of the ways we create value is by supporting our supplier network in diversifying their workforce and sharing opportunities.”

She adds that the company has recently made a critical link between inclusion and safety. “We need employees to be assessing hazards on their own because they really value safety,” Laing says. “But if they don’t feel included or they don’t belong, those are huge barriers that can actually make them hesitant to take the initiative when they see something that’s not quite right.”

The company also promotes inclusion through its employee resource groups. There are groups

That was in the spring of 2016 and, since then, she has cycled through several positions, each with increased scope and responsibility. “Anytime I ask if I’m able to pursue an opportunity, my leaders have supported me,” says Stobbs, who is currently senior project coordinator at the company’s Rocanville potash mine in southeastern Saskatchewan. “I’ve worked with so many teams that it’s really helped with my professional development.”

Nutrien is the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, producing potash from six mines in Saskatchewan. It also produces nitrogen from refineries in Alberta and phosphates from mines in the U.S. – all of which are essential components of fertilizers.

As well, the company serves over half a million growers and producers directly through its network of 2,000 retail outlets in

54 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 WiNTER, an employee resource group at Nutrien, helps support and promote women in technical or non-traditional roles.

On the

enterprise

level,

inclusion is one of our company’s core values, along with safety, integrity and results.

— Candace Laing

Senior Vice-President & Chief Human Resources Officer

Diversity programs for Indigenous Peoples

 The Indigenous relations strategy at Nutrien includes partnering with Indigenous communities and institutions based on shared values and respect.

for veterans, people with disabilities and other communities. WiNTER, an acronym for women in non-traditional environments and roles, is for women employees in the potash, nitrogen and phosphate sectors.

Stobbs initially joined WiNTER

as a member before becoming site representative for women working in surface operations, as opposed to underground, at the mine in Rocanville. “We provide the voice and perspective of women at the sites,” she says. “We bring forward ideas to improve inclusiveness

and make sure that barriers are removed.”

Last year, she took over as chair of the group for the entire province. Site reps gather every six weeks at the head office in Saskatoon to meet with the senior vice-president and other leaders. Together, they

work through ideas to improve inclusiveness and remove barriers.

“There’s a lot of potential for women and other underrepresented groups to break into the industry,” she says. “A diverse workforce is a big benefit to the company.” 

55 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

Nutrien Academy development program for women Procurement diversity and inclusion procedure Indigenous awareness training

OPG aims to be a global leader in diversity practices

For Juliet Ajambo-Doherty, a technical engineer/officer with Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG), promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) in the workplace is a matter of basic common sense. “There’s a wealth of research showing that if people feel more welcomed and included, they will thrive and bring their best selves to work,” says Ajambo-Doherty, who works with OPG’s nuclear chemistry department in Pickering, Ont. “For the best of the best to succeed, you need a level playing field. It’s about providing opportunities for everyone.”

it comes to hiring and promotion.

The new strategy builds on steps OPG has already taken to be a leader in an industry where both women and visible minorities have been traditionally under-represented.

In recent years, OPG co-founded the ‘Nuclear Against Racism’ initiative to address racism in the nuclear industry; began working with the BlackNorth Initiative to launch a STEM recruitment platform; and joined 30% Club Canada, which aims to increase female representation across Canadian businesses.

“A growing company like ours needs to attract and retain the best

and smartest people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. To do so, you need to provide candidates with a work culture where they can belong and excel," says Ken Hartwick, president and CEO. “We're starting to see a positive shift and are focused on building a culture where everyone can excel.”

While Hartwick stresses there is much more to be done, he believes the company, which has some 10,000 employees (including about 6,000 in the trades), has already made significant progress.

Female representation across OPG’s workforce now stands at about 24 per cent, less than

three percentage points below the number of qualified women in the marketplace for OPG’s industry and jobs, according to Employment and Social Development Canada. Over half of OPG’s board of directors and executive team are women, including the company’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Another milestone was marked in March 2022, when the first-ever supervisory crew led entirely by women took over the night shift overseeing the safe operation of Pickering’s six nuclear units.

