Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2024)

INTO THE MAINSTREAM:

THIS YEAR’S WINNERS:

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2024)

FIRST-PERSON STORIES:

How diversity initiatives touched employees’ lives

Diversity moves from HR, embedded in operations

DISTRIBUTION PARTNER

CANADA'S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS

2024 MAGAZINE

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

Cypress Weston, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Kristen Chow, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING

Ye Jin Suhe, MANAGER, PUBLISHING

Chariemagne Kuizon, JUNIOR COORDINATOR

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, SENIOR BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sabrina Wu, SENIOR CONTENT & PUBLISHING SPECIALIST

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bergman

Brian Bethune

Deborah Bourk

Abigail Cukier

Mary Dickie

Jane Doucet

Patricia Hluchy

These are challenging days in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) field. South of the border, much of the hope and commitment to change that followed the horrific murder of George Floyd in May 2020 has given way to a realization that the pendulum may now be swinging in the other direction. While the US context owes much to their supreme court’s abrupt reversal of affirmative action for university admissions last June, the wider story is that businesses and institutions there are recalibrating their diversity initiatives amid the shifting sands of US politics.

able energy sources. It isn’t difficult to distract voters on hot-button issues when your real legislative aims aren’t quite as popular.

D’Arcy Jenish

Diane C. Jermyn

Sara King-Abadi

Kelsey Rolfe

Diane Sims

Nora Underwood

Barbara Wickens

Here in Canada, it’s easy to dismiss America’s DEI backtracking as another example of how this country differs from its southern cousin. But the landscape in Canada is changing too, as it always does when profound social change takes place in the US. Even leaving aside the dismissive comments on DEI by the leader of opposition, who leads election polls at the moment, it’s hard not to see that diversity initiatives are under a microscope these days. If there was a Pantheon for three-letter acronyms among the conspiracy-minded, DEI would surely join the World Economic Forum and the International Monetary Fund for a place of honour.

So what are progressive employers to do in today’s rancorous environment? It’s tempting to look at the most vocal DEI opponents and ask what the rest of their agenda looks like? In Canada, it’s no surprise that the provincial government most active in banning ‘hormone therapies’ for transgender youth and keeping sports leagues ‘safe from transgender athletes’ is the same government that’s proposing special taxes on electric cars and even renew-

Or you might be tempted to persuade the DEI doubters that social stability is more important than letting a few pronouns get in the way. It took a pandemic and widespread public support for Black Lives Matters to jolt the same folks into worrying that their comfortable place in society might easily become unstuck. Yet even here, it’s become a challenge to make the case for social stability when there’s no shortage of groups in the street calling to overturn public order.

Instead, the better approach for progressive employers — and the path to which we hew editorially — is to recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion inititives exist in the public square, where there will always be competing narratives and interests. Indeed, it would be perverse if the pendulum didn’t occasionally swing the other way as voters’ minds turn to more immediate concerns, like inflation or the high cost of housing.

There may also be unexpected benefits to come from the recent scrutiny of DEI initiatives. Already in the US, there is growing recognition that it’s really social class that’s the thread which runs through race-based and similar initiatives that find themselves in today’s crosshairs. At the end of the day, a growing economy and a strong country needs employers that are inclusive and make a seat at the table for everyone. And that’s something on which we can all agree.

– Tony Meehan

 Employees of CBC / Radio Canada taking part in an event to celebrate accessibility in Ottawa last spring.

Introduction

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou Those words could easily be applied to the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the Canadian workplace. It wasn’t that long ago that the C-suite was an all-boys club and only new moms got parental leave. As we celebrate Canada’s

Best Diversity Employers (2024), it’s interesting to see how far we’ve come and where we still need to go.

For many of this year’s winning organizations, DEI been a journey over decades with increasingly progressive initiatives, including accountability built in at every level. The continuing efforts of all have created an environment in their workplace where everyone has

opportunities to grow and can feel comfortable bringing their “whole self” to work – meaning they don’t have to hide any part of who they are. That matters because when employees trust their environment enough to be themselves on the job, research shows they also become more engaged, creative, productive and happier.

But what does that trust look like?

It might be a young man who identifies as 2SLGBTQI+ bringing his same-sex partner to a company event; or a stressed worker who takes time out to decompress in the company’s quiet room; or a new Canadian who feels empowered by the support she’s found in an employee resource group (ERG) to take the next step in her career.

For Carrie Haggerty, director, global

 Manulife employees recognize Day of Pink, an anti-bullying and anti-homophobia event held annually during the second week of April.

INTRODUCTION

Cont. stop and think about how investments are made and their impact.”

search engine optimization and co-chair of the Indigenous Peoples & their Allies ERG at Manulife Canada, feeling safe at work is paramount.

“I can tell you why it’s important for me as a diverse human to be able to go to work authentically – and that’s safety,” says Haggerty, a Métis who identifies as two-spirited. “Just like your home is your safe space, your workplace is also your safe space. I get to bring my authentic self to work every day, which makes me happy, and then I get to share that with my colleagues.”

Michelle Joy Rafat, assistant vice-president of DEI for Manulife Canada, says nothing is ever perfect – it’s a journey that keeps progressing – but the company has really tried its best to make all programs and processes as inclusive as possible.

“Shared ownership and leadership commitment drives the DEI work including our functions in talent acquisition, talent management, performance development, total rewards and more,” says Rafat. “There isn’t a one-size-fits-all option in DEI. That goes for our products and services as well as the way we give back to our communities. We really do

With a long-standing DEI history behind them, Allyson McElwain, chief diversity and inclusion officer at Vancouver-based TELUS Communications Inc., says DEI is inter-woven not only into the company’s values, but in the way it operates as an organization. Recently, the company refreshed its DEI management.

“Throughout the pandemic, we started seeing some social inequities and racial injustices highlighted across society,” says McElwain. “So we took a step back to really dig in with our team members to understand what we were doing well, how we could support them better and evolve the strategy to make sure we were creating the most supportive and inclusive environment, so that they could show up as their best selves on a daily basis.”

More recently, what McElwain is seeing in terms of DEI’s evolution is a focus on intersectionality across its Telus resource groups (TRGs) as well as a shift in strategy as the company becomes more and more global.

“We’re at a really interesting and exciting pivot point right now where there’s a lot more interplay happening

across our TRGs – recognizing that our team members are not just one thing and celebrating their intersecting identities,” says McElwain. “The other is our global portfolio, which is a big undertaking. We’ve been having lots of conversations with our TRGs about how to start including our team members around the world.

“From a strategy perspective, we’re rethinking what our programs will look like and how we can take our values and culture across the globe, while also recognizing and celebrating the local cultures that exist and being aware of whatever sensitivities are in that country.”

Likewise, Rafat observes that as Manulife becomes increasingly global and diverse, there are a lot more issues leaders need to confront in DEI, including some they may not have been aware of before or have had to address in the past, so it’s a lot of change management that involves learning, listening and reflection.

“I think the future will be more about inclusion and psychological safety than about diversity numbers,” says Rafat. “It’s also going to be a lot more relative to external environmental and societal change. Faith and religion, while a sensitive topic, is not really talked about as a diversity

intersection. Given the high increase of Islamophobia, antisemitism and various hate-crimes against religion these days, that conversation needs to begin.

“We’ve already started that conversation in navigating religious diversity in the workplace with some questions: How do you create more accommodation? How do you support colleagues from various religious backgrounds? And how do you support cross-cultural allyship while removing the political pieces?

“As colleagues reflect on the unfairness in the world, they’re starting to expect that their leaders, if they want to create a truly inclusive workplace, recognize that I have to be able to bring all of me – that includes the colour of my skin, my family, my identity and that also includes my religion or faith – or no faith.”

Living in our increasingly multicultural society also has its own effect. When you work alongside someone who may be different from you – in gender, race or religion – you get to know them as a colleague, a person, a friend. That goes a long way in building a culture where everyone can feel they belong.

– Diane Jermyn

q At TELUS , employees can join one of six employee-led resource groups working to advance inclusion and foster a feeling of trust and belonging.

202 4 WINNERS

 The University of Toronto has an anti-racism and cultural diversity office that offers courses to increase understanding on strategies to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The following organizations have been chosen as Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2024) (employee count refers to full-time staff):

ACCENTURE INC., Toronto. Professional services; 6,207 employees. Helps refugees access employment opportunities at the company and also connects them with external business networks that assist with refugee redeployments.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 5,547 employees. Launched a diversity and

inclusion toolkit in the past year to provide managers with resources to enact inclusive behaviours.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES / AHS, Edmonton. Healthcare services; 49,522 employees. Established an anti-racism advisory group responsible for providing guidance on the organization's anti-racism efforts, gathering employee feedback, and offering recommendations.

AMEX BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Credit card issuing; 2,047 employees. Committed to $1-million in grants over

three years to provide underrepresented students with financial, educational, professional and personal skills.

BANK OF CANADA, Ottawa. Central bank; 2,237 employees. Enhanced its people dashboards to include representation data and goals, as well as hiring and departure rates for members of designated groups.

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga. Chemical manufacturing; 1,106 employees. Requires all people leaders to have a minimum of one performance goal

specifying how they will ensure continued progress in diversity, equity and inclusion.

BC HYDRO, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 7,050 employees. Created a dedicated paid internship program to help Indigenous post-secondary graduates gain work experience and develop their skills.

BC INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS INC. / BCIB, Vancouver. Employment services; 87 employees. Implemented mandatory training on cultural competency and equity for all employees, including those

2024 WINNERS

Continued

working at head office and construction sites.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria. Provincial government; 34,366 employees. Launched a new leave program to provide eight weeks of paid leave for employees to access gender affirming medical care.

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,361 employees. Supports an internal employee network called Black@Blakes that promotes inclusion and the advancement of Black legal professionals.

BNP PARIBAS, Montréal. Banking; 1,148 employees. Hired two additional recruiters and tasked them with a specific focus of diversifying the organization's talent pool.

BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,536 employees. Implemented a pilot sponsorship program for individuals who self-identify as women or as members of underrepresented groups.

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF CANADA LIMITED, Toronto. Management consulting; 542 employees. Created the Lift@BCG Canada community to provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to employees who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary studies or grew up in low socioeconomic status households.

BRUCE POWER LP, Tiverton, Ont. Nuclear power generation; 4,167 employees. Supports an Indigenous Network that helps plan events to increase Indigenous awareness and act as advocates within local Indigenous communities.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montréal. Secondary market financing; 2,868 employees. Created new financing programs in partnership with community organizations to enable diverse entrepreneurs to increase access to capital.

CAE INC., Saint-Laurent, Que. Aviation and defence systems; 4,801 employees. Established the Women in Flight program to provide scholarships to female students who are interested in becoming pilots.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government; 59,786 employees. Created an ally resource guide to help employees create safe spaces and an inclusive environment.

CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY, Ottawa. Federal government; 7,141 employees. Is developing a persons with disabilities action plan with targeted recruitment and retention strategies.

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, Montréal. Railroad transportation; 17,782 employees. Provides inclusive leadership training for senior leaders and middle managers.

CAPGEMINI CANADA INC., Toronto. Information technology services; 2,100 employees. Created an immersive leadership development program to enable career advancement for women and provide sponsorship and networking opportunities.

CBC / RADIO-CANADA, Ottawa. Public broadcasters; 6,597 employees. Is committed to having half of all new hires for executive and senior management positions be Indigenous people, racialized people, or people with disabilities.

CGI INC., Montréal. Information technology; 11,233 employees. Provides hiring managers with a diversity, equity and inclusion recruitment and selection toolkit to help reduce bias during the hiring process.

CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Child and youth services; 709 employees. Supports a mental health in the workplace policy with the objectives of increasing knowledge, awareness and de-stigmatization of mental health and well-being.

CORUS ENTERTAINMENT INC., Toronto. Media production and broadcasting; 3,051 employees. Offers scholarship and internship programs for students from underrepresented communities.

D2L CORPORATION, Kitchener, Ont. Software publishers; 891 employees. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is a required learning for all employees as part of the company's onboarding program.

DENTONS CANADA LLP, Calgary. Law firms; 1,415 employees. Achieved its representation goal to have women represent over 30 per cent of board and executive position roles, with women currently representing 46 per cent of the firm's board.

ECOLAB CO., Mississauga. Cleaning and sanitization products and services; 866 employees. Shares monthly

scorecards with each business and region to help track progress and ensure accountability to the company's diversity goals.

EMERA INC., Halifax. Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,488 employees. Provides opportunities for candidates to self-identify during the application phase and reviews all postings with a gender neutral and inclusive lens.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau, Que. Federal government; 41,639 employees. Launched a sponsorship program to help employees who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour prepare for leadership roles.

