Did you know that DIVERSEcity is one of the more than 1,000 participating organizations in the Government of Canada’s 50-30 Challenge, which launched just four months ago? It’s amazing to see that, as of April 27, 2021, there are 1,190 participating organizations!
What does 50-30 mean? The challenge encourages Canadian businesses to commit to two targets for their boards and senior management — gender parity (50 percent) and significant representation (30 percent) of other under-represented groups.
“Research has shown that a broader range of perspectives in an organization results in better performance. We, at DIVERSEcity, know this to be true, and continue to increase our own efforts in creating inclusive and representative teams at all levels of our organization,” says Neelam Sahota, FCPA, FCGA, chief executive officer, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society.
According to the Government of Canada, organizations that are more diverse are more likely to outperform peer organizations. They are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes. Diversity also bring new ideas, innovation and creative solutions.
“DIVERSEcity is currently undergoing a climate scan to evaluate where we are with respect to being an inclusive organization promoting diversity and equity, which in turn will help shape where we are going. While we already feature gender parity and representation of diverse backgrounds and experiences in our board rooms, executive management and our staff team, we are steadfast in our commitment to keep evolving further as an organization and are proud to have joined the Government of Canada’s 50-30 challenge to promote diversity in corporate Canada.”
DIVERSEcity also promotes diversity in corporate Canada through its Get in the Know workplace diversity and inclusion guide and online resource. According to the guide, organizations with culturally diverse workforces boast benefits such as a reduction in skills shortages, improved customer service and access to new markets. Read more about these benefits and strategies for workplace diversity and inclusion at www.getintheknow.ca.