“When it comes to nuclear control room operators, that’s a

That philosophy is also embraced by her employer. One of North America’s largest electricity generation companies, OPG recently launched a 10-year strategy to become a global leader in ED&I best practices by 2030, as measured against the widely recognized Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB).

OPG’s ambitious strategy identifies four areas of focus (foundation, people, connection and community), 15 strategic ED&I priorities and nearly 100 initiatives planned between 2020 and 2030. Cornerstones of the strategy include education, training and proactively identifying and eliminating systemic barriers when

56 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Employees at Ontario Power Generation have access to several employee resources groups, including those for racialized employees.

I’m excited to see this cultural shift going on at OPG.

— Juliet Ajambo-Doherty Technical Engineer/Officer

highly-skilled and exacting role,” says Hartwick. “I think when you see a team all led by women, that’s a powerful signal to others in the organization saying ‘I could do that too.’”

OPG also encourages diversity and inclusion through a number

of employee resource groups, including groups for Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ employees, women and employees with disabilities.

Ajambo-Doherty is a member of several of these groups.

“These groups give employees a

safe space for honest and open conversations,” says Ajambo-Doherty. “We’re also able to bring concerns directly to senior leadership, including providing advice on this new ED&I strategy.”

Ajambo-Doherty is impressed by the support and enthusiasm OPG

leaders have shown for making ED&I a fundamental part of the work culture.

“In the same way you have a safety policy in place, ED&I is a necessity that’s here to stay,” she says. “I’m excited to see this cultural shift going on at OPG.”

57 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

generation Be the generation to power a brighter tomorrow. Explore an exciting career in clean energy jobs.opg.com

 An Ontario Power Generation employee at the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Station.



Formal ED&I strategy Training and awareness initiatives Retention and development programs Employee resource groups

Making sure everyone belongs at the City of Ottawa

After consulting with staff about their experiences of racism in the workplace, the City of Ottawa took the findings to heart and did something. In June 2022, Council approved the City’s first anti-racism strategy – a five-year plan with an important vision: systemic racism and discrimination will no longer be barriers to safety, resources and opportunities.

One aspect of the robust strategy is to help remove bias in the hiring process and advance the representation of Indigenous, Black and other racialized staff in the City’s increasingly diverse workforce.

Jacklyn St. Laurent, a psychotherapist of Haitian descent, joined the City as an anti-racism specialist last year. One of her jobs is to look at existing policies to make sure they’re inclusive, as well as to create learning modules that address racial biases.

“We want to train supervisors and managers so they can help to have those difficult conversations,” says St. Laurent. “It also means looking at workplace violence and

harassment policies and making sure there’s a component dedicated to racism, racial discrimination, racial profiling and all of those elements.”

She is also part of the City’s Black History Month committee. That celebration will not only involve Black history education events but also showcase the accomplishments of African, Black and Caribbean Canadians who enrich the community and the culture.

“Black History Month is not just a month,” St. Laurent says. “I’m Black every day, so it has to go beyond that. We want to make sure we’re working on shifting attitudes

and creating the awareness that we’re Black every day, not just on specific occasions.”

The City’s strategy contains a strong health and wellness component as well, out of recognition that many employees have experienced trauma and need the right supports. Within each existing peer support network, there will be a group dedicated to and trained specifically for Black employees, though all peer support staff will be trained in culturally sensitive intervention, St. Laurent explains.

“The way racialized people explain their issues is different,” she adds. “The way they understand mental health is different, their

— Jacklyn St. Laurent Anti-Racism Specialist

“The organization always had zero tolerance,” says Suzanne Obiorah, director of the Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development Service Area, which is part of the Community and Social Services Department. “The challenge is that barriers, as a result of that systemic racism, are oftentimes deeply entrenched, nuanced and very complex. The strategy allows for an intentional proactive approach to identify and remove barriers to ensure inclusion and full participation of all staff.”