ENBRIDGE INC., Calgary. Energy infrastructure; 7,634 employees. Partners with EmployAbilities to offer work experience placements for students with disabilities.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support services; 2,128 employees. Recognizes employees who champion the importance of belonging through a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador award.

q An employee of the Bank of Canada speaks at its annual conference on diversity, equity and inclusion in economics, finance and central banking.

2024 WINNERS Continued

EY, Toronto. Accounting; 8,392 employees. Supports a reverse mentorship program organized by the company's Black professionals network to improve understanding of the challenges, successes, and barriers faced by Black professionals.

GHD CANADA HOLDINGS INC., Waterloo, Ont.

Engineering services; 1,780 employees. Adopted a flexible statutory holiday that enables employees to bank stat holidays for use on holidays that are not formally recognized.

GIBSON ENERGY INC., Calgary. Oil and gas distribution; 469 employees. Introduced a company-wide course on conscious inclusion and tied course completion to employees' annual short-term incentive program.

GLAXOSMITHKLINE INC. / GSK, Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,728 employees. Created an inclusive interview training module to help hiring managers ensure a fair and inclusive interview process.

HEALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 9,937 employees. Embeds diversity and inclusion commitments into executives' performance agreements such as implementing the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, Toronto. Hospitals; 571 employees. Is a co-site host for Project SEARCH, a school-to-work employment training and transition program for high school students with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

HOME DEPOT CANADA INC., Toronto. Retail; 16,983 employees. Created development programs to accelerate the careers of women and BIPOC talent.

HYUNDAI AUTO CANADA CORP., Markham, Ont. Automobile wholesale; 247 employees. Hosts a quarterly networking event to connect with professionals that identify as a diverse candidate or a newcomer to Canada.

IBM CANADA LTD., Markham, Ont. Software development. Participates in its parent company's global neurodiversity program to support recruitment and professional development opportunities for neurodivergent individuals.

IGM FINANCIAL INC., Winnipeg. Financial services; 4,018 employees. Diversifies its talent pipeline by setting a minimum requirement of 50 per cent women participants in its graduate rotational program.

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 6,899 employees. Named a Champion of Accessibility and conducted a preliminary gap analysis to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility.

JAZZ AVIATION LP, Goffs, N.S. Air transportation; 4,628 employees. Requires that supplier bids share examples of how their company supports diversity and inclusion through related policies, programs or other initiatives.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 11,114 employees. Introduced a new daily living equipment benefit for people with disabilities, providing reimbursement for products that increase the ability to accomplish daily tasks as independently as possible.

LAFARGE CANADA INC., Calgary. Concrete manufacturing; 6,986 employees. Established an executive diversity, inclusion and belonging council as well as an inclusion, diversity, equality, accountability, leadership committee with the objective of creating an inclusive culture.

LEDCOR GROUP OF COMPANIES, Vancouver. Construction; 9,138 employees. Launched a women's mentorship program to help connect female employees from across the company.

LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD OF ONTARIO / LCBO, Toronto. Liquor distribution; 4,427 employees. Developed a pilot program in partnership with employment service providers to recruit people with disabilities.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 32,441 employees. Sources diverse candidates through partnerships with Equitek and Pride at Work and provides inclusive hiring training for all hiring managers.

MANITOBA HYDRO, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 4,950 employees. Manages

 Finding local child care is an impediment to many women working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). To ease this strain, Tiverton, Ont.-based Bruce Power recently provided scholarships to 13 students studying early childhood education at local colleges.

 National law firm Dentons Canada achieved its goal of having women represent at least 30% of its executive and board positions – currently, women comprise 46% of the firm’s board.

R.SNELLING/BRUCE PWR

2024 WINNERS

Continued pre-placement programs for Indigenous candidates who do not meet the academic qualifications required to participate in its trades programs.

MANULIFE, Toronto. Direct life insurance carriers; 12,237 employees. Maintains local segment and function plans which are reported and tracked by the CEO as well as the diversity, equity and inclusion council.

MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,642 employees. Established a formal Reconciliation Response plan outlining concrete steps the firm is taking in response to the 94 calls to action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

MCGILL UNIVERSITY, Montréal. Post secondary schools, university; 7,303 employees. Developed an action plan to address anti-Black racism and launched an internal internship pilot to increase career opportunities for Black administrative and support staff.

MCMASTER UNIVERSITY, Hamilton. Post secondary schools, university; 6,965 employees. Manages an employment equity facilitator program to support all hiring processes, act as process consultants, and ensure equitable outcomes.

NIAGARA HEALTH, St. Catharines, Ont. Healthcare services; 3,598 employees. Launched a diversity mentorship program to help reduce barriers for equity-deserving and underrepresented staff and physicians.

NUNAVUT, GOVERNMENT OF, Iqaluit. Territorial government; 3,685 employees. Organizes cultural immersion days to provide opportunities for all departments and public bodies to develop greater understanding of Inuit societal values and languages.

OPENTEXT CORPORATION, Waterloo, Ont. Software publishers; 2,790 employees. Recently welcomed its first cohort of Black and Indigenous interns as part of its Navigator internship program, offered in partnership with Lakehead University.

OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURT LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,263 employees. Helps female lawyers advance into partnership

through a dedicated program featuring mentorship, coaching, and training.

OTTAWA, CITY OF, Ottawa. Municipal governments; 13,072 employees. Established its first anti-racism strategy, a five-year plan to identify and remove systemic barriers from city policies, programs and services to help realize racial equity.

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,796 employees. Manages a mental health action plan to foster well-being and reduce stigma and offers dedicated coverage for mental health care, to a maximum of $4,000 per year.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 66,044 employees. Maintains a development program for early-in-career Indigenous talent, providing exposure to various areas of the bank's operations.

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver. Custom computer programming services; 3,110 employees. Participated as a pilot country for the parent company's Autism at Work program and employs 10 individuals across Canada through its involvement.

SASKPOWER, Regina. Electric power generation; 3,264 employees. Created a Women in Trades initiative with the aim of better understanding the experience of female employees in skilled trades roles.

SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,713 employees. Developed a supported employment program for candidates with cognitive disabilities, in partnership with community-based organizations.

SCOTIABANK, Toronto. Banking. Strives to increase representation of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another diverse sexual orientation to seven per cent of the bank's Canadian workforce by 2025.

SQUAMISH LIL'WAT CULTURAL CENTRE / SLCC, Whistler, B.C. Cultural centres; 28 employees. Worked with a local Indigenous business to decolonize the organization's recruitment, onboarding and retention processes and reflect Líl̓wat7úl̓ ways of knowing and being.

STATISTICS CANADA / STATISTIQUE CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 6,502 employees. Manages a visible minority consultative group responsible

 Concrete manufacturer Lafarge Canada supports women's networks to create space for female employees to connect, network, learn and grow.

 City of Ottawa staff and supporters show their pride during the annual Capital Pride Parade.

D.BROWN/CITY OF OTTAWA

2024 WINNERS

Continued for advising senior management on issues related to employment, retention, career development and advancement.

TD BANK GROUP, Toronto, ON. Banking; 64,507 employees. Launched a sponsorship program to provide Black employees with professional development opportunities that align with future leadership roles.

TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Vancouver. Telecommunications; 26,162 employees. Created a new Indigenous wellness benefit to cover the costs of traditional healing practices such as Indigenous healers and elders, traditional medicines, and travel expenses, up to $1,000 per year.

THALES CANADA INC., Ottawa. Aerospace systems; 1,032 employees. Offers a one-year mentoring program to support women transitioning to leadership roles.

THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 1,362 employees. Created a diversity, equity and inclusion discussion toolkit to help managers facilitate conversations on racial equity as well as diversity and inclusion.

TORONTO, CITY OF, Toronto. Municipal governments; 23,835 employees. Established a mentorship program for skilled immigrants in 2004, creating approximately 1,500 mentoring relationships since its inception.

UBC / UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver. Post secondary schools, university; 16,308 employees. Hired its first accessible buildings planner to help develop accessibility design guidelines for new and existing campus buildings.

UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montréal. Post secondary schools, university; 5,809 employees. Maintains partnerships with approximately 30

organizations that work to employ persons with disabilities, immigrants and Indigenous peoples.

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, Calgary. Post-secondary education; 6,004 employees. Maintains equity, diversity and inclusion awards to recognize students, staff and faculty who have demonstrated a commitment to inclusion and equity on campus.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, Winnipeg. Post secondary schools, university; 5,149 employees. Requires faculty candidates to share a personal equity, diversity and inclusion statement as part of the hiring process.

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA, Ottawa. Post secondary schools, universities; 5,266 employees. Supports an Indigenous action plan with steps to develop an Indigenous faculty recruitment and hiring policy.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Post secondary schools, university; 11,369 employees. Maintains an anti-racism and

cultural diversity office that offers courses to increase understanding on strategies to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, Victoria. Post secondary schools, university; 3,185 employees. Organizes an annual Five Days of Action campaign to highlight the university's commitment to ending discrimination, harassment and sexualized violence.

WOMEN'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL, Toronto. Hospitals; 749 employees. Includes equity goals as part of each executive's talent action plan.

YORK UNIVERSITY, Toronto.

Post secondary schools,university; 5,237 employees. Established an advisory council on Black inclusion and delivered unconscious bias training to help mitigate bias during the hiring process.

– Kristina Leung & Stephanie Leung

q TD has set targets to increase the representation of Black, Indigenous and other minority professionals within the organization.

q Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, B.C., worked with a local Indigenous business to improve the organization’s recruitment, onboarding and retention processes and reflect Lílwat7úl ways of knowing and being.

CMETHODOLOGY

anada’s Best Diversity Employers 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 competition.

While the selection process to choose the winners of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers 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. The competition is and remains a catalogue of best practices.

Those criteria include successful diversity initiatives for employees from five groups: women; racialized people; persons with disabilities; Indigenous peoples; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples.

To determine the winners, the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers 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.

– Diane Jermyn

In their own words...

Employees from Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2024) share how diversity and inclusion has affected them personally and at work

One of the challenges I faced prior to participating in diversity initiatives at BNP Paribas was feeling excluded because of my ADHD: I felt that my neurodiverse abilities prevented me from reaching my full potential at work. However, looking back, this challenge was based on social stigmas surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders that I had accepted and internalized about myself, rather than indicative of the culture at BNP Paribas. After attending diversity initiatives at the firm, I realized that I was wrong and that I should embrace my diagnosis. Leading the Ability Employee Resource Group (ERG) and participating in diversity initiatives at BNP Paribas made me a better employee, colleague, and above all, a better person.”

– SERGE M. analyst, credit middle office and Ability ERG leader at BNP Paribas

I identify as a transgender female and require community support in my day-to-day life. When I joined the organization, I faced an issue regarding the usage of my preferred name. Being addressed by my male name in my daily work interactions affected me psychologically and caused great stress. Although my manager was very supportive and my team addressed me by my preferred female name, colleagues outside of my team referred to me by my birth name due to a lack of knowledge and awareness. I contacted BNP Paribas' Pride ERG and I was immediately welcomed with open arms. My name was immediately fixed in the company system which was a big relief for me; since then, I have been accurately addressed by my preferred name in the organization. I am very thankful to be part of this inclusive BNP Paribas community, and these diversity initiatives have inspired me to help other employees in the same way that I was helped.”

– SUMAN G. regulatory analyst at BNP Paribas

Diversity is so universal, yet so personal. It’s what makes each of us unique.”

– AYESHA A. legal talent advisory specialist at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

One of the most significant challenges I have encountered is being "the only" in certain professional settings. While some may see this as empowering to represent diversity, there have been moments of isolation and the pressure to constantly prove myself. One of the most important antidotes for those who are feeling like “the only” is to hire more diverse leadership. What this means to these groups is to see a version of themselves reflected at higher levels of the company. This can alter a perception of a work culture and even transform careers.”

– DEBORAH J. technical officer at Bruce Power LP

Working for Manitoba Hydro has provided me not only with a job, but a career with endless possibilities. The Women's Pre-Placement Power Electrician Program provided me with the hands-on training and academic upgrading that I required to be successful in this career. The management team is incredibly supportive towards each individual employee's career development and progression. I encourage those who are interested to take the leap and just go for it.”

– ANONYMOUS at Manitoba Hydro

My coming out was sparked by CAE's "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" initiative originally launched in 2017-2018. Even though I was afraid it would not work well, I was surprised at how smoothly it went, and I am still impressed by the support I have received from our local DE&I group.

For almost four years I have been able to come to work with my true self, dressed in a way that is in line with my gender identity. To me it was a childhood dream that came true, and honestly even five to 10 years ago I did not believe it would be possible. I will be grateful for this in the rest of my life.”

– GABRIELLA E. proposal solutions manager and leads the Prism ERG at CAE Inc.

