Inclusiveness increasingly seen as key success factor of leading employers

The winners of this year’s Canada’s Best Diversity Employers competition, sponsored by BMO Financial Group, were announced last month recognizing 50 organizations that lead the nation in creating diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Each year, the editorial team at Canada’s Top 100 Employers reviews the top employer pool to identify the leading organizations that have developed a wide range of initiatives, including programs for: women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, aboriginal peoples, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples.

“We are seeing a significant expansion in the range of inclusiveness initiatives that leading employers offer,” says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project at Mediacorp Canada Inc., which oversees the selection process. “Employers with well-established diversity programs are moving beyond the groups that traditionally have been covered.”

“As a founding partner of the competition, it’s our hope that we can encourage all Canadian organizations to be Diversity Champions,” said Lynn Roger, Senior Vice President, Talent Strategies and Executive Resourcing at BMO Financial Group. “It’s encouraging to see that employers are working harder to see Canadians’ talents instead of their differences, and accept their credentials instead of hiding behind preconceptions. In the end, all of us in our business community must work to ensure that all Canadians get the opportunity to prove themselves. Only through their participation and success will the barriers fall away.

“Through our own deep experience we know that diversity and inclusion is a ‘must have’ that leads to stronger corporate performance, more successful and engaged employees, and the delivery of relevant products, services and advice to our customers. BMO has been developing innovative diversity programs since 1989. Our Pre-Employment Training program for people with disabilities and the Ron Jamieson Aboriginal Scholarship and Internship program are just two very successful examples of how we reach out to groups that are under-represented in Canada’s workforce. Finding new and innovative ways to help integrate Canadians and their skills into our operations is just the way we do things – it’s how we help all of our employees reach their full potential,” added Ms. Roger.

“The diversity conversation is changing,” says Trevor Wilson, President of TWI Inc., the consulting firm that pioneered a diversity measurement methodology called The Equity Continuum and a founding partner of the competition. “Employers are realizing that inclusiveness starts with the individual, and extends beyond designated groups – real diversity initiatives aim to optimize the human capital each of us brings to an organization, based on our own unique backgrounds, abilities and life experiences.”

Mediacorp editors select winners on the basis of the applications reviewed.
The editors’ full reasons for why each of the 2012 winners was selected can be found at: http://CanadasTop100.com/diversity.

This year’s winners were: Agrium Inc., Amex Canada Inc., BC Hydro, Boeing Canada Operations Ltd., Bombardier Aerospace, Business Development Bank of Canada, Cameco Corporation, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Capital District Health Authority, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Corus Entertainment Inc., Deloitte & Touche, Ernst& Young, Frasier Milner Casgrain LLP, Health Canada-Santé Canada, Hewlett-Packard Canada Ltd., The Home Depot, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Information Services Corporation/ISC, Jazz Aviation LP, KPMG, Loblaw Companies Ltd., Manitoba Hydro, Government of Manitoba, Mount Sinai Hospital, National Bank Financial Group, Newalta Corporation, Northwestel Inc., Ontario Public Service, City of Ottawa, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, City of Saskatoon, SaskPower, SaskTel, Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology, Shell Canada Ltd., Stantec Consulting Ltd., Statistics Canada, Sikeman Elliott LLP, TD Bank Group, Telus Corporation, TransCanada Corporation, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, City of Vancouver, Workers’ Compensation Board of Manitoba, Xerox Canada Inc., and YMCA of Greater Toronto.