Part of the strategy involves training and various learning opportunities, helping staff at all levels understand anti-racism principles and identify the barriers.

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 Jacklyn St. Laurent, RP, PhD candidate, anti-racism specialist, at City of Ottawa.

We want to make sure we’re working on shifting attitudes and creating the awareness that we’re Black every day, not just on specific occasions.

First antiracism strategy approved in 2022

Increasingly diverse workforce

Fosters equity, inclusion and belonging, and mental health and wellness

Support systems for racialized employees’ wellness and mental health

symptoms are different. There’s not just burnout; there’s racial burnout. So we have to understand those differences.”

In addition, equity, diversity and inclusion champion teams will help facilitate culture shifts in each department. “Individuals from

across various levels of a department will come together not only to talk about their experiences of the workplace but also about the sort of initiatives they want to implement to meet their departmental equity and inclusion commitments,” Obiorah explains.

At the City, the receptivity and commitment to the new strategy are high. “It’s really about wanting to ensure that all staff have these opportunities and a recognition that’s based on the multiple identities that we occupy; there are barriers we need to identify and

remove to achieve that goal,” Obiorah says. “We strive to achieve a thriving workforce, we are concerned about employee wellness, and we are aiming to take a varied approach to ensure that all our staff experience a sense of belonging.”

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The City of Ottawa is proud to be selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. A City for everyone. Visit ottawa.ca/careers

 Suzanne Obiorah, director, gender and race equity, inclusion, Indigenous relations and social development, at City of Ottawa.



RBC applies neuroscience lens to inclusion

As vice president of diversity and inclusion (D&I) at RBC, Christina Cleveland has plenty of resources at hand to help ensure employees feel safe and comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. Lately, she’s been thinking about their brains.

decisions, but isn’t always helpful in the modern world.

“Taking mental shortcuts can result in people incorrectly prejudging situations or relying on biased stereotypes,” Cleveland says. “We need to consciously slow down and expand our thinking. And our brains benefit from ongoing learning to interrupt potential bias.”

One of Canada’s largest employers, RBC has a long-standing commitment to D&I. Gopala Narayanan, senior vice president of enterprise risk management, says diversity and inclusion are foundational to the bank’s success.

“Our D&I culture is an engine for innovation and growth,” he explains. “RBC can play a leadership role in helping to drive change and creating a more prosperous future for everyone.”

Indeed, D&I is more than a value, it is core to RBC’s purpose –to help clients thrive and communities prosper – and a fundamental strength of the organization, Narayanan says.

RBC considers D&I a shared responsibility, so everyone has a part to play, Narayanan says. He and other senior leaders sit on RBC’s Diversity Leadership Council, which provides input and guidance on enterprise-wide strategic priorities and D&I commitments.

Employees are stepping up both individually and collectively. Over 32,000 are engaged in several global employee resource groups (ERGs) centred on common identities, characteristics or interests.

In addition to supporting one another personally and

professionally, ERG members also often act as internal champions to raise awareness and understanding of D&I priorities. “They do outstanding work,” Narayanan says. “It’s humbling, and also rewarding to see that passion.”

The inequities laid bare by the pandemic and worldwide antiracism protests in 2020 highlighted the need for urgent action and the important role organizations can play in drawing attention to the issues.

RBC released a comprehensive ‘Action Plan Against Systemic Racism’ that included mandatory anti-racism training. Learning modules are now available on demand in addition to programs available on an adaptive microlearning platform that enable employees to continue to build

— Christina Cleveland Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion

Or, more precisely, brain science. Cleveland and her global team are incorporating findings from neuroscience into a comprehensive program that RBC has released to employees in 2023 to strengthen inclusion through learning. Moving beyond unconscious bias training, the program focuses on anti-bias concepts to increase understanding and actively interrupt bias.