I am very proud of the progress we have made in creating an open and progressive workplace. The change has been dramatic. In just five years we went from having 18% women employees globally to 23%, and from 15% women senior leaders to 25%. Just a few years ago, you would not know that anyone at CAE was a member of the LGBTQ2+ community, no one would talk about it, it was as if it did not exist. When we announced that diversity, equity and inclusion were a priority for the company and part of our values, so many people came out and expressed themselves. We started celebrating our thousands of differences. And we started talking about who we are, expressing what it feels like to be the only Black person in the room, or the only woman in a team. We talked about our neurodiversity. We supported each other. And so many of us started to feel like we belong, that we can be ourselves and strive.”

– PASCALE A. chief of diversity, equity and inclusion at CAE Inc.

TD BANK

I can honestly say that without the Developing Emerging Leaders (DEL) program, I would not be where I am today. I owe a lot to that program. It made what was unimaginable… absolutely possible. And I love working in content, but I never dreamed that one day I would be a leader. And honestly, DEL taught me how to be a leader, how to keep my feet in both worlds; understanding who I am and how to bring my true, my fullest self into leadership circles but also how to relate to people and how to navigate people and building those relationships. So, yeah, I owe a lot to DEL and I think that it’s a proven success in bringing most of us into new spaces that we didn’t even know were possible.”

– ROBERT D. Indigenous advisor at CBC / Radio Canada in Prince George, BC

I was shy, quiet, and uncomfortable sharing my First Nations heritage with anyone at work. I wanted to assimilate, always trying to be someone else and not liking who I was. Being part of and leading the Indigenous Employee Resource Group (IERG) has made me proud, strong, and accepting of my heritage, ancestors, and who I am as a First Nation woman and the first generation in my family not to go to residential school. This has built strength not only in me, but also in my relationship with my father and the way in which my boys are being raised as First Nations. It has enhanced my compassion towards my own people. I cannot state how invaluable the IERG has been in my life.”

– DANA G. PDC procurement specialist and IERG Edmonton chapter lead at Enbridge Inc.

Last year was my first Ramadan with Enbridge. Usually, that time of the year is the toughest while working. However, I was quite pleased to see my organization had sent an informal email with all the details on the religious month prior. My colleagues around me were proactive and inclusive in my lifestyle adjustments during this time which made me feel like I could be more of myself at work.”

– SAMIRA P. work management clerk and member of Connect at Enbridge Inc.

Culture isn’t always the reason someone joins a company, but it is often a reason people leave. I can make a difference by pushing for a more inclusive workplace while educating myself and others. By taking small steps and constantly improving, we can make a huge difference in how people feel about working here.”

– ROBERT A. manager of innovative solutions and mobility and Network for Employees with Disabilities co-chair at SaskPower

Historically, South Asians have been – and still are – underrepresented in Big Law. The Osler South Asian Network (OSAN) provides South Asians at Osler with a level of support within the firm that they may not get at other professional spaces. This is important for many reasons, but mostly because we shouldn’t have to assimilate or lose a part of ourselves when we practise law. Our cultural identity and our professional identity are both big parts of who we are. One shouldn’t trump the other.”

– MANVEER B.

counsel, emerging and high growth companies at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

In a global climate where LGBTQ+ communities are under political, social, and physical threat, it makes one evaluate where support actually resides. In other words, who has my back? Who is standing by my community when it is not always a popular stance? Those concerns have been assuaged in my experience at OpenText and its diversity programs. As a leader of the LGBTQ+ Employee Network, I have personally witnessed senior executives vocalize support, devote funding, and take real action to facilitate initiatives. It cannot be understated how reassuring it can be to recognize this support in my workplace.”

As a Black woman, I don’t always have the benefit of seeing someone who looks like me in leadership positions, but there are quite a number of members with the same intersectional identity as me in Osler Black Lawyers’ Network (OBLN). I know I can always rely on my peers to provide a safe and welcoming community to discuss anything openly.”

– MARIE-LAURE S.L. associate, litigation at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

– BRAD A. director of training, consulting, customer support at OpenText Corp.

When I interviewed for my current job back in the summer of 2023, I told my boss I wanted to be part of Enbridge's goals to increase diverse employment by 30% by 2025; that I've never had a female engineer manager, and I'm looking for a firm that can change that. It was a big deal for me to be so bold and so vulnerable in an interview, but my boss told me he supported me and hired me soon after. For the first time in my career, an organization has allowed me to feel strong and powerful – for being myself. I don't feel limited anymore, for being a non-white female engineer.”

– JOANN S. project development engineer and member of Connect at Enbridge Inc.

CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY

 KPMG asks all of its partners and leaders to set an inclusion, diversity and equity goal focused on how they will attract, develop, and retain diverse talent.

Diversity Moves into the Mainstream

Canada’s Best Diversity Employers are treating it as part of the organization as a whole

For the past two decades and more, employers in Canada have been continuously expanding their support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. But for long, there has been a sense that these progressive policies, while important, were not at the centre of what the organization does. That’s changing fast, especially among the

winners of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2024).

“What’s happening now is you often see DEI included in corporate sustainability strategies – not meaning climate-friendly strategies but people sustainability,” says Stephanie Leung, editor for Mediacorp Canada, which produces the competition.

“So where we used to see human resources-driven programs, they’re now

moving into the business as a whole, where they belong, instead of being siloed off in HR. I think that speaks to where we’re headed.”

It shows up in the growing number of applications for the Diversity competition, she says, including from industries rarely seen before, such as construction. “That is really positive because it suggests to us that companies are responding to a

growing priority from employees and customers. We also noticed that initiatives that used to be thought of squarely in the diversity realm now show up very organically in other areas, like training and development, compensation, health benefits, community, social, culture. Which is great to see, because that’s the exact goal of inclusion – to really embed it into the organization at all levels.”

MOVING INTO MAINSTREAM Cont.

Kristina Leung, managing editor for Mediacorp, says diversity has indeed become a strategic priority for Top Employers. “It’s not some kind of specialty discipline or even an HR-adjacent division or department,” she says. “It’s fully integrated and ingrained. It’s becoming part of the organization’s DNA.”

And it’s not hard to see why. “Diversity programs are really good for business, and companies pursue them for very practical reasons,” she says. “Inclusive hiring means that you broaden your talent pool so you can have super high-potential folks who

can expand your business. You also build a bigger pipeline to strong leadership. Plus when you have an inclusive approach to products and services, that can help you bring in diverse customers and markets.

“And finally, an inclusive culture means there are opportunities to grow for employees, which helps to retain them and engage them, and they’re motivated and loyal. There are just really good results in the business from that.”

As employers continue to focus on expanding DEI, notes Stephanie Leung, the federal government is also planning to modernize the landmark Employment Equity Act of 1986, which requires

federally regulated organizations, such as banks and airlines as well as the government itself, to maintain statistics on employees in four categories: women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, and people with disabilities. After a recent task force report, Ottawa committed to adding to that list Black people and 2SLGBTQI+ people, which it defines as “Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities.” It is also changing “Aboriginal” to Indigenous, “visible minorities” to racialized people, and updating the definition of people with

q Employees at McMaster University commemorate National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

disabilities.

“Our understanding of equity has definitely evolved since 1986,” says Leung. “And we can better address these groups who have historically been marginalized in employment.” But as she notes, “this is not new to the winners of our competition. They’ve already been collecting data on where these groups are in their organizations and have created programs to empower them.”

Top Employers themselves are finding new elements of DEI to support. At Reginabased telecom SaskTel, for instance, “accessibility and immigration are two big focus areas for us,” says Debbie Johnson, director human resources, strategic planning, development and performance management.

On the first point, she has adopted a creative change to IDE, as some order DEI. “An important element that is missing from the acronym is accessibility,” she says. “Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility – IDEA – are all foundational elements that allow organizations to foster cultures that minimize bias and recognize and address systemic inequities.” SaskTel, Johnson notes, has developed a full Accessibility Plan.

As for newcomers, she says, “we are currently in the process of formalizing our immigration strategy to attract, support and retain this skilled workforce.” SaskTel may be in the lead on this – immigration is part of the water in Canada, but few employers have designated it as a diversity category of its own, which many immigrants would surely support.

Especially since every group needs allies. Janet Pope, vice-president corporate governance and engagement for the Americas at Capgemini Canada, points to allyship as another expanding area of focus for many employers. At one time, it was thought of as something for supporters of 2SLGBTQ+ groups, she notes. “Now we’ve better embraced allyship as more inclusive. I can support veterans, I can support women, I can support neurodiverse individuals and I don’t have to self-identify in a specific way to be a supporter. So that’s probably the best thing that’s happened in the last three years. There’s a recognition that allyship is an action and not just a passive thing that you are.”

Indeed, nothing in the ever-growing diversity field stays passive for long – as Canada’s Best Diversity Employers know well.

– Berton Woodward

MCMASTER U.

At BASF, DEI is both a moral and a business imperative

When Marian Van Hoek, BASF Canada Inc. general counsel and chief compliance officer, recalls the events led by the Women in BASF employee resource group (ERG) while fundraising for breast cancer research, eating “15 or so desserts at 10 a.m.” is hard to forget.

However, it wasn’t the specifics of the baking competition, which she judged as part of CIBC’s annual Run for the Cure, that Van Hoek wanted to stress, but how deeply embedded ERGs are in BASF’s workplace culture.

“Our ERGs help achieve our diversity, equity and inclusion objectives,” says Van Hoek, executive sponsor for Women in BASF Canada, “but they also help create a wonderful company culture of engagement and belonging.” Robustly supported by the 163-year-old, globe-spanning chemical company, the number of ERGs at BASF Canada now stands at 11, alongside two employee development groups (Toastmasters and Regional Marketing Council). The country-wide, employee-led ERGs have formed around a broad spectrum of identities, and many BASF employees are involved with

more than one.

With a distinctive set of chosen names – such as ALLchemie: LGBTQ2+ and Allies at BASF or Emerging Professionals and Friends – all ERGs welcome allies. “The goal for us is inclusion, after all,” Van Hoek points out. “So, there is strong encouragement for all employees to participate in whichever groups they are passionate about.”

Anne Shore, a multi-business unit controlling liaison and 14-year BASF Canada employee, is a member of three ERGs: Women in BASF (where she is co-chair); ALLchemie; and

AVID (Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities), the newest group. “AVID is really important to me because I have a son who was diagnosed with an invisible disability,” Shore says. “Knowing the challenges that he went through and our family went through to overcome stigmas associated with that has motivated me to support my colleagues who may have a disability or who have family members with one.”

“Our ERGs help achieve our diversity, equity and inclusion objectives, but they also help create a wonderful company culture of engagement and belonging.”

— Marian Van Hoek General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

What matters as much as or more than the personal element to Shore is the way ERGs help her give back to the community. “At AVID I was asked if I could help do a site assessment for two colleagues joining from Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital who were both in wheelchairs,” Shore says. “We thought our site, which was fairly new, was fully accessible.

“However, we found out there were some changes we needed to make to accommodate wheelchair users, like physically lowering the visitor registration podium and having an emergency

 BASF Canada employees partner with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital to offer students with disabilities the opportunity to intern at their head office.

Mental health diversity programs

Employee resource groups

Psychological health and safety committee

Diversity, equity and inclusion council

evacuation chair available for each wheelchair user. This was an eye-opening experience and has allowed us to ensure we are inclusive and welcoming for any employee, guest or customer.”

Van Hoek agrees. “In 2023, when we had the Holland Bloorview

Ready to Work Program participants as summer interns, it was a tremendous partnership for BASF as a company,” she says. “They provided very valuable insights into how we could continue improving both our workspaces and our culture to be even more

At BASF, we belong to something bigger

inclusive and accessible.”

Shore has seen the same sort of positive results through all her ERG work, from organizing Run for the Cure events alongside all the Women in BASF chapters and leaders across Canada to collecting supplies for women’s

shelters to mark National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Dec. 6. “The ERGs offer those network and growth opportunities, and they also provide opportunities to give back to the community, which is something I really love.” 

 BASF Canada employees participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure.

BCIB helps redress the worker balance on building sites

Bubba Qwulshemut has a unique position in the construction industries of British Columbia and Canada. Since last June, the Red Seal plumber and respected Quw’utsun Knowledge Sharer has been the full-time workforce coach and cultural advisor at the Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project in Duncan, on southern Vancouver Island, for British Columbia Infrastructure Benefits (BCIB). Before that, the 61-year-old was a prime contract plumber on the site. He provides support to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees, such as transition-to-

work counsel and career mentorship. He makes the worker experience more relevant and respectful by connecting with staff on job sites and sharing his own cultural teachings, experiences and wisdom during BCIB’s mandatory Respectful Onsite Initiative (ROI) training.

A provincial Crown organization, BCIB hires traditionally under-represented qualified tradespeople such as First Nations individuals and women – with preference also given to locals –for some of the province’s largest public infrastructure projects.

