Canada's Top 100 Employers (2022)

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CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS G.EHLERS/SFU

2022 Winners

 Following Coast Salish protocol and tradition, a special

ct100.ca

report on reconciliation is presented to the president of Simon Fraser University, one of this year’s winners.

CO-PUBLISHED BY: SETTING THE STANDARD:

MEDIACORP

Becoming better in a year of adversity

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THE COMPLETE LIST:

Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2022)

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METHODOLOGY:

How the winners were chosen

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CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS 2022 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Juliane Fung,

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Chantel Watkins, JUNIOR EDITOR

Jing Wang,

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Kristen Chow,

MANAGING DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING

Ye Jin Suhe,

CLIENT EXPERIENCE LEAD

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bergman Abigail Cukier Jane Doucet Steve Frank Don Hauka Patricia Hluchy D’Arcy Jenish Bruce McDougall Barbara Wickens

© 2021 Mediacorp Canada Inc. and The Globe and Mail.

All rights reserved. CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS is a registered trade mark of Mediacorp Canada Inc. Editorial inquiries: ct100@mediacorp.ca

 What will the new employment relationship look like? Whether it’s giving back to the

community or striving to make workplaces more inclusive, the pandemic is rewriting the rules.

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mployers across Canada are increasingly turning their thoughts from their initial responses to the COVID-19 health emergency to answering a new question: What will the employment relationship and our workplaces look like after the pandemic?

While it’s too early to be drawing hard-and-fast lessons from a health emergency that’s shown itself capable of surprise, something fundamental has changed in the relationship between people and their employers.

For staff working in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors, where employers faced the longest and most devastating shutdowns, there’s been a blunt reassessment by many workers whether to continue at all in the field. Across Canada and elsewhere, job postings in these industries are going unfilled and employers are having to make dramatic improvements in wages and benefits just to maintain operations.

Similar concerns have made workers in the socalled ‘gig economy’ acutely aware that flexibility comes with a not-so-hidden price. In dozens of countries, the pandemic has pushed gig workers – from food delivery couriers to ride-share drivers and parcel delivery folks – to ask authorities to consider them as employees, not contractors, and even unionize. In a traditional employment relationship, these gig workers would have some minimum income protections from employers or income support programs, like Employment Insurance or wage subsidies.

For those who avoided the sharp end of the pandemic’s economic spear, the change in their relationship with employers has been equally profound, but different. People who have been working from home successfully ask themselves whether it was ever worth it to commute to the office daily, pay for daycare and even live in the same city as their employers.

Like the gig workers’ ebbing enthusiasm for flexibility, working remotely is no panacea either.

We’re only beginning to recognize the heavy price the pandemic has exacted from stay-at-home workers in terms of mental and physical health.

For new recruits and younger staff trying to advance in their careers, Zoom meetings and chat apps are poor substitutes for the chance interactions among workplace colleagues that often can change one’s career direction for a lifetime.

Many years ago, one of my most formative experiences in law school was a first-year class on the ancient law of property. Rather than dwell on its infinite rules and practices, our learned professor started the year with a 1918 case from the United States Supreme Court, International News Service v.

Associated Press. The central question in this case was: what constitutes ‘property’? In their infinite wisdom, the justices answered: ‘anything we say it is’. If something is worth protecting or is beneficial to society, we will protect it by calling it ‘property’.

Defining what society should call an employment relationship and its requisite parts brings my thoughts back to INS v. AP. I doubt anyone can say with certainty what exactly the employment relationship will look like after the pandemic. But I do know that it’s within our capacity to define it in a way that benefits society the most and raises people to be their best.

When the pandemic recedes, we will see a new employment relationship – with scores of issues, large and small, that will need to be resolved. But what matters most right now aren’t these individual trade-offs and myriad details, but that as a society we define the new employment relationship so that it lifts Canadians, makes us stronger as a country and develops all of us to make the most of our talents.

– Tony Meehan

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J.LEHMANN/MINORU RESIDENCE

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 A staff member at Vancouver Coastal Health provides some musical respite for residents of a long-term care facility in Richmond, B.C.

INTRODUCTION

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t’s still about resilience. That’s what has and still defines Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2022 in a year where business has been anything but usual.

COVID-19 hasn’t left so all of us – from CEOs to mid-managers to HR reps – have continued to adapt to a new way of working, a new normal.