Cleveland says it’s important people understand that bias is an inherent, if unintentional, part of the human condition. The brain evolved to make quick decisions by using prior knowledge and experiences to inform current thoughts and actions, she explains. That was useful when early humans regularly faced life-and-death

60 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Christina Cleveland, vice president, diversity and inclusion, at RBC

Taking mental short cuts can result in people incorrectly prejudging situations or relying on biased stereotypes. We need to consciously slow down and expand our thinking.

Indigenous

knowledge and awareness. Topics include interrupting bias and how to support inclusive behaviours in meaningful ways.

One key takeaway Cleveland hopes everyone learns is that cancel culture’s shaming and blaming may be counterproductive. “When

we have more conversations about inclusion, we can better understand each other and celebrate what makes us each unique,” she explains. “Cancel culture can leave people feeling fearful of engaging in productive conversations or speaking up at all.”

Ultimately, everyone at RBC is accountable for ensuring all employees continue to experience a safe and inclusive work environment, Cleveland says. “That’s why helping people to become more aware of their thought process and providing them with opportunities

to reflect and learn ways to be intentionally inclusive is important,” she says.

“Our approach is evolving and learning continues to be part of how we’re strengthening inclusive leadership capabilities at all levels of the organization.” 

61 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Gopala Narayanan, senior vice president, enterprise risk management, at RBC. Peoples Development Program Volunteer program with RBC donations to employees’ charities Global diversity and inclusion learning program 52 employee resource groups

SaskTel seeks to provide safe spaces for all employees

Roberta Williams brags to her friends about the opportunities SaskTel gives her to raise awareness about Indigenous issues and to celebrate Indigenous culture.

Williams is president of the SaskTel Aboriginal Employees Network (SAEN), a network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees who act as ambassadors to educate and support employees of the telecom regarding the significance and diversity of Indigenous cultures.

says. “I also appreciate that it has allowed me to get to know people outside of my department and to make connections.”

SAEN programs include a toy and winter clothing drive for students at local schools and a greeting card program, which invites Indigenous students from partner high schools to participate in an annual art contest. A selection of art is chosen and turned into greeting cards that are sold throughout the year with all profits going back to the school’s art programs. For National Indigenous Peoples Day, SAEN partners with several local companies to hold a

celebration with dancers, singers and guest speakers at Victoria Park in Regina.

Beyond SAEN, SaskTel’s Indigenous Business Development team collaborates with communities to improve connectivity and innovation through initiatives like the Connected Community Program. This program provides internet access in community buildings, along with internal and external communication tools, to enhance health, social, education and economic opportunities. SaskTel continues to deliver improved coverage and more service options to First Nations

communities in Saskatchewan. The company recently hired an Indigenous engagement manager to focus on the advancement of its Indigenous engagement strategy while building trust and reinforcing relationships within Indigenous communities.

“SaskTel recognizes the important role we play in truth and reconciliation,” says Shara McCormick, vice-president, human resources and corporate services. “We will continue to look for ways to take responsible action as we move forward with a better understanding of the truth and impacts of the past with hope for

Roberta

SAEN recently held a Lunch and Learn featuring an Indigenous leader and educator who taught participants about the importance of acknowledging the land you are standing on when opening a meeting or event.

“I received feedback going as far up as some of our SaskTel directors that they have now created their own land acknowledgements and I was lucky enough to have them shared with me. This made me very happy,” says Williams, service representative, business sales and solutions.

Williams says that the network also provides members a safe space to share their experiences. “We all check our titles at the door and we can open up and feel secure,” she

62 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Roberta Williams, service representative, business sales & solutions (second from left) at SaskTel, with ‘SAEN’ members on National Indigenous Peoples Day.

We all check our titles at the door and we can open up and feel secure.

— Williams Service Representative, Business Sales & Solutions

the future.”