Individuals who self-identify as Indigenous (including Métis

and Inuit) account for 15 per cent of BCIB tradespeople, compared to the provincial average of less than five per cent. Its corporate staff includes people born in 26 countries, more than half of whom are women, and 64 per cent of its leadership is female. On its construction sites, nine per cent of workers are female, twice the provincial average.

All that reflects the organization’s unique collective agreement, which is committed to diversifying the skilled workforce through a mechanism called Priority Hiring: looking at each request from project contractors to see whether it can be filled by a qualified

tradesperson who is Indigenous, a woman or a member of another equity group.

As for Qwulshemut, a member of the Somena Tribe, one of the seven recognized Tribes of Cowichan, his role often means simply telling his personal story.

“It is so refreshing to be working for an organization where it’s not just a few people in the diversity office who are committed to DE&I but where that commitment is led by the board and the senior executives.”

— Brenda Ireland Director of Indigenous Relations

“Both of my parents were residential school survivors and a couple of older brothers went through it,” he says. “Myself, I went to a Catholic day school and got to go home at night, but it was basically the same abusive thing. And in my job, one thing I do is shed a light on something that we’ve never really talked about too much – the fallout from the physical abuse my parents faced. My dad was physically abusive to us kids.”

Sharing those experiences with others through the ROI program, he continues, isn’t always easy. “Sometimes people are like ‘why do I have to do this?’ But But then

 Bubba Qwulshemut (centre), workforce coach and cultural advisor, with his colleagues at BCIB.

eventually they say it’s really powerful. People’s views change a lot in a few hours.”

Meanwhile, he says, a lot of First Nations people on Vancouver Island seek him out. “When I was in trade school, it was quite rare to see anybody like me. And now,

this is where I can kind of steer them in the right direction to get into the trades or just get on the jobs sites.”

As for Brenda Ireland, BCIB’s director of Indigenous relations and its ROI program, she says she finally landed in her dream job

when she joined the team about four years ago.

“I had been working in the whole anti-racism, diversity and inclusion area for many years,” adds Ireland, who is of U.S. Anishinaabe descent.

“It is so refreshing to be working

for an organization where it’s not just a few people in the diversity office who are committed to DE&I but where that commitment is led by the board and the senior executives. We’re truly dedicated to making the kind of difference we need for future generations.” 

Mental health diversity programs

Formal diversity strategy

Employee resource groups

Vendor and supplier diversity initiatives

 The Indigenous relations team at BCIB works to support programs such as the mandatory Respectful Onsite Initiative training.

Borden Ladner Gervais attracts diverse candidates

Adam Rudder was finishing a psychology and philosophy bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto when he heard about a national initiative called AVENUE: Black Undergraduate Law Internship Program. He immediately applied to AVENUE and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) was the first law firm to reach out to him.

“BLG were quick to offer me an interview,” says Rudder. “What struck me was how friendly they were and their genuine desire to get to know me as a person, as opposed to prior experience and qualifications for the job. I remember being really nervous because my educational background wasn’t

in the legal field.”

BLG is a national legal firm with offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver. It is also part of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN). In partnership with the Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion, LFDIN launched AVENUE three years ago with the support of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and the Ontario Bar Association. It’s a 12-week paid internship program designed to help Black undergraduates in Canada gain real-world experience in the legal industry.

After Rudder completed the internship, BLG hired him full-time as an assistant, business development.

“They assigned me to the business services group. There’s no legal expertise required to participate in that role,” Rudder says. “However, being a part of the business services team, or any other team in the law firm, you still get exposed to working with lawyers and working on different projects.”

With its offices across the country, BLG delivers legal advice to domestic and international clients.

“I think it’s really important that we reflect the clients that we serve and the communities in which we live and work,” says Loreli Buenaventura, national director of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), people and culture. “I also

believe diversity and inclusion makes us stronger together in the sense that diverse and inclusive teams make really strong teams and make better decisions which contribute to better outcomes.”

BLG champions EDI in communities and the broader legal community, adds Buenaventura. “That includes cultivating future legal scholars and professionals who reflect the diversity of our country. We continue to prioritize pipeline initiatives that will improve access for diverse under-represented groups because we really want to support further change within the industry,” she says.

“We strive to ensure that everyone brings their authentic selves to work, so they have the ability to thrive and to feel valued, respected and included.”

— Loreli Buenaventura National Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, People and

Culture

Rudder is from Ajax, Ont., where he notes the majority of the population is made up of visible minorities. As he increased his education, he saw fewer Black students. AVENUE feels vital to him, he says.

“I think AVENUE is invaluable for Black students in Canada because you connect not only with lawyers but other Black

 Adam Rudder stayed on with Borden Ladner Gervais full-time as assistant, business development after his 12-week AVENUE Internship.

professionals,” Rudder says. “It’s an amazing opportunity for people who are already on their way to law school and for those who are only considering it.

AVENUE ideology gave me an opportunity to explore my curiosities and fears about practising

law while also showing me other careers within the legal industry. AVENUE is a surefire way to find other members who are pursuing the same goals.”

Buenaventura adds, “We strive to ensure that everyone brings their authentic selves to work,

so they have the ability to thrive and to feel valued, respected and included.”

She says BLG also has partnerships that contribute to nurturing the diverse pipeline. “We participate in events across various law schools to support students

The future of law since 1823.

blg.com/futureoflaw

through the legal recruitment process,” says Buenaventura. “There are a number of universities that we partner with on this across the country.

“Diversity and inclusion are top of mind when it comes to our actions and our clients.” 

 Members of the soccer team at Borden Ladner Gervais presenting a custom company jersey.

Bruce Power generates opportunities for all employees

When Weina Chong returned to Bruce Power from her second maternity leave after having twins, she approached leaders in the company to discuss how she could pursue a different role within the organization.

“I talked to them and we established a strategy to help me get into a new role. I really appreciated that opportunity. I feel like they recognize me for my hard work and not the mental burden my family situation might bring,” says Chong, director of business

development, next gen, who has three children. “I am really grateful to the company for giving me new leadership opportunities that helped me in developing my career.”

Chong is also on the lead team of the Women’s Forum, one of Bruce Power’s employee resource groups, which also include the Indigenous Alliance and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. The forum has advocated for initiatives within the company and regularly meets with leaders to discuss issues and ideas. One challenge the forum identified for

women is finding local child care. They wanted to help ease this impediment to women working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). To work toward this, the forum created an internal portal where employees can share and search for child-care opportunities. Bruce Power also provided $65,000 in scholarships to 13 students studying early childhood education at two local colleges, with the goal of creating more child-care spaces in the future, and has announced it will continue this into 2024 with additional scholarships.

“I am really appreciative to have a company that enables women to excel in the industry and that listens to us,” Chong says. “It helps confirm my loyalty to the company. I have been here 14 years, and I've benefited greatly from a number of supportive programs and initiatives that it has provided.”

The Women’s Forum also plans events, such as a celebration for International Women’s Day and white ribbon sales to raise awareness regarding prevention of violence against women.

“I have been here for 14 years, and I've benefited greatly from a number of supportive programs and initiatives that Bruce Power has provided.”

— Weina Chong Director of Business Development, Next Gen

Karen Smith, vice-president and chief human resources officer, is proud of how far Bruce Power has come on its diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) journey, while acknowledging it is a continuous one. A key piece is building for the future, which includes partnering with schools and organizations, such as Ontario Tech University, Skills Ontario and Build a Dream, to build awareness of STEM opportunities with a focus on increasing diversity within engineering and trades. Steps like

 Bruce Power employees of the business development team reviewing a project plan at its head office.

guaranteeing co-op opportunities for women in nuclear engineering are making an impact.

“It has shown great results for us and it is great for students,” Smith says. “When you register for the Women in Nuclear Engineering program at Ontario Tech, you

know you have an opportunity for co-op with Bruce Power to build the skills for your future. So it is about shifting the dynamic and shifting the composition. These are the steps we need to take to build a diverse pipeline.”

Chong agrees that Bruce Power’s

diversity and inclusion efforts are having an impact. “It makes employees want to be committed and want to put in effort to help the company succeed,” she says. “It creates good team morale too. For example, we have almost 100 women on the Women’s Forum

and it is wonderful to have an environment where we can connect and rely on each other and also give back to the company.

“It’s good for the company too,” adds Chong. “Having diversity ensures we come up with innovative ideas and are more productive.” 

 A Bruce Power chemical technologist wearing one of its Pride shirts.

At BDC, representation and inclusion matter

When Sophiya Varghese had her interview with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) two years ago, she interviewed her prospective employer at the same time.

Coming from India via graduate school and a career in the U.S., she had done research that revealed BDC’s focus on reflecting the diversity of Canadian society.

“As a member of the LGBTQ2+ community, I always make sure to come out during the interview process,” says Varghese, now head

of enterprise data and analytics.

“I asked the panel members what they were looking for in a leader and I found them open to diversity, inclusion and allyship, which is important to me.”

BDC is a national financial institution that helps create and develop strong Canadian businesses through financing, advisory services and capital. It focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Varghese’s impression of the bank was nothing new for senior account manager Puran Rana. Also from India, Rana immigrated

to Canada 17 years ago. He started working with BDC as a customer service officer in Calgary and became an account manager within two years. When Rana’s closest friend and support in Canada moved to B.C., he asked his manager about a transfer. “Within a month there was an opening at the branch in Surrey, B.C.,” says Rana. “I applied and I got the position.”

Another support in Rana’s life is his role on the employee resource group (ERG) for visible minorities. “When I came to Canada, I was fascinated with the diversity of

the people,” says Rana. “Our group meets monthly to share experiences and plan cultural awareness events.”

Rana says that learning about each other’s culture advances the collaborative environment at work and the monthly meetings give colleagues the opportunity to raise any issues they face as minorities in a supportive setting.

As the lead executive sponsor of the ERG for the LGBTQ2+ community, and a member of the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility leadership council, Varghese has been able to raise issues for this ERG with senior leaders. But first, she worked to expand and diversify its membership.

“Diverse teams cover more ground and have the potential to be great.”

— Sophiya Varghese Head of Enterprise Data and Analytics

Varghese was an active voice for the latest self-identification campaign in the bank. She says the work the bank has done through education programs and ERGs has encouraged people to feel comfortable to self-identify through a bi-annual employee survey. This year, the campaign period was extended for five weeks and employees were asked to take the time to review the demographic questions, which pertained to gender, sexual and racial identity,

 Business Development Bank of Canada encourages employees to learn about the cultures of their colleagues to connect and build a supportive work environment.

Diversity resources for LGBTQ+ and disabilities

Diversity, equity and inclusion leadership council Leadership mentoring program for visible minorities

Five employee resource groups

visible and invisible disabilities, and Indigenous identity. This time, 95 per cent of employees responded to the survey.

As someone in data and analytics, Varghese understands how important this information can be. “What doesn’t get tracked

or measured doesn’t get done,” she says.

Now, she says, BDC has been able to move the needle on a number of plans. One project has been implementing a new tool to add pronouns as part of the standard BDC email signature.

Another project, called FORTES, is done in collaboration with a chartered bank. It offers internships for women entering technology fields. BDC has also launched a new accessibility plan for employees and entrepreneurs. Actions over the next three years

will include improved physical workspaces, work on the recruitment and employee experiences, and digital tools and technologies.

“At BDC, being different is a strength,” says Varghese. “Diverse teams cover more ground and have the potential to be great.” 

 Business Development Bank of Canada employees working together in the collaboration space at its Toronto office.

CN’s programs and people put inclusion on track

Over the 13 years that Yasintha Vivekanandarajah has worked for the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), the company has had a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, which she says she’s seen demonstrated in multiple ways. The company has long been committed to diversifying its ranks of employees and to attracting more women into fieldwork positions through a range of efforts – including things as seemingly small as redoing outpost washroom facilities to make them accommodating of

all genders.

It has also invested heavily in training and development to retain talent and help them advance through the ranks.

Vivekanandarajah, whose job as CN’s senior manager of strategy involves helping the business make long-term strategic choices and investments, was also asked to participate in CN’s five-month LINK development program. The program gives a small cohort of employees across the organization the opportunity to grow their skill set and their knowledge of the entire enterprise and connect with senior leaders.

“When I look at that group I see diversity – it was a good balance of genders, and people of colour were well-represented. I’m seeing the focus on diversity and development,” she says.

Imran Ahmad, an assistant superintendent in CN’s transportation department, says he can pinpoint the moment when he knew he would spend the rest of his career at CN. Within the last five years Ahmad’s faith has become a more important part of his life, and one year, just before Ramadan – the Muslim holy month dedicated to fasting, generosity and prayer – Ahmad’s

supervisor sat down with him to learn more about what the month meant to him, and how his team could support him while he was fasting.