Remote took on a new meaning in this era. We gradually got more comfortable with the technology and the home office, even if that workspace was your hall closet. Co-workers came into each other’s lives and

homes in unexpected ways. Colleagues met your children, pets and partners.

You shared virtual yoga class or trivia nights with the team over wine.

In some ways it seemed more personal than when we all worked together in the same room. You could feel the culture shift as you cooked cacciatore along with the company president.

Remote could also mean feeling disconnected or simply fatigued by the never ending pandemic. Mental health care became a top priority

with the best of employers providing increased access and benefits for workers under stress.

The Black Lives Matter movement, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, climate change, #MeToo all drew our attention in turn. People saw the world through a new lens and rightfully held companies accountable for their values.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2022, selected by Mediacorp Canada Inc., faced the same challenges as every other organization across Canada: How to stay connected, keep their

culture alive, continue professional development and onboard new hires working out of their parents’ basement. What’s the new normal tomorrow?

The winners of this year’s competition stepped up and listened to what their workforce needed, to what their communities needed and responded. They continue to set the standard for doing business in Canada with best practices. These are the organizations that adversity made stronger.

– Diane Jermyn

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TD BANK

2022 WINNERS  TD Bank Group maintains a special working group in each line of business to make sure employees have flexible work options.

3M CANADA COMPANY, London, Ont. Technology manufacturing; 1,867 employees. Helps employees manage unexpected challenges by offering compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, (to 100 per cent of salary for up to eight weeks).

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BB CANADA, Saint-Laurent, Que. Engineering and technology services; 2,938 employees. lncludes access to virtual health care services through a partnership with EQ Care as well as services ranging from mental health care to medical specialist referrals as part of its health benefits.

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK INC. / APTN, Winnipeg. Television broadcasting; 155 employees. Offers unique programs such as educational partnerships with the

National Film Board and the Canadian Association of Journalists.

ACCENTURE INC., Toronto.

Professional services; 5,471 employees. Offers employees a variety of opportunities for professional development, including e-learning initiatives such as digital classrooms and coaching, mobile learning, video mini-series and broadcast learning.

ADOBE SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software publishers; 308 employees. Offers a Work From Home Expenses Fund, providing up to $500 to all employees to help create a comfortable at-home workspace during the pandemic.

AGRICULTURE FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP. / AFSC, Lacombe, Alta. Insurance and lending for agricultural producers; 480 employees. Offers dedicated full-day retirement planning courses tailored

to employees over and under 45 years of age as well as contributions to a defined benefit pension plan ARCELORMITTAL DOFASCO G.P., Hamilton. Iron and steel mills; 4,729 employees. Offers generous tuition subsidies (to $24,000 lifetime maximum) for courses both related and unrelated to an employees’ current position.

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ANK OF CANADA, Ottawa.

Central bank; 1,940 employees. Increased its mental health benefit in the past year and organizes an annual Wellness Month in January to raise awareness of wellness resources for employees.

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Chemical manufacturing; 1,109 employees. Launched an Employee Assistance Fund to help employees in need of financial support due to the pandemic.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria.

Provincial government; 32,368 employees. Offers up to a full year of maternity and parental leave top-up for new mothers and provides parental top-up for fathers and adoptive parents.

BDO CANADA LLP, Toronto.

Accounting; 4,663 employees.

Manages a unique paid time off program that provides flexibility for employees to take time off for vacation, illness or personal matters.

BELL CANADA, Verdun, Que. Communications; 36,412 employees.

Launched a new $5-million Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund and a new advisory committee to support the mental health of racialized Canadians in communities nationwide.

BEST BUY CANADA LTD., Burnaby, B.C. Retail; 5,223 employees. Made mental wellness a primary focus, introducing initiatives such as a mental

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ABB

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wellness hub on its intranet and expanding mental health benefits.

BIOVECTRA, Charlottetown.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 537 employees. Offers a range of financial benefits, from year-end bonuses to a defined contribution pension plan to referral bonuses for employees who recruit candidates from their personal networks.

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP CANADA ULC, Toronto. Management consulting; 425 employees.

Offers family-friendly benefits including surrogacy reimbursement of up to $25,000, adoption reimbursement of up to $25,000, and a lifetime maximum of $80,000 for fertility procedures.

BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP. / BCI, Victoria. Portfolio management; 588 employees. Offers four weeks of starting vacation allowance along with an additional six paid personal days.

 Employees at ABB Canada work in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montreal. Secondary market financing; 2,498 employees.