McCormick says SaskTel also recognizes that a place where all employees feel confident to express their cultural values and identity helps create a high-performing workforce. “We do this by providing employees access to tools

and education to build their knowledge and understanding in diversity and inclusion, and the role we all share in building a more inclusive and welcoming workplace,” she says.

Employees participate in sports teams and volunteer groups and

networks, such as the SaskTel Pioneers, EnviroCare, the SaskTel Employee Rainbow Alliance (SERA), SaskTel Employee Network on Disability (SEND) and SaskTel O.N.E. These networking groups provide a way for employees to connect, learn

Recruitment strategies for Indigenous Peoples

Supported employment program for individuals with cognitive disabilities

Scholarships and mentoring opportunities for youth

Diversity and inclusion training available to all employees

and grow while having fun in the community.

Says McCormick: “Creating a safe workplace environment, where individuals can openly share diverse ideas, improves engagement and fosters greater innovation across the entire organization.” 

63 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 SaskTel employees attending ‘Miyo-wîcîwitowin Day’ at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

At TD, great things happen when people feel included

When Elton Luz joined TD Bank Group in Toronto in 2018, he brought his experience as a financial specialist back home in Brazil. There, he had studied accounting, but also cinema and marketing. “I wanted to shift my career in Canada to do something that would allow me to be creative,” he says. “TD gave me the opportunity to combine both my passions.”

as they arise. “At times, we Black employees can feel undervalued by society, but my mentors at TD help me see my real value and instill more confidence in me,” he says.

Luz has lived in Canada since 2015 and feels at home both in his adopted country and at work. “I feel like I belong where I am, and that’s the biggest thing, especially for a Black immigrant, which doesn’t happen everywhere,” he says. “Diversity and inclusion isn’t lip service at TD – the Bank is committed to really moving the dial.”

Keetah McBeath didn’t plan to land in banking when she was an

‘Aboriginal Summer Stay in School’ student in White Rock, B.C. Her brother was a banker, so she joined him – and never left the industry. “I call myself an accidental banker,” she says, smiling.

McBeath (surname given as an adoptee), whose mother is Onondaga Clear Sky and her father Matachewan Cree, lives in the traditional territory of Snuneymuxw First Nation on Vancouver Island. In 2018, she joined TD as Pacific regional manager, Indigenous banking. Four years later, she became vice president, Indigenous banking.

“I wanted to see a financial

institution that prioritizes and connects with our Indigenous customers, colleagues and communities,” she says. “It’s a dream job to create safe spaces. If I can help make incremental change in someone else’s journey, for employees and customers, that’s rewarding.”

McBeath is proud of the new ‘TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples’ program created by TD with input from AFOA Canada, a not-for-profit association led by Indigenous Peoples. The program was launched to help with the financial concerns surrounding post-secondary education for

Luz’s first position was manager of video production, technology solutions, at TD Securities. Since then, his career growth has been exponential thanks to strong managers and supportive leadership. “I’ve grown more in four years at TD than I did in 10 years at my previous organizations,” he says. In August 2022, Luz was promoted to manager of creative services for the platforms and technology team at TD. As a member of the ‘Each One Teach One’ mentoring program led by the TD Black Employee Network, one of the Bank’s employee resource groups, Luz benefits from the coaching of three mentors who help him work on personal branding and professional challenges

64 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Elton Luz, manager of creative services, TD engineering, platforms and technology, at TD Bank.

I feel like I belong where I am, and that’s the biggest thing, especially for an immigrant.

— Elton Luz Manager of Creative Services,

TD Engineering, Platforms and Technology

Indigenous students. As such, it responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action No. 92. This calls upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a

reconciliation framework, and to apply its principles, norms and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous Peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, ensuring that Indigenous Peoples have

equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities in the corporate sector.

“Are we striving to deliver on the Call to Action 92 at TD? Yes,” says McBeath. “Can we improve? Always. But I’m optimistic because we’re all working within a caring

Paid internships for recent immigrants

TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples

On-site language training

Inclusive leadership curriculum with bias-recognition training

culture that helps create opportunities for impactful learning and acceptance across all diverse groups.”