The timing for Ramadan shifts every year, and that year it was in the summer, when Edmonton’s daylight hours stretch until 10:30 p.m. Ahmad’s supervisor and team were very accommodating so he could work shorter days the last two weeks of Ramadan.

“To

have that support

and understanding, and celebration –we celebrated Eid together with my team at work – that was really special for

me.”

— Imran Ahmad Assistant Superintendent

“To have that support and understanding, and celebration – we celebrated Eid together with my team at work – that was really special for me,” says Ahmad, who joined CN when he was 18 and has worked for the company for more than 13 years.

Vivekanandarajah agrees. “There’s a culture of inclusion I really admire,” she says. “It’s nice to see that it’s something everyone’s embracing and believing in and being there to support us in. I really appreciate that about the company.”

Vivekanandarajah also praises CN’s support for its employee resource groups (ERGs), which were launched over the last few

 Yasintha Vivekanandarajah is the senior manager of strategy and co-chair of the Pan-Asian Community Engagement employee resource group at Canadian National Railway

Pay equity section on intranet

Inclusive leadership workshops

Gender-neutral language in job descriptions

Community partnerships for diverse recruitment

years for groups of employees who share a common identity or experiences. CN provides funding for the eight ERGs – which include a group for Women and allies (WE), one for people with diverse abilities (A.D.A.P.T.), Latinos CN for the Latinix, RISE for CN's

Black and African American communities, PRIDE for their LGBTQ2+ communities, and one for Indigenous Peoples – and each group has an executive sponsor. Vivekanandarajah is a co-chair of P.A.C.E. the Pan-Asian Community Engagement ERG,

which has hosted events for Asian Heritage Month, Diwali and Lunar New Year.

In addition, CN’s corporate communications team develops campaigns with ERG members to celebrate various holidays and invited Ahmad to help develop an

Eid greeting.

“The fact that they took the time to understand the holiday, that showed a real attention to detail and care,” he says. “I truly have felt supported and encouraged to celebrate my beliefs and share my culture.” 

 Imran Ahmad is an assistant superintendent in the transportation department at Canadian National Railway.

Diversity is part of the fabric at Capgemini

Capgemini is a global company and Capgemini Canada embraces this global outlook by building on an evolving commitment to diversity.

Take the experience of Torontobased Gayani Ratnayake, who is now head of operations for the commercial and contract management team for the Americas. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in Canada, she joined the business and technology transformation company straight out of York University’s Schulich School of Business as a campus recruitment hire in 2006. Her experience at Capgemini has been built on new opportunities and helping others embrace similar prospects.

“They were so representative, even then,” she says, pointing out that the team she joined almost two decades ago included members from three continents. “It was really wonderful to see this diverse group of people talking about how we could work with clients. I was totally sold.” Her work has given her the opportunity to engage in a number of new experiences, such as working in the Netherlands office for two years, all while focusing on her passion of furthering diversity at Capgemini. Ratnayake was involved in launching the Emerging Talent Pathways Program for nontraditional recruits at Capgemini in 2022. “There are a lot of smart people who don’t go to university,

who can't afford it, but they’re highly skilled,” she says. “We specifically wanted to bring more women and under-represented minorities to Capgemini.”

This has since evolved as the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and approaches have changed over the years. “DEI is integrated in the way that we recruit, in the way that we go to market and the way that we have our project team compositions. I feel like we are not just talking about it, we’re actually doing it.”

The company also has a Career Comeback program for qualified women who may have left the workforce to start a family or for other reasons. Capgemini offers

eight weeks of training to become consultants. “It’s one of the best programs we’ve launched,” says Ratnayake, who also led the Women at Capgemini employee resource group (ERG) for two years. She is passionate about creating opportunities for women to grow at Capgemini and has chosen roles which support that mission. She has networked with people across Capgemini and has worked with the global team to develop her leadership skills.

“DEI is integrated in the way that we recruit, in the way that we go to market and the way that we have our project team compositions.”

— Gayani Ratnayake Head of Operations, Commercial and Contract Management Team for the Americas

Janet Pope, vice president of corporate responsibility and engagement for the Americas, says the company takes multiple approaches to its DEI initiatives. One is the ERGs, which help bring together people across the diverse global company, including 3,000 members in the U.S. and Canada. There are also numerous learning programs, including unconscious bias training that starts at the executive level, and measures to ensure interviewers do not let bias creep in. Leadership

 Capgemini Canada employees volunteering at a sponsored rugby event.

programs also support women, the Indigenous community and historically marginalized people in gaining opportunities “that retain them and get them more exposure to leaders,” she says. And as part of its holistic business strategy, Capgemini works with

clients and Indigenous organizations to ensure that Indigenous concerns are included in the consulting process.

Finally, says Pope, Capgemini is audited on all these measures by the Swiss-based EDGE Foundation, which certifies

Life at Capgemini is rewarding, fun and full of opportunity

workplace DEI. “It is a third-party audit process based on data and talking to our people,” she says. Capgemini Canada has been EDGE certified since 2017, achieving this distinction even before the organization was globally certified. And that recognition

is very important to Capgemini because, says Pope, while many companies set goals, fewer have those results validated by an external organization – which means the company can honestly say it is delivering on its diversity mandate. 

Goal of 40% of women in teams by 2025 Diversity programs for disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+

Inclusion Circles with open conversations led by leadership Career accelerator programs for women

 Capgemini Canada celebrates its employees during employee appreciation week.

CAST embeds equity in its culture and its services

As a front-line worker with the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) for the better part of 10 years, Tanika Newman learned the importance of working closely with community agencies to better serve families.

“Simply put, it takes a village to help keep children and families safe,” says Newman. “If we know there’s a program or service in the community that can help families overcome something they are struggling with, then that’s a win for everyone. In some cases, it may mean we can prevent opening up

a child protection file. And where intervention is necessary, it helps us identify and address the diverse needs of the families we serve.”

Newman is now applying these lessons in her role as manager of strategic community partnerships within the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) department, an increasingly ambitious and deliberative focus for the agency.

Her job is to evaluate longstanding partnerships, while constantly seeking out new opportunities to build bridges with individuals and groups that can help CAST support families in need.

These community partnerships are wide-ranging and include mental health, parenting and family counselling agencies.

Newman’s work is very much in keeping with CAST’s primary goal of keeping children and youth with their families and in their communities, whenever possible. If, in some cases, children must be brought to a place of safety, the goal is to work with their parents on building their capacity to care for them.

An understanding of the history and some of the current realities of child protection also informs

the need for community outreach.

“We need to acknowledge that, as a sector, child welfare has created a lot of trauma, particularly in Black and Indigenous communities,” says Newman. “Children and youth from these communities continue to be over-represented in our system, and so we have to ensure we are working with community partners to help change that.”

The department works on two inter-related fronts: helping build an internal EDI work culture and embedding the principles of EDI across the services provided to client families.

“You can’t look at things from just one perspective; a ‘one size fits all’ approach isn’t going to work.”

— Ana Ibarra Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The department’s director, Ana Ibarra, cites the recent establishment of several equity-seeking employee resource groups as a good example of building an internal culture. To date, there are four such groups, representing Black, East Asian, Muslim and 2SLGBTQ+ staff members.

“These groups help provide connections and representation that didn’t formally exist before,” says Ibarra. “They bring staff together from across the agency on a regular basis and provide a

 Children's Aid Society of Toronto employees learning about professional development at a leadership conference.

space for them to share part of their lived identities.”

In terms of embedding EDI into front-line services, Ibarra says much of it revolves around employee training and capacitybuilding. For example, the department has equity leads

whom service team members can consult when relevant issues arise with client families.

The work of the EDI department, she adds, is very much about looking at child protection through a different lens.

“In a city like Toronto, you have

so much diversity,” says Ibarra. “And it’s not just about different racial identities. We also need to look at things from multiple, intersecting perspectives. You can’t look at things from just one perspective; a ‘one size fits all’ approach isn’t going to work.”

Ibarra says what she enjoys most about her work is the opportunity to constantly learn and connect.

“I like being an intermediary between new ideas and implementation. That’s been a real privilege.” 

Diversity programs for new Canadians and 2SLGBTQ+

Racialized and Indigenous staff mentorship program Out and Proud program

Cultural safety training for leaders

 Children's Aid Society of Toronto employees attending a talk at a conference focusing on leadership for women.

Diversity builds career development at Enbridge

Many organizations have introduced programs focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) over the past few years, but Enbridge Inc. has gone further, establishing a unique initiative it calls The Human Library.

“It’s essentially a collection of stories about employees’ lived experiences,” says Jacqueline Bezaire, a senior advisor in the legal services department at the Calgary-based energy

infrastructure company. “There are articles and videos where people talk about bias and their journeys to feeling included.”

Bezaire, who worked in human resources at Enbridge before moving to legal services, was featured in one of them. “I was born with no fingers on my right hand, and I spent most of my life hiding it,” she says. “It takes a lot of energy for someone like me to tell their story over and over, and by capturing it in a video we can share the message without

continuing to ask people to put themselves out there.”

The videos are stored on the company’s intranet and viewable by all employees. “We encourage people to share them at meetings,” Bezaire says. “Mine was shared at an all-company forum, which was really impactful, as thousands of people had a chance to hear my message.”

The Human Library is just one of many programs Enbridge has established as part of its DEI efforts, according to chief human

resources and inclusion officer Melissa Moye. “We’re committed to being what we call a first-choice employer,” she says. “We value diversity of thought and an inclusive way of working that brings ideas and creativity and innovation out of everyone.”

In fact, Moye says, the organization’s DEI programs actually work to support professional development and career growth for its employees.

“We value diversity of thought and an inclusive way of working that brings ideas and creativity and innovation out of everyone.”

— Melissa Moye Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer

“We have a formal structure of employee resource groups focused on ethnic and racial groups, women, Indigenous people, veterans, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ staff,” she says. “And through them come mentorships, sponsorships and customized ways to advance training, leadership development and even benefit offerings, based on what we learn from these groups.”

Bezaire is the Canadian co-chair of Enbridge’s Diverse Abilities Network employee resource group. “Having all these different employee-led groups come together in a safe space, collaborate with each other and educate others about diversity is one remarkable

 Enbridge prioritizes inclusivity in its management and front-line roles by actively recruiting women for operational front-line positions.

Diversity and inclusion steering committee

Men Advocating Real Change workshops

Annual Women of Energy conference Engineering mentorship for Indigenous female students

way that Enbridge leads,” she says. “And we have some amazing champions at all levels of the organization who embrace and live inclusion day to day.”

Enbridge has also set goals for diverse representation in its workforce. “We’ve made public

some targets for hiring underrepresented groups, including women and people with disabilities,” says Bezaire. “And we have robust talent acquisition support to ensure our leaders are provided with resources to remove bias from our hiring practices.”

Tomorrow is what we make it.

That includes checks and balances and training to ensure unconscious biases are addressed and all applicants have equitable access to opportunities at Enbridge.

“We’re building those DEI questions and considerations into

And were making it happen today. By bridging to a cleaner energy future. Always reaching higher on a pathway to net zero. And looking for the brightest minds to help get us there. Tomorrow needs you. Join one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. Visit enbridge.com/careers. Tomorrow is on.™

the selection process,” Bezaire says. “We’re asking ourselves if we have the right representation here and are not just ticking boxes. It’s just ensuring that we’re approaching these processes from a more equitable and inclusive perspective.” 

 Enbridge focuses on building a vibrant community with seven inclusion networks and nine employee resource groups, nurturing diversity and offering support.

GHD builds communities with inclusion and respect

When Lyle Ahenakew was at university, he knew he wanted to use his education in environmental engineering to help Indigenous communities, like his own Snuneymuxw First Nation near Nanaimo, B.C. He found a way to do that by joining the Vancouver office of GHD Canada, part of the employee-owned global engineering, architecture and construction services company.

Ahenakew was able to take

part in a GHD Canada internship program focused on Indigenous students with backgrounds in forestry, chemistry, STEM (sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics) or other sciences. Now, three years later, he is an engineer in training in GHD Canada’s Waste Management group.

“The job gives me an opportunity to help remote First Nations with waste management,” he says. “What I like is that it encompasses different things for different

communities that include fulfilling needs for procurement, recycling logistics, civil design, leachate and gas collection.”

Jan Fontana, GHD’s people leader for Canada, says that the company’s focus on inclusion and diversity informs everything from hiring practices to committee appointments, as well as the establishment of employee resource groups to support diverse and often marginalized populations.

“The employee resource groups give our LGBTQ+, Hispanic,

Asian, Black, neurodiverse, Indigenous and women employees opportunities to get together and network,” she says. “Everyone is invited, allies are welcome to come and talk about what’s going on in the world, and there’s strong support from our leaders.”