Helps employees plan securely for the future with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan and health benefits that extend to retirees with 100 per cent premium coverage and no age limit.

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ANADA ENERGY REGULATOR, Calgary.

Federal government; 524 employees. Established an Indigenous advisory committee and organized internal awareness activities on The Meaning of Reconciliation, cultural appropriation and the Blackfoot Confederacy History Treaty 7 Learning Series.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government; 47,016 employees. Maintains a national well-being network as well

BCPS

CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE CO. THE, Winnipeg. Insurance; 10,734 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development through online and in-house training programs, subsidies for professional accreditation and tuition subsidies.

 BC Public Service recently launched a new collaboration workspace for employees called ‘Sharespace’.

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as well-being committees in local offices, branches and regions.

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY, Montreal. Railroad transportation; 17,875 employees. Cultivates an ownership mentality through a share purchase plan available to all employees.

CASCADES, Kingsey Falls, Que. Paper products; 7,152 employees.

Supports new parents-to-be through an IVF subsidy as well as supporting new moms through maternity top-up payments.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 36,744 employees. Encourages employees to put their health first with a generous sick day policy.

CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA CO., Toronto. Computer and equipment manufacturing; 2,017 employees.

Offers unlimited coverage for mental health benefits as part of the company’s health benefits.

CITI CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 1,745 employees. Prioritizes the health and wellness of its employees and organized a wellness survey to gauge employee sentiment and shape future actions.

CLIO, Burnaby, B.C. Computer software; 523 employees. Is striving to become an anti-racist organization, creating an employee-led diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity council (DIBE) as well as organizing recurring DIBE discussions.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE, Vancouver.

Professional organizations; 156 employees. Provides excellent maternity and parental leave top-up payments for new mothers (to 75 per cent of salary for 52 weeks) and new fathers (to 75 per cent for 37 weeks).

CREATIVE OPTIONS REGINA INC., Regina. Community support services; 195 employees. Manages an inhouse Creative Encouragers pro-

gram, allowing employees to share (and teach) their passion with others.

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ANONE CANADA, Boucherville, Que. Food manufacturing; 522 employees. Helped employees stay connected through conferences on stress and anxiety and balancing personal and professional lives while working from home, monthly live-streamed town halls, and virtual networking events.

DESJARDINS GROUP / MOUVEMENT DESJARDINS, Lévis. Que. Financial institution; 43,105 employees. Directed donations to several organizations working to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto.

Architecture; 283 employees.

Encourages employees to be active in their local communities, providing matching charitable donations along with paid time off to volunteer.

q Taking a socially distanced coffee break at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. in Victoria.

DIGITAL EXTREMES LTD., London, Ont. Software publishers; 333 employees. Provides a variety of helpful financial perks including discounted home and auto insurance, low-interest home loans and discounted auto lease rates.

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MERA INC., Halifax.

Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,332 employees. Manages post-secondary academic scholarship programs for older children of employees.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau. Federal government; 32,928 employees. Manages a robust recognition program and launched a special COVID-19 awards initiative in 2020 called “Together, We are Stronger”.

ENBRIDGE INC., Calgary. Energy infrastructure; 7,176 employees.

Invested more than $5-million to support pandemic response, recovery and rebuilding efforts.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support; 1,891 employees. Offered a $1,000 allowance to help employees with home office set-up or wellness equipment at the start of the pandemic and an additional allowance of $750 in 2021.

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IDELITY CANADA, Toronto. Portfolio management; 1,200 employees. Is a certified Imagine Canada Caring Company and contributes a minimum of one per cent of its pre-tax profits to the communities where employees live and work.

BCI

FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 6,851 employees. Helps employees manage unexpected challenges, offering compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one (to 65 per cent of salary for up to 26 weeks).

FRESHBOOKS, Toronto. Software publishers; 404 employees. Implemented “No-Meeting Fridays” and “Half-Day Fridays” to ensure employees “press pause and enjoy

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some work/life balance” while working from home.

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LAXOSMITHKLINE INC. / GSK, Mississauga.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 2,659 employees.

Offers several in-house healthy lifestyle programs and sessions on topics such as sleep, yoga, healthy eating, personal resilience.

GSOFT, Montreal. Computer software; 270 employees. Offers exceptional family-friendly benefits, providing maternity and parental leave top-up for new parents to 80 per cent of salary for up to 50 weeks.

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ATCH LTD., Mississauga.