Luz and McBeath are proof that amazing things can happen from the inclusive and caring culture at TD. 

65 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Keetah McBeath, vice president, Indigenous banking, at TD Bank

TD is proud to be one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. jobs.td.com

TELUS fosters a feeling of trust and belonging

As a Black woman, Latoya Piper is passionate about supporting and celebrating diversity and inclusion (D&I) at TELUS Communications Inc.

While her primary role is strategy manager in compensation at the Vancouver-based telecom giant, Piper is also co-chair of Reach, one of six team member-led employee resource groups (ERGs). Formed during the company’s Black History Month in 2021, Reach supports Black team members and allies to identify unconscious or overt biases, discrimination, and barriers to their advancement through education, career development and community initiatives.

the past,” says Piper. “When we launched the scholarships, we were seeing something that had never been done before, focused on Black team members and their children. That was very meaningful because it was something tangible people could see. We really have a dedicated group working to make things better.”

Kasey Cummings, senior advisor, diversity & inclusion, says the ERGs play a critical role in advancing inclusion at TELUS and in the communities where the company serves. With over 8,000

members, these groups support team members who identify as women, Indigenous, individuals of varying abilities, newcomers, Black and LGBTQ2+, and they are key partners at the table.

“It’s really important to recognize the work as a journey where you’re constantly in this cycle of listening, learning, reflecting, acting and asking,” says Cummings. “Curiosity and introspection are absolutely essential to the work of D&I. We have a number of key ways of listening to our people, including surveys that collect data

on the team member experience and sentiments. It’s a very holistic approach.”

Cummings sees D&I as an integrated function core to TELUS, embedded in its organizational culture and values, rather than an isolated program. D&I has been undergoing a multi-year evolution strategy at TELUS, which includes a shift from a grassroots-driven council put in place 17 years ago to the new D&I Advisory Board in 2021, consisting of VPs and directors who represent all areas of the business as well as representatives

Kasey

Although still a new group, Piper says Reach is gaining traction. Milestones include scholarships for the children of Black employees and a series of webinars – a safe space for people to talk about hurdles they’ve encountered and how they might resolve these.

“When you see other team members who look like you and are spread out across the company driving this change and these conversations, it fosters trust and helps ease the kind of fear that’s been systemic and traditional in

66 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

 Every year since 2007, TELUS participates in and supports Pride events through local sponsorships.

Everybody has to see D&I as part of their role, not just

the

people who have that in their job title.

—

Cummings Senior Advisor, Diversity & Inclusion

 Team members can join one of six employee-led resource groups working to advance inclusion at TELUS

from each ERG.

“In 2020, we responded to numerous protests taking place in Canada, the U.S. and around the world due to devastating acts of racial injustice, and reached out to team members to reaffirm our commitment to standing united

in pursuit of equity, fairness, social justice and systemic change,” says Cummings. “After roundtables with our senior leaders, we engaged an external consultation firm and invited team members to engage in very honest, meaningful dialogue through over 30 listening circles.

We then used those conversations to apply a wider lens to increase inclusion for all.”

Cummings says the company scored 85 per cent on its inclusion index in 2022 – a strong indicator, she believes, of the feeling of inclusion and belonging at TELUS,

Diversity programs for many identities

Year-over-year supplier diversity program

Leader guides include thoughtful allyship

CHLOE awards for women and allies who make a difference

as well as a critical driver for engagement.

“Everybody has to see D&I as part of their role, not just the people who have that in their job title,” she says. “You can’t realize the power of diversity without creating that inclusive environment.” 

67 CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS 2023

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 Best Diversity Employers. Now entering its 24th year, our national project is Canada’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers. For information on next year’s application process, visit: CanadasTop100.com/2024 Applications for our 2024 competition will be released in February and must be returned in May.