Ahenakew is chair of GHD Canada’s Indigenous Employee Resource Group. “We have regular meetings, we put on events and focus on recruitment and allies,” he says. “It’s open to all employees and supports an inclusive work environment, and I really like that. We’re taking a lot of steps in the right direction to build on diversity in the workplace.”

“We’re taking a lot of steps in the right direction to build on diversity in the workplace.”

— Lyle Ahenakew Waste Management, Engineer in Training

In addition to leading the group, he’s also a member of GHD Canada’s Reconciliation Action Plan committee, which works on ways to acknowledge and respect the rights of First Nations in all its projects, including using Indigenous contractors and vendors when possible. “I’ve also been involved in developing wording for land acknowledgments to show respect for the different territories we’re meeting or working on,” he says.

Ahenakew appreciates his job’s flexibility, with a hybrid

 Lyle Ahenakew (right) meets with GHD Canada colleagues at a recent inclusion and diversity forum.

Diversity programs for Indigenous peoples and LGBTQ+ Diversity-related community partnerships

Vendor and supplier diversity initiatives

Employee resources and groups

work model that allows him to spend time with his family, and its variety. “I like that the work is always changing, there’s always a different project in a different community,” he says. “I also got a lot of responsibility early, which is great, because that’s how I learn.”

He also gets a lot of professional development support, including quarterly check-ins with his manager and mentorships with senior staff.

“On all the work I do, I have one or two senior engineers providing guidance and direction,

so I’m never left to do projects on my own,” he says. “I can get my hands on things and get involved in projects, but I’m always being mentored and it’s great. It builds your professional skills and experience.”

Fontana says that diversity and

inclusion, supporting employee development and sustainability are all part of the company’s vision to create lasting benefits in the communities it works with. “It’s built into our strategy and our purpose,” she says, “and it resonates with everyone at GHD. 

 Jan Fontana, people leader, Canada, at GHD Canada.

How DEI is helping GSK get ahead of disease

At GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), respecting and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is not just an essential part of good corporate culture. For the global biopharma company, it’s part of an ambition to create better health outcomes for patients around the world who rely on their medicines and vaccines.

From its business practices, including clinical trials and the external companies it chooses to work with, to the nurturing of an inclusive work environment, GSK

embraces diversity in all its forms.

“Having diversity in clinical trials is incredibly important,” says Marni Freeman, vice-president and country medical director, Canada. “We include individuals from diverse populations such as different ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds, to ensure we develop medicines and vaccines that best reflect disease epidemiology.”

Certain diseases can disproportionately affect different populations, says Freeman. “Gathering accurate data from

diverse participants allows us to develop vaccines and medicines that are effective and safe for the populations they are intended for.”

Making sure trials more accurately reflect the people most impacted by a particular disease is something that is taken seriously by pharmaceutical companies, and GSK is proud to be leading the way, she adds. In fact, the company has already surpassed one goal: 100 per cent of phase III trials started in 2023 had proactive demographic plans in place.

Inside the company, DEI is taken just as seriously. Dionne Lloyd has been with GSK for more than a decade, currently working as a regulatory affairs manager. What drew her to the company is the same thing that has kept her there.

“I’m in the pharmaceutical business to help provide health care, to give back how I can,” she says. “My values felt aligned with GSK’s. I was impressed with the company’s commitment to people and to providing a safe space for individuals.”

“It’s easier to recruit people when they see they are reflected.”

— Dionne Lloyd Regulatory Affairs Manager

Lloyd is co-chair of Mosaic, an employee resource group with a vision to draw upon the diverse knowledge, perspectives and talents of GSK’s Black employees to help make GSK a more diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace.

With the support of a member of the company’s leadership team, the group meets monthly – more if they are planning an event. Mosaic is one of several employee resource groups, and Lloyd feels GSK’s commitment to Mosaic, and to all resource groups, is a contributing factor to employee engagement. Other groups represent women, LGBTQ+, South Asians and people working with disabilities.

 At GSK, employees can join diverse employee resource groups that work to support their colleagues and cultivate an inclusive workplace.

Includes diverse patient populations in clinical trials

Supports diverse communities

Offers expansive employee network groups

Provides mandatory DEI training

 The focus on inclusivity at GSK is reflected in its recruitment of diverse clinical trial groups to prioritize representation across patient populations.

“Honestly the support we get is overwhelming and always humbling,” says Lloyd. “There’s strong appetite for our efforts, and our suggestions are regularly considered.” One suggestion was for Mosaic to participate in and support recruiting efforts. “It’s

easier to recruit people when they can see they are reflected,” she adds.

With help from its Women’s Leadership Initiative employee resource group, GSK has also taken big steps toward its aspiration of having at least 45 per cent

female representation in senior roles by 2025; by the end of 2023, 45 per cent of senior roles were held by women.

“I’m very proud to work at GSK and to have the opportunity to make the company more inclusive,” Lloyd adds. “We’ve made

good progress and we have more to do to ensure GSK is a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging. When I walk around the office, I can see a lot more people who look like me. Things are changing and it’s obvious. The company is dedicated to that.” 

Diversity helps IGM and its people thrive

As a senior human resources manager with the IGM Financial Inc. group of companies, Fatoumata Camara is doing work that both calls upon and sustains her passion for advancing a more equitable society.

“Contributing to positive change keeps me motivated and inspired,” says Camara, who’s been promoted five times since she was hired in Montréal in 2014. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and valued in spaces that are inclusive and respectful.”

Her words reflect her personal philosophy and IGM’s guiding principle to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the organization, which includes Mackenzie Investments and IG

Wealth Management.

Camara is directly involved in planning and executing DEI initiatives. Her responsibilities also include supporting and advising regional leaders on DEI-related workplace issues, from how to have difficult conversations to identifying and removing barriers to inclusion.

An award-winning community organizer, Camara is also on the leadership team for the Black business resource group (Black BRG) for all IGM companies. It’s one of seven such BRGs, employee -led volunteer groups that take an active role in advancing IGM’s commitment to DEI.

Engaging people at the grassroots level is just one of the ways IGM is applying a DEI lens

to all its activities. Indeed, the organization has a comprehensive range of policies and practices relating to everything from setting and evaluating strategies to career and succession planning.

And everyone – from the executive suite, where a DEI Council sets the tone, to outside vendors and suppliers expected to meet certain standards – is covered.

Chief human resources officer Cynthia Currie says IGM focuses on those areas where, as a wealth and asset management company, it can have the greatest impact.

To that end, IGM has set specific targets for increasing representation from under-represented groups, including the number of women executives, Black executives, and Indigenous employees

and interns.

It’s one of the reasons IGM works with a variety of non-profit organizations committed to serving and creating opportunities for diverse communities. “We have formed a number of key partnerships,” Currie says. “They’re helping us a lot and expanding our reach.”

“Contributing to positive change keeps me motivated and inspired.”

— Fatoumata Camara Senior Human Resources Manager

In Winnipeg, for example, IG Wealth Management is refocusing community investments from pure sponsorship to supporting education and career path development to enhance financial well-being among Indigenous and newcomer students. This includes multi-year partnership agreements with Pathways to Education Winnipeg and Red River College Polytech that will provide a variety of educational supports, including tutoring, mentorships, scholarships and internships.

Feedback from surveys indicates these measures are working. Employees are more satisfied and engaged with IGM’s DEI initiatives each year, Currie says. Other data shows that membership in the BRGs has increased 300 per cent since 2022.

That growth took place when IGM expanded the charters

 IGM employees at an awareness event hosted by its Black business resource group.

Monthly inclusive leadership profiles

Allyship and reconciliation webinars

One-year women’s sponsorship program Return to Bay Street program for women

of BRGs, similar to employee resource groups at many other organizations. Created to foster DEI, the BRGs are closely aligned with IGM’s business strategy and goals.

That includes programs and initiatives that are mainly focused

on career development, mentoring and networking for DEI impact. Camara, for example, was part of a pilot project to create a Black mentorship program where she was responsible for recruiting mentors and mentees and has also played a role in helping increase

retention rates. “There are real business requirements and needs the BRGs can help solve,” Currie says, adding that the BRGs are also intended to help their members develop leadership skills, grow in confidence and be successful.

That’s been the case for Camara,

who says serving as a member of the Black BRG’s leadership team has helped her professionally. “I’ve developed management skills that have helped me become a well-rounded leader,” she says. “I see all kinds of possibilities to continue to learn and grow.” 

IGM is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers

 IGM employees enjoying various dishes at an Asian History Month event.

The LCBO mixes DEI into its culture and DNA

Kanwardeep Sran was a teacher at an educational college before he immigrated to Canada, and he loves helping and educating others. Though he eventually switched his career path, he still gets to flex those muscles as a Good Culture Ambassador for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).

The Good Culture Ambassadors, a group of more than 800 employee volunteers spread out across LCBO stores, warehouses and offices, update their colleagues on key culture

initiatives across its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and are available to answer questions. When the program launched, Sran, a shift supervisor at the LCBO’s Greater Toronto Area service centre, put up his hand.

“It’s a group of people who are passionate about building an inclusive culture and helping other employees,” he says. “It’s all a team effort – everybody’s working hard, from leadership to our front lines.” Chief people officer Barb Keenan says the Good Culture Ambassadors program is one way the LCBO has been integrating

DEI into the fabric of the organization. It was the opportunity to build and launch such programs that initially attracted her to the provincial Crown corporation in 2020 when she was considering what she wanted next in her career.

“My passions are around diversity, inclusion, mental health and really supporting employees. If you don’t get that right and have a good culture, the rest doesn’t flow sustainably,” she says. “I found that culture in the LCBO.”

The LCBO had done a lot of “wonderful work” on DEI when she joined but had no formal

strategy. So in 2022 it launched one, with 10 initiatives aimed at strengthening its culture and “aggressive timelines” for completing them. To date, it has added an inclusive competency; refreshed its corporate values to include being a safe place for all and celebrating authenticity; introduced mandatory unconscious bias and inclusive leadership training; added education for leaders on creating psychologically safe workplaces; and made DEI a crucial part of its Spirit of Sustainability platform.

“It’s all a team effort – everybody’s working hard, from leadership to our front lines.”

— Kanwardeep Sran Shift Supervisor

The organization and its four employee resource groups (ERGs) also host a popular series of fireside chats and seminars on topics such as inclusive language, truth and reconciliation and more. Keenan participated in a fireside chat on mental health with the chief information officer and a district manager, talking “very vulnerably” about their own personal experiences.

“We want to establish that this is a safe place to have those discussions,” she says. “It’s like a pebble in the pond; we had 350 people on that call, and if that makes even half of those people feel safe, it starts the ripple effect. They’re likely to tell their co-workers, and hopefully it proliferates from there.”

Sran himself was part of that

 LCBO employees marching in the Capital Pride Parade in Ottawa.

ripple effect. After attending a webinar on employee mental health, he was moved to learn that by age 40, roughly 50 per cent of people will be dealing with or have dealt with a mental health issue, and shared information on the company’s mental health

resources with his team.

Throughout the year, the LCBO also celebrates and recognizes dates that matter to employees, such as religious holidays, Black History Month, Truth and Reconciliation Day, and Pride. Last year during Pride, the LCBO made

There is a world of opportunities at the

donations to charities affiliated with 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations. Its Pride Network ERG also put out a call for employees and their friends and families to march in parades in Toronto, Ottawa and North Bay, Ont., alongside LCBO

senior leaders.

“We’re very much trying to provide visible support and leadership on all of those areas,” Keenan says. “I think we’ve been successful, and I’m so proud of what we’ve done. It has become part of our DNA.” 

Formal DEI roadmap governed by an Inclusion Leadership Council 800+ Good Culture Ambassadors fostering inclusion

16% membership in employee resource groups

51% women in leadership roles

 LCBO values being a safe place for all and celebrating authenticity at its workplace.

An opportunity for women in trades at Manitoba Hydro

Alyssa Seniuk had worked for four years as a tradesperson doing plumbing when she heard about the culture at Manitoba Hydro. “People were saying it has a patient environment, not to mention great benefits and job security,” says Seniuk, now a trainee power electrician. “It seemed that people there had put thought into making it a company you’d want to work for.”

Manitoba Hydro started a

pre-placement program for women in trades in 2021. Seniuk applied, went through an evaluation process that includes both an aptitude and skills assessment, and was ultimately invited to join a woman’s pre-placement program for power electricians.

“Physics is a pre-requisite and, at 31, it would have been hard for me to support myself to go back to school, but they allowed me to upgrade during my paid pre-placement,” she says. “Two years later, I have a trainee

position with Hydro, which supports me in going through the power electrician program at Red River College.”

Manitoba Hydro is a provincial Crown corporation and one of the largest integrated electricity and natural gas distribution utilities in Canada. The corporation has its head office in Winnipeg with operations throughout the province.