Engineering; 3,534 employees. Recognizes employee dedication and accomplishments through an annual global awards program with a variety of categories, including a recently added award for diversity and inclusion.

HEALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 9,119 employees. Maintains a longstanding mental health and wellness strategy (since 2015) to build and sustain a healthy and inclusive workplace.

HERSHEY CANADA INC., Mississauga. Food manufacturing; 864 employees. Invests in the ongoing education of current and future generations with tuition subsidies for job-related courses (up to $6,000).

HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Hospitals; 5,955 employees.Appointed an inaugural position of Executive Lead and Strategic Advisor, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as part of the organization’s strategic plan for 2025.

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G WEALTH MANAGEMENT, Winnipeg. Financial services; 1,994 employees. Offers a full suite of financial benefits including signing bonuses for some,

CITI

GREATER VANCOUVER FOOD BANK, Burnaby, B.C. Food bank; 52 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation allowance, moving to four weeks after only three years on the job.

 Citi Canada recently organized a wellness survey to gauge employee sentiment and shape future actions. year-end bonuses for all and referral bonuses of up to $2,000.

IMPERIAL OIL LTD., Calgary. Oil and gas production and distribution; 5,580 employees. Manages a diverse health benefits plan offering flexible coverage, separate health and wellness spending accounts and $1,800 annually to cover the cost of mental health practitioners.

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 5,631 employees. Recognizes employee contributions and achievements through a variety of awards, most notably, through the Deputy Ministers’ Award of Merit.

IRVING OIL, Saint John. Petroleum refining, distribution and retail; 2,766 employees. Introduced its first annual mental health symposium, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, enabling employees to participate in virtual events hosted by accredited mental health professionals.

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ELLOGG CANADA INC., Mississauga. Breakfast cereal manufacturing; 334 employees. Helps employees save for the longer term through matching RSP and defined contribution pension plans.

KEURIG CANADA INC., Montreal.

Coffee distribution and brewing equipment; 1,352 employees. Offers a flexible health benefits plan including three coverage options and allows employees to increase coverage with flex dollars.

KINAXIS INC., Ottawa. Software developer; 579 employees. Introduced a no-limit paid vacation policy for new and existing employees and offers additional time off during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 8,467 employees. Introduced numerous thoughtful responses over the pandemic, including a dedicated information portal, employee-led support networks, a dedicated program to assist employees with furniture and equipment purchases for their home offices and the Health@Work program.

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Made a $5-million donation in gift cards to Food Banks Canada, Second Harvest and Community Food Centres Canada to help get food and health essentials to those in need across Canada.

L’ORÉAL CANADA INC., Montreal.

Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,440 employees. Updated its flexible work policies to include up to four days of working from home each month and introduced a new work from “anywhere” policy with corresponding new supporting technology.

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ANULIFE, Toronto.

Insurance; 12,404 employees. Helped employees keep connected during the pandemic through numerous initiatives, including podcasts, “Ask Me Anything” sessions with senior leaders and an online talent show.

ABATT BREWING COMPANY LTD., Toronto.

Breweries; 3,595 employees.

Became a founder of “The Restaurant and Bar Support Fund” to provide financial support to as many Ontario establishments as possible.

MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,510 employees.

Reimburses a portion of eligible expenses incurred for wellness and fitness activities and items, including sports programs, personal wellness, dietitian services, and even shared commuter bike rentals.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 28,962 employees.

MEDAVIE INC., Moncton. Health insurance; 2,566 employees.

Maintains a Wellbeing Committee

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COR

2022 WINNERS

along with a formal Wellbeing Strategy that includes a focus on all aspects of wellness, including physical, mental, social and financial wellbeing.

MEDTRONIC CANADA ULC, Brampton, Ont. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 688 employees. Introduced an emergency leave policy that includes 30 days of pay to utilize if needed because of the pandemic.

MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL, Toronto. Food manufacturing; 2,686 employees. Helps employees plan for the longer term with retirement planning assistance services along with a defined contribution pension plan.

MOTT MACDONALD CANADA LTD., Vancouver. Engineering; 231 employees. Introduced a new well-being portal to encourage employees to assess and develop actions to improve their current well being and health.

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UTRIEN INC., Saskatoon.

Phosphate, nitrogen and potash fertilizer manufacturing; 5,459 employees.

Expanded its volunteer program offering up to five paid days off annually to volunteer in their communities

 Amir and Chris taking part in a team challenge at Creative Options Regina.

