The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is warning corporate board directors that any companies failing to consider climate risks, adopting multiple-year term lengths or lacking in female representation won’t receive its support during shareholder votes, according to a new report. “How we select investments and hold management accountable to manage these factors can enhance or erode […]
While we speak regularly with outstanding women in the human resources, benefits, pension and investment industries, our annual Women’s Issue allows us to take a broader view, including how these women’s careers have evolved, their perspectives on mentorship and work-life balance, as well as their thoughts about pay equity and gender diversity. When I wrote […]
Flexibility only goes so far, say two experts, and covers a small part of a healthy and respectful work culture. Tracy Fogale, senior manager of benefits at Kraft Heinz Canada: While flexibility is a critical way to retain employees, particularly women, in the workforce, it can’t tackle systemic issues such as the gender pay gap, […]
When Monika Mielnik joined Bell Canada as a temporary contractor, she was studying criminology and psychology and working towards joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. “I truly thought this was going to be an in and out experience . . . but as time progressed, I continued to excel and be empowered by many of […]
The more diverse a company is, the better talent they can attract — and in this competitive market, attracting and retaining workers is important to growth. According to a recent McKinsey & Co. report, companies are increasingly regarding inclusion and diversity as a source of competitive advantage and, specifically, as a key enabler of growth. In […]
Diversity in leadership matters. It signals who belongs and shapes the aspirations of employees, as well as communities more broadly. In recent years, the convergence of regulatory requirements, investor expectations and consumer demands has fuelled increased attention on representation on boards and in leadership roles in Canada. For example, a responsible investment survey by the […]
When Steph Rebello took her first job spearheading diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, she was excited to make change in the corporate world — but less than two years later, she was burnt out. “I wasn’t playing to my strengths,” says the Toronto woman. “I wasn’t actually fulfilling some of my design research skills and […]
The much-deserved, overdue and rising attention bestowed on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace over the last couple of years is a win-win for employers and employees — but it’s vital that a DEI focus goes beyond ideas and words and translates into action. Benefits Canada is seeing action across the industry, by benefits […]
While diversity, equity and inclusion has been a major focus over the past two years, good intentions must be matched by action. Wendy Cukier, founder of the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University There’s been a lot more talk about DEI in recent years, which is a good thing. However, progress in some areas has […]
At the Alberta Investment Management Corp., diversity, equity and inclusion has catapulted up the priority list when it comes to investment strategy. While DEI has long played a role in the decisions of the AIMCo and other institutional investors, says Alison Schneider, the organization’s vice-president of responsible investing, she credits the coronavirus pandemic for catalyzing […]