“Manitoba Hydro is committed to having a workforce that reflects the community it serves,” says

Lisa Leochko, talent acquisition and diversity, equity and inclusion manager. To this end, new hires complete an employment equity self-declaration form, which assists the corporation in understanding the makeup of its workforce, particularly marginalized groups.

“The face of Manitoba Hydro is becoming more diverse, which brings new perspectives and new ideas.”

— Lisa Leochko Talent Acquisition and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager

“Currently, 24.6 per cent of our workforce is women and we would like to see that grow to 30 per cent,” says Leochko. As a sub-component, the corporation set a goal 10 years ago to have women in trades make up at least four per cent of the workforce, and the pre-placement programs have helped to achieve this goal as of 2023. The six-month women’s pre-placement program provides access to work that Leochko says women have found challenging to break into in the past.

Once a woman is hired at Manitoba Hydro, the support doesn’t stop there. “We have a women-in-trades forum which facilitates mentoring opportunities and acts as a feedback mechanism to the corporation,”

 Members of the Indigenous Awareness Circle work to raise awareness about Indigenous history and culture at Manitoba Hydro.

Dedicated Indigenous employment advisor

Pre-placement programs for women and Indigenous Peoples in trades

Customizable awareness training on disability and LGBTQ+ topics

$100,000+ in bursaries, scholarships and awards for students

say Leochko.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work at Portage la Prairie and at our Dorsey Plant in Rosser,” says Seniuk. “I’ve completed three rotations and there have been women working at every location. The people I’ve met have put

time into me, giving me hands-on training.”

Leochko says Manitoba Hydro has been working to diversify its workforce for the past 20 years. Programming to address systemic barriers includes a course on interviewing without bias and

the use of diversity competency questions for leadership interviews. The corporation also has pre-placement programs for Indigenous Peoples leading to trades positions, and offers Project Search, a volunteer work experience program for high

school students with intellectual disabilities, among other initiatives.

“The face of Manitoba Hydro is becoming more diverse, which brings new perspectives and new ideas,” says Leochko. “That’s what we need to serve our customers.” 

 Manitoba Hydro hires diverse team members in many fields including fleet services.

Manulife fosters a workplace where all feel included

Growing up in a family of different colours, religions, races and ethnicities, diversity was the norm for Manulife Canada executive Michelle Joy Rafat. Her parents hail from Guyana in South America, part of the Caribbean, where Indigenous, Black, Brown, Asian and European communities all mix together in the Caribbean culture.

“In my family alone, we are Christian, we are Hindu, we are Muslim, and we celebrate it all – not one more than the other,” says Rafat, assistant vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for Canada. “That’s my identity, so I’ve just naturally taken that lens and approach in the field

of human resources.”

After a conversation with Michelle Taylor-Jones, global chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, convinced Rafat that Manulife leadership shared her vision, she joined the insurance giant as director of DEI for Canada in late 2021, moving into her current position in 2023.

“My career journey speaks to the company’s culture of learning and recognition,” says Rafat. “My expanded role allows me the opportunity to work, internally and externally, with a lot of our leaders, businesses, colleagues and stakeholders to truly evolve Manulife’s agenda to build an inclusive environment.”

The company’s DEI strategy

has four pillars, encompassing workforce, workplace, business and community.

“Workforce is the diversity of our organization while workplace is our culture – the colleague experience coming to life,” explains Rafat. “It’s the work we do to create that psychologically safe space for everyone.

“Business goes beyond our products into how we treat our customers and the collections of data. Community is about impactful investment – our strategic partners and organizations aimed at addressing systemic barriers among marginalized groups.”

Accountability for DEI is leader-driven in multiple ways.

“We hold our top leaders

accountable, and they hold their own leaders accountable,” says Rafat. “It funnels down throughout the organization, built into our culture, core values and DNA. Nothing is ever perfect, but we try our best to be as inclusive as possible.”

“We hold our top leaders accountable, and they hold their own leaders accountable.”

— Michelle Joy Rafat Assistant Vice President, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - Canada

Rafat is also focused on the Indigenous community and reconciliation in Canada, including clear actions that demonstrate Manulife’s commitment. The opening of the new Indigenous Legacy Space at its global headquarters in Toronto was especially “near and dear to my heart,” she says, as a project she launched in partnership with Manulife’s Indigenous Peoples & their Allies (IPTA) employee resource group (ERG). Globally, Manulife has 14 ERGs with 31 chapters and over 11,000 members.

Carrie Haggerty, director, global search engine optimization and co-chair of IPTA, says the opening ceremonies gave her goosebumps.

“People came in drumming and singing,” says Haggerty, a Métis who identifies as two-spirited.

“I got to stand on stage with my colleagues to open a space that’s

Employees from the Pursuit Leader Series learning program at Manulife celebrating Lunar New Year.

really important to the Indigenous community with all our leaders in attendance.”

Manulife has Legacy Spaces in its Toronto and Waterloo, Ont., offices, dedicated to providing education and spreading awareness of Indigenous history

and reconciliation. The spaces are equipped with special ventilation to allow for smudging ceremonies.

“Through IPTA, we’re educating a lot of people who didn’t understand our culture or history,” says Haggerty. “We do things as simple as a beading class

where guests tell stories, and we have speakers come in, such as Michelle Good, who wrote ‘Five Little Indians.’ Over 1,200 people attended for her, in person and online, wanting to understand and learn more – so the appetite is there.”

What Haggerty values most at Manulife is being able to go to work authentically and safely.

“Feeling like you don’t have to hide any part of yourself is so important,” she says. “You want to do your job and do it better so that the company excels as well.” 

 Manulife employees celebrating diversity and inclusion at a Pride parade.

Employment equity is embedded at McMaster University

Katherine Hesson-Bolton understands the value of seeing the big picture. As an employment equity facilitator at McMaster University, Hesson-Bolton, who uses the pronouns she/they, was recently involved in a hiring process.

By this point in her/their career, she/they had already spent the past five years connecting employers with students, leading conversations around diversity hiring and removing barriers to inclusion in the workplace. Hesson-Bolton was the university’s first diversity employment coordinator supporting students.

So when Hesson-Bolton encouraged her/their colleagues to look at more than just candidates’ professional certifications when hiring, the colleagues listened.

“Have they managed a family or been a caregiver? Have they balanced school and work? That’s

someone who’s got great time management, resilience and determination,” Hesson-Bolton says. “Those are wonderful, transferable skills.”

Looking at the bigger picture helped ensure great candidates weren’t overlooked.

Today, Hesson-Bolton continues to support students as the manager, talent partnerships and employer relations with the Student Success Centre. On top of that, she/they are one of 347 individuals trained to serve as employment equity facilitators within their department, supporting inclusion in the workplace.

“One thing that I’ve noticed over my time with the university is how it has diversified its hiring and recruitment,” Hesson-Bolton explains. “That’s exciting to see, not just from my role, but also my own identities and intersectionality.”

Willingness to change the traditional approach to recruitment

along with creative outreach and the employment equity facilitators are all part of the success of McMaster’s equitable hiring practices.

The result is a highly skilled staff that reflects the broader community both locally and globally.

“One does not need to sacrifice talent or excellence to pursue goals of inclusion and diversity,” says Barrington Walker, vice-provost, equity and inclusion.

“Thinking critically about what sorts of lenses you want people to bring to the work that they do is important, as is thinking about the role of lived experience,” he explains.

Building and maintaining strong relationships within the community is another important way that the university attracts talent.

“It doesn’t hurt that McMaster is one of the top research universities in Canada with a very

strong national and international reputation,” he adds.

Equitable hiring practices are a piece of a much larger commitment to equity and inclusion at the university.

“The thing that I’ve noticed over my time with the university is how it has diversified its hiring and recruitment. That’s exciting to see, not just from my role, but also my own identities and intersectionality.”

— Katherine Hesson-Bolton Manager, Talent Partnerships and Employer Relations

Among many initiatives, Walker is particularly proud of the Black Student Success Centre, which follows the principles outlined in the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education and the It Takes All of Us learning module on gender-based and sexual violence from McMaster’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office.

The list of university resources and initiatives in support of equity and inclusion is lengthy but important and a sign of its longstanding commitment to inclusivity. As part of an initiative to support the launch of the university’s new Employment Equity Census, employees have shared their perspective and experiences

 The chair (second from the right) and vice-chairs of the Black, Indigenous and racialized staff employee resource group at McMaster University.

on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace, in an online video series, titled Diversity Counts at McMaster.

“This wasn’t a case of an institution that had begun to take these things seriously post-2020,” says Walker, reflecting on when

he joined the university in 2023. “There was a longer history of concerted action and attention to these issues.”

While McMaster University has made great strides for equity and inclusion, there’s always more that can be done.

“With any kind of equity, inclusion and accessibility it’s an ongoing process – it’s never perfect,” says Hesson-Bolton. “But McMaster responds much more and sooner when there are changes that need to be addressed and learns from them.”

Hesson-Bolton has also felt the sense of inclusion fostered by McMaster on a personal level.

“This is probably one of the most satisfying places I’ve ever worked,” says Hesson-Bolton. “And one of the places where I truly feel respected and included.” 

We’re hiring!

We’re proud to be one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.

Fostering a community of belonging, with a shared purpose. Together. Come join us.

Strategic Excellence and Equity in Recruitment and Retention Program Inclusive Excellence leadership program

Black, Indigenous and Racialized Staff Employee Resource Group (BIRS ERG)

AccessMac accessibility hub

 McMaster University employees and community members commemorating National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at its Indigenous Circle.

Real change comes from within at Niagara Health

When Charity Beland joined Niagara Health in 2023, she was excited by the opportunity to make a real impact by creating a safe and welcoming environment for the Indigenous community.

“After working in the community as an advocate in health care, I wanted to do more to create change on a systemic level,” says Beland, manager of the new Indigenous health services and Reconciliation team.

A year later, Beland is inspired by the change she sees and helps implement at Niagara Health, one of Ontario’s largest hospital organizations.

Previously, Beland could provide only so much patient support, but working with Niagara Health gave her the ability to affect the big

picture for Indigenous patients accessing health care in Niagara.

The Indigenous health services and Reconciliation team was created to help improve health care equity and safety for Indigenous community members after the tragic death of a young woman, Heather Winterstein, in 2021.

“To have an entire team dedicated to not only improving the experience that Indigenous patients have when navigating the health-care system but also gaining the opportunity to make changes to the system itself – it’s humbling but also a huge responsibility,” Beland says.

“I have the ability to raise awareness about the policies and practices that create inequities, and be heard and respected by the leadership team at Niagara Health.”

The team of five supports staff, patients and families across all Niagara Health sites through advocacy, cultural and emotional support, and access to traditional medicines, ceremonies and elders.

The team is one of several new diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives Niagara Health has implemented for both patients and staff with active support and guidance from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee. As part of its holistic approach to building a diverse and inclusive culture, Niagara Health has prioritized educating and training its teams by developing dedicated resources such as videos, FAQs and reading material to support further learning.

It has also launched a bursary program, a mentorship program, mandatory cultural awareness

training, Honouring Truth and Reconciliation Month, and an internationally educated nurse’s orientation program.

“People are the basis of everything we do at Niagara Health – both patients and our team members,” explains Fiona Peacefull, executive vice president of human resources.

“Connecting with a variety of communities and building partnerships with other organizations that are serving our patients help us to deliver better care.”

“Our goal is to have Indigenous community members enter any Niagara Health site and feel welcome, respected and safe to access care that is reflective of who they are and what they need.”

— Charity Beland Manager, Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation

The new bursary program grows talent from within the organization by providing funding for members of equity-deserving groups to pursue a range of professional development. This includes educational opportunities to bridge registered practical nurse to registered nurse certifications.

Launched organization-wide in 2023, a new mentorship program provides professional growth, reduces barriers for equitydeserving and under-represented

 Charity Beland, manager, Indigenous health services and Reconciliation, at Niagara Health.

individuals and diversifies talent within the organization.

These initiatives belong to a larger strategic plan called Transforming Care, which aims to ensure everyone who accesses Niagara Health feels safe and cared for, explains Peacefull.

“It is our intention that patients experience that spirit of inclusion and recognize that we are on a path of reflection and learning,” she says.

Peacefull is hopeful the organization’s commitment to DEI helps those accessing health care,

staff and physicians see improved patient outcomes, among other benefits.

For Beland, these services and training are a way to help rebuild trust within the Indigenous community.

“We hope to get to a place where

Indigenous community members are no longer afraid to access care,” she says. “Our goal is to have Indigenous community members enter any Niagara Health site and feel welcome, respected and safe to access care that is reflective of who they are and what they need.” 

Putting people first is the basis of everything we do at Niagara Health. We’re proud to be one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.

Inclusive recruitment process

Diverse mentorship program Support programming for internationally educated nurses Indigenous cultural safety training

 Niagara Health staff and physicians have the opportunity to participate in traditional Indigenous smudging ceremonies.