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PPENHEIMER GROUP, Coquitlam, B.C. Fresh fruits and vegetable distribution; 136 employees. Publishes an online wellness newsletter that covers a range of topics from parenting through the pandemic to ergonomics to healthy recipes.

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PEMBINA PIPELINE CORP., Calgary. Natural gas distribution; 2,264 employees. Invested nearly $600,000 towards pandemic relief

GSOFT

CL CONSTRUCTION, Edmonton. Industrial, commercial and institutional construction; 2,554 employees. Has kept employees in touch over the pandemic with guest speakers online, team celebrations (with home delivered food), fitness challenges, team trivia nights and online end-of-day socials.

 Montreal-based software firm GSoft provides exceptional family-friendly benefits to employees, including maternity and parental leave top-up to 80 per cent of salary for up to 50 weeks.

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efforts in the wider community, focusing on food security, frontline health care and first responders, social services, mental health and well-being, and education.

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CANADA LTD., Toronto. Book publishers; 251 employees. Offers three weeks of starting vacation allowance, moving to four weeks after their first year on the job.

PFIZER CANADA ULC, Kirkland, Que. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 894 employees. Introduced a virtual fitness and wellbeing program to encourage employees and their families to stay healthy.

HERSHEY

PEPSICO CANADA, Mississauga.

Soft drink and food manufacturing; 9,922 employees. Increased its mental health and wellness supports, offering over 2,260 hours of instructor-led mental health training along with dedicated programs, including Healthy Living, Healthy Minds and Healthy Money.

 It’s hard not to have a good day at work at Mississauga-based Hershey Canada.

POMERLEAU INC., Montreal.

Construction; 2,105 employees.

Developed a new ergonomic policy that provides employees with the funds needed to set up a comfortable office at home, along with 24/7 telehealth access as part of their health benefits.

PRINCESS MARGARET CANCER FOUNDATION, THE, Toronto.

Charitable foundation; 120 employees. Refined its flexible work policies to allow employees to flex their work day start and finish times and offers additional paid time off.

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,434 employees. Donated over $4-million in cash, in-kind donations, and PPE donations since the start of the pandemic.

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RIO TINTO, Montreal. Diversified mining and metals manufacturing;

IMPERIAL OIL

ESMED HALIFAX ULC, Halifax. Custom computer programming services; 249 employees. Enhanced its work-from-home policies to ensure employees could work from home.

 A research employee at the Sarnia, Ont., facility operated by Imperial Oil.

MEDAVIE

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T

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D BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 55,292 employees. Maintains a Flexible Work Options Business Committee for each line of business to help ensure appropriate work options are implemented and supported across the company.

TECK RESOURCES LTD., Vancouver. Mining; 8,371 employees. Helps employees plan for the long term with retirement planning services, a defined contribution pension plan and phased-in retirement work options when close to retirement.

TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Vancouver. Telecommunications; 25,014 employees. Features 300 rooftop solar panels, rainwater harvesting and 10,000 square feet of outdoor garden terraces at its LEED Platinumcertified corporate headquarters.

 Employees at Medavie work in a variety of settings across Canada, with main offices in Toronto, Montreal, Moncton and Halifax.

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10,974 employees. Increased its starting vacation policy to provide a minimum of four weeks paid vacation for new employees with employees working to a maximum of six weeks of paid vacation.

ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Toronto. Telecommunications, cable, publishing and subscription programming; 21,066 employees.

Introduced a phased return-to-work program for new parents, allowing them to work on a modified schedule for the first five weeks of their return while receiving 100 per cent salary.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 59,098 employees. Developed the “Live, Learn, Lead Together” employee hub in response to having employees working from home for an extended period of time.

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ALESFORCE, Toronto.

Customer relationship management (CRM) services; 1,700 employees. Provides up to seven paid days off for employees to volunteer with local charities,

donating 80,000 volunteer hours on company time in the past year.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Communications equipment manufacturing; 593 employees.

Allows new parents to apply to extend their parental leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver.

Custom computer programming services; 3,316 employees. Allows new parents to phase-in their return to work as they adjust to their new roles.

SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,699 employees. Waived data overage charges for business and consumer customers unexpectedly utilizing their home internet accounts when working from home.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 1,830 employees. Introduced a furniture program that made 800 deliveries to employees working from home, shipping out sit-stand desks, ergonomic chairs and computer monitor arms for home offices.

