Ford Motor Co. and Unifor’s new collective agreement tackles everything from racial inequality, medical cannabis coverage and a new pension plan. The $1.8 billion deal ratified on Monday includes a racial justice advocate in a nod to the ongoing racial reckoning occurring in society and workplaces. The newly created role will complement existing inclusivity efforts at […]
Canadian institutional investors representing more than $2.3 trillion in assets under management have signed a new statement on diversity and inclusion. The list of signatories on the joint statement, which was coordinated by the Responsible Investment Association, includes the Alberta Investment Management Corp., Bâtirente, the British Columbia Investment Management Corp., the Caisse de dépôt et […]
I’m about to embark on the most exciting and terrifying chapter of my life — by the time you read this, I’ll be more than six months pregnant with my first child. With a decade in the industry, writing and editing stories about work-life balance, it’s now time to face the reality myself and try […]
Early in Lana Burnstad’s career, she worked at a railway company that was merging several regional railways and their various benefits plans. Part of that process included working with multiple unions, which were traditionally male-dominated environments at the time. “That was a rough process — swearing and fist-pounding . . . . It was pretty […]
The Responsible Investment Association is creating a statement on diversity and inclusion and inviting Canadian institutional investors to sign on. The initial signatories of the statement, which is currently circulating, include the Alberta Investment Management Corp. the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the OPSEU Pension Trust and the University of Toronto Asset Management among others. The RIA said investors have […]
BMO Financial Group is introducing a new diversity strategy that sets goals to address gaps affecting Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Latino and LGBTQ2+ employees, customers and communities. The new benchmarks and plans, which expand the bank’s multi-year diversity strategy set in 2017, includes doubling company-wide representation of Black senior leaders, accelerating Indigenous talent strategies, […]
With almost 100,000 employees in 30 countries, Scotiabank’s approach to global benefits provision is more about aligning philosophy or guiding principles than it is around aligning specific tactics of the benefits plan. “No surprise, every country, every region has its own set of legislation, social norms, priorities, different health-care infrastructure and different maturity in terms […]
Cognitive bias exists in the very fabric of the business world and is a key element holding back its progress, according to Sudhir Roc-Sennett, head of thought leadership and environmental, social and governance for Vontobel Asset Management’s quality growth boutique. He says companies and the institutional investors analyzing their potential should be concerned with the myriad ways […]
Canadian businesses are grappling with how to move forward with conversations around race. “In order to affect the systemic changes needed to foster inclusivity, we will need collective learning and unlearning, challenging ourselves to embrace innovative, equitable and inclusive practices going forward,” said Jon Love, chief executive officer of KingSett Capital, in a webinar hosted by […]
Several prominent players in Canada’s pensions and benefits industries have signed onto the BlackNorth Initiative, pledging to take specific actions within their organizations to tackle anti-Black racism. “The persistent inequities across our country underscore our urgent, national need to address and alleviate racial, ethnic and other tensions and to promote the elimination of anti-Black systemic […]