The City of Ottawa listens to its people’s voices

Amanda Bagalacsa is a second-generation Filipina Canadian, one of the City of Ottawa’s diversity and inclusion programs and projects specialists and the lead for the Asian Heritage Affinity Group, which is part of the City’s employee-led networks based on social identity. She feels she’s uniquely positioned to help advance the City’s equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) commitments.

“Having my voice be heard and having trusting relationships

have allowed me to discover and develop the skills and abilities that have led me to where I am today, growing from just having a job to having a career,” says Bagalacsa, who has been with the City since 2011.

In 2023, with interdepartmental collaboration and leadership support, the Asian Heritage Affinity Group spearheaded the #ReclaimMyName Campaign, where Bagalacsa (pronounced “bah-gah-LUCK-sah”) filmed a video sharing her name, culture, heritage and family’s story. The

staff-led initiative’s goal was to build cultural confidence, nurture connections and empower employees.

“We’re challenging the notion that we need to sacrifice pieces of ourselves, like a name that might be difficult to pronounce, to make others feel comfortable,” says Bagalacsa. “My identity is so deeply rooted in my heritage, and it’s important for me to share my stories and culture with others, both in my personal and professional lives. I’m grateful that I’m able to bring my authentic self

to work and into my work every day.”

Employees’ psychological safety and well-being is a priority at the City. “As leaders, it’s incumbent upon us to lead by example because it demonstrates the workplace is where everyone can feel safe,” says Clara Freire, general manager of community and social services. “We strive to foster an environment that’s free of discrimination and bullying, and where people can voice concerns without fear of backlash.”

“We’re fostering a culture where people are respected and valued because of their differences, not in spite of them.”

— Amanda Bagalacsa Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Projects Specialist

In 2023, the City launched an all-staff survey based on the factors that contribute to a psychologically safe workplace. “The survey asked tough questions, and we had to be prepared to hear tough answers,” says Freire. “I’m proud of where we are, but we have lots of work left to do as we respond to the needs of our staff who deliver critical services to our community.”

Over the past several years, robust initiatives have been developed to address EDIB, including the Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan in 2018, the Women

 Amanda Bagalacsa is a diversity and inclusion programs and projects specialist and the lead for the Asian Heritage Affinity Group at the City of Ottawa.

Health and wellness programs informed by needs of diverse employees

Older Adult Plan to support seniors and their quality of life

Accessibility working group

Awards for outstanding staff achievements supporting diversity and equity

and Gender Equity Strategy in 2022 and the Anti-Racism Strategy in 2023. “We’re evolving those plans and relationships and challenging the status quo,” says Freire. “It’s important to have the big plans and to follow through on them, but also to listen to what

our employees are saying every day.”

Part of the strategies involve various training and learning opportunities to help employees at all levels understand anti-racism principles and identify barriers. One aspect 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.

“First we need to learn about individual differences, intersectional identities and strengths,

then have an open dialogue by listening actively, speaking mindfully and showing compassion,” says Bagalacsa. “We’re fostering a culture where people are respected and valued because of their differences, not in spite of them.” 

 Clara Freire is the general manager of community and social services at the City of Ottawa.

RBC empowers persons with disabilities to thrive

Before Ahmed A. launched his career with RBC, he had spent six fruitless years looking for his ideal job. He says that despite his academic and professional qualifications, he could always tell by the tone of the questions about his visual impairment that he wouldn’t be invited back for a second interview.

But in his first interview for a six-month internship with RBC, he says he spoke for the first time with someone eager to help him be successful. That included assurances upon receiving approval that the technology in the office

where he’d be working could be made compatible with his personal screen-reading software.

“I knew somebody would give me an opportunity one day,” Ahmed says. “All it required was a positive attitude and a willingness to provide the accommodations I need.”

RBC hired him full-time in 2015. Since then, his knowledge and training as a chartered professional accountant (CPA) have helped him flourish in four different roles. One involved a transfer to a new department where RBC again adapted its technology to accommodate him in the workplace.

In 2020, Ahmed became a manager with the enterprise finance team. He says he’d discovered his passion for accounting in high school and ignored the naysayers who said he’d never succeed in such a highly visual field.

Still, he says he wouldn’t be doing work that means so much to him without all the support he’s received from RBC.

“My visual impairment is not my biggest challenge,” he says. “Overcoming attitudinal barriers is my biggest challenge. RBC has created an environment that has enabled me to thrive.”

That work continues. In

keeping with its long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I), RBC established an Enterprise Accessibility Office in 2023 to enhance and accelerate accessibility and inclusion throughout the organization.

In partnership with different teams, the office is setting goals, acting on feedback and consistently evaluating opportunities to improve accessibility at RBC.

“I knew somebody would give me an opportunity one day. All it required was a positive attitude and a willingness to provide the accommodations I need.”

— Ahmed A. Manager, Enterprise Finance Team

Mia de Freitas, director, accessibility enablement, says that identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility is one of the office’s top priorities aligned with RBC’s value of diversity and inclusion.

More than one in five Canadians aged 15 and older, or 8 million people, have at least one disability.

Initiatives to reduce physical barriers to accessibility in RBC’s built environment and its online presence will benefit clients and other members of the public as well as employees, de Freitas says.

“Providing accessible, inclusive services is core to our values and RBC’s purpose – to help clients thrive and communities prosper,” she adds.

 Ahmed A., manager, enterprise finance team, at RBC.

Accessibility Plan outlines progress and actions

Employee resource group for persons with disabilities

“Supporting individuals to disclose a disability can help us better understand the varied and specific needs or our employees,” de Freitas says. “This will allow us to provide the right supports to enable them to flourish in their

To help change mindsets, RBC offers a wide variety of programs, initiatives and resources. This includes training programs specifically for RBC’s people managers who have a critical role in creating welcoming workplaces to foster a sense of belonging, de Freitas says.

Ahmed A., who has contributed to various D&I initiatives at RBC, says he’s now also a keen advocate for the Accessibility Office.

“This office is a game changer,” he says. “Accessibility can often be an afterthought, but this is bringing it to the forefront.” 

Work where you feel you belong.

 Mia de Freitas, director, accessibility enablement, at RBC.

The caring culture at TD is inclusive by design

Yvonne Wright, event coordinator, diversity & inclusion (D&I), has experienced working in many different departments during her 34-year career at TD Bank Group, but that’s not the only reason why she’s stayed so long.

“There’s so much opportunity to be able to move around and try different things,” says Wright. “It’s like a new job each time, but in the same company. You get to improve your skill set and acquire a fresh lens to bring to the next posting. I love that about TD!”

Wright initially started out with TD Credit Cards and then moved into telephone banking before going back to school to do her bachelor of arts. While studying, TD accommodated her schedule, allowing her to cut back to part-time and then return to full-time once she graduated. When an opportunity arose in the D&I team, an area she wanted to pursue, Wright jumped at it.

“Being a woman of colour and someone who has an invisible disability, I was already a big advocate for volunteering and giving back to the community,”

says Wright. “I enjoy working in D&I because I get to see first-hand what the bank is doing to be more inclusive, by helping provide access to designated spaces such as prayer rooms, mothering rooms, gender-neutral bathrooms and workplace accommodations for individual needs.

“At TD, we encourage everyone to bring their authentic self to work, whatever your gender, diversity, disability or ability. TD really tries to accommodate everyone.” Wright believes in TD so much that her daughter Eltisha also works for the company.

Upal Hossain, associate vice president, product group technology lead, joined TD in 2015 as a software engineer and briefly left, but returned after 14 months. He quickly got a management opportunity and then grew into more senior levels of leadership, becoming an executive three years ago.

“One thing that became clear to me very quickly was the consistent culture of care at TD,” says Hossain. “I came back because I found the sense of accomplishment I get delivering things here is greater. This is my second inning but I’m here for the long term.”

“With TD being such a large company with so many lines of businesses, the career possibilities are almost endless.”

— Upal Hossain Associate Vice President, Product Group Technology Lead

Born in Bangladesh, Hossain came to Canada when he was 10 years old, opening his first bank account at a TD branch. He recalls staff were always very respectful to customers, and he’s found the same respect given to colleagues. Like Wright, he sees lots of opportunities for a diverse career experience.

“I never saw myself as a banker because I’m tech-minded, but somehow I ended up working in a bank,” says Hossain. “Now I’m doing my MBA on the side and

 Upal Hossain is the associate vice president, product group technology lead at TD Bank

TD has been helping me with that as well. I can see myself taking on business segment roles in the future. With TD being such a large company with so many lines of businesses, the career possibilities are almost endless.”

His current job in technology

has helped him see the importance of D&I from a different angle.

“When you work in data, D&I is at the forefront,” says Hossain. “If you look at the decisions we make that really impact our customers and colleagues, diversity of

thought matters. TD is very inclusive by design, involving different communities we have within the bank to inform decision-making, which is healthy because it provides greater diversity.”

At TD, diversity and inclusion are part of the fundamental values

shaping how the bank strives to help support its customers, colleagues and communities –and move towards creating a barrier-free culture for everyone.

“We are always changing,”

Wright says. “We’re always moving forward together.” 

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

 Yvonne Wright, event coordinator, diversity & inclusion, is celebrating her 34-year career with TD Bank.

Thales takes an all-encompassing view of inclusion

When Jacqueline Goveas joined Ottawa-based Thales Canada Inc. as a junior systems engineer in 2019, she was nervous about entering the workforce right from university and concerned that her background was in aerospace, not maritime, engineering. One thing that didn’t worry her? That she would be among only a handful of female employees.

“I didn’t think much about it, but when I started, I was pleasantly surprised at how many women did work there,” says Goveas, now a systems engineer working remotely from Mississauga, Ont. “Many of them became my mentors, and I still look up to them.”

Thales Canada offers leading

capabilities in defence, civil aviation and digital identity and security – bringing missioncritical technologies to customers in Canada and around the world, and doing so in ways that make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.

Goveas was put on a project supporting the offshore oceanographic science vessel being built in Vancouver for the Canadian Coast Guard. She worked on the vessel’s communications and navigation systems. “That project sounded exciting to me, and it’s what attracted me to Thales,” she says.

Unlike Goveas, Cara Salci didn’t have a background in engineering. But the vice president of strategy and government relations, with

a diverse background in health care and politics, knew right away that her strategic communications experience would be valued. “I was well aware that my voice was welcome around the table – that set the tone for me,” she says.

Among its many diversityminded initiatives, Thales partners on the Canadian Industrial Leadership Award (CILA), which aims to increase employment, development and advancement opportunities for women in the defence and security sectors. Each year, CILA awards fully paid internships and executive mentorships to up to 10 women enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs at Canadian universities and colleges. The

students also receive a $6,000 bursary and the opportunity for full-time employment after they complete their program.

While Thales is a leader in recruiting and retaining women in STEM, its view of diversity, equity and inclusion is all encompassing. In support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action, the company pursues opportunities to collaborate on long-term sustainable economic-development projects that benefit Indigenous communities. “We’re committed to reaching out to diverse communities in safe and culturally relevant ways,” says Salci.

“We’re a diverse group of people who are different ages and have different backgrounds, but we have one goal – to make sure people have a voice to make purposeful change.”

— Jacqueline Goveas Systems Engineer

Thales Canada is a nonIndigenous member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and has committed to pursuing its Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification. “This will ensure that our path forward is lined with signposts to guide and gauge our progress,” says Salci. In 2022, an Indigenous land-blessing ceremony was held

 Thales Canada supports women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs by awarding fully paid internships, executive mentorships and bursaries.

Wellness diversity program

Vendor and supplier diversity initiatives

Diversity-related employee resource groups

Diversity programs for new Canadians and disabilities

at the site of Thales’ future facility at the Malahat Nation in British Columbia, a meaningful first step in its reconciliation journey.

Thales is also dedicated to fostering a family-friendly workplace culture that supports the needs of employees and

their families. And through a commitment to fighting all forms of discrimination, the company strives to promote and support gender-diverse employees through the Pride in Diversity group and the LGBTQ+ employee resource group. “Diversity, equity and

inclusion is more than table talk at Thales,” says Salci.

As a young woman of colour in a STEM role, Goveas can attest to that. An active volunteer member of the Engagement Committee working toward creating sustainable engagement,

she feels seen and heard. “We’re a diverse group of people who are different ages and have different backgrounds, but we have one goal – to make sure people have a voice to make purposeful change,” she says. “I feel like I’m doing that at Thales.” 

Say HI* to balance and excellence

*Human Intelligence

 At Thales Canada, employees have opportunities to share their backgrounds and support each other through employee resource groups.

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 Top Employers.

Now entering its 25th year, our project is the nation’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers.

For information on next year’s application process, visit: CanadasTop100.com/2025

Applications for our 2025 competition will be released in February and must be returned by May.