SHOPIFY INC., Ottawa. Multichannel commerce platform; 5,758 employees. Extended its charitable program to donate laptops to two area hospitals to help families and patients stay connected during the pandemic and subsequent restrictions.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY, Burnaby, B.C. Universities; 3,362 employees. Manages onsite child care which employees can take advantage of upon their return from parental leave.

STRYKER CANADA ULC, Waterdown, Ont. Medical equipment and supplies wholesalers; 723 employees. Has developed a dedicated “Homeward Bound” framework to ensure employees can safely return to onsite working arrangements.

SUNCOR ENERGY INC., Calgary.

Crude petroleum and natural gas extraction; 12,061 employees.

Supports younger employees through apprenticeships, paid internships and mentoring programs.

THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 1,118 employees. Developed numerous online training initiatives to help keep employees engaged through support for ongoing development.

TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CANADA INC. / TMMC, Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 9,854 employees. Ensures all employees are kept up-to-date and in touch through a number of new communications initiatives, including an internal television network and a new mobile app.

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NIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montreal. Universities; 5,568 employees.

Created a special Emergency Fund to help students in need by providing necessary financial aid to help cover basic living needs.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK / UNB, Fredericton. Universities; 1,784 employees. Has continued to respond to the pandemic with numerous measures to help employees manager their day-to-day realities, ensuring online access to counsellors, therapists and social workers.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Universities; 10,429 employees. Offers a variety of family-friendly spaces at all three campuses, including designated areas for

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PRHC

TD

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PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): 1. The reception area at the Toronto head office of Penguin Random House Canada was designed by an award-winning interior design firm and is full of colour, light and, of course, books.

2. An employee at a TD Bank Group contact centre, prior to the pandemic.

D.HOWELLS/RIO TINTO

3. Jess Montilla is an automation engineer at the Iron Ore Company of Canada, a unit of Rio Tinto, in Labrador City, N.L.

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 Teck Resources emphasizes employee development, leadership and succession planning to help staff build long-term careers.

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breastfeeding and pumping, baby change stations and a new family study room at Robarts Library.

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ANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH, Vancouver.

Hospitals; 18,564 employees. Has worked to support employee wellness though increased 24/7 phone and video support services providing counselling, self-care coaching and emotional support services.

VERAFIN INC., St. John’s. Specialized financial software; 635 employees. Adjusted its parental leave top-up for new fathers to offer all parents, including adoptive, the same amount of paid leave, to 75 per cent of salary for a full year.

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ESTERN FINANCIAL GROUP INC., High River, Alta. Insurance and financial services; 1,779 employees. Introduced eight additional sick days annually in response to the pandemic (to 14 total

days per year) to ensure employees had extra time for self and extended family care.

WEST FRASER TIMBER CO. LTD., Vancouver. Sawmills; 5,793 employees. Encourages employees to adopt an ownership mentality through a share purchase plan, available to all employees.

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UKON, GOVERNMENT OF, Whitehorse. Territorial government; 5,102 employees. Introduced additional flexible work arrangements such as staggered hours of work to help reduce the number of employees working onsite at any given time.

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YMEWORKS INC., Vancouver. Biopharmaceutical research and development; 224 employees.

Introduced a new flexible ZymeLife flexible benefit program that employees can use for lifestyle expenses ranging from family wellness to education to fitness. ­– Diane Jermyn

METHODOLOGY

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hile the selection process to choose the winners of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp continually evolves to include new questions that reflect changes in the workplace, the underlying methodology has not significantly changed since the project began in 2000. The competition is and remains a catalogue of best practices.

To select the winners, the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp compare each organization’s policies to others in their industry and region to see if they’re a leader. Each employer’s application is judged by rigorous criteria in eight key areas: (1) Physical workplace; (2) Work atmosphere & social; (3) Health, financial & family benefits; (4) Vacation & time Off; (5) Employee communications; (6) Performance management; (7) Training & skills development; and (8) Community involvement.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp is an annual national competition. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply regardless of size, whether private or public sector. The Globe and Mail is not involved in the judging process.

– Diane Jermyn

14

BCG

( 2022 )

 After months of working remotely, employees of Boston Consulting Group of Canada reconnect in person at an outdoor social event.

The Future of the Office Canada’s Top 100 Employers are grappling with workplace issues at unprecedented speed

I

magine it’s 2019. Whoever thought they’d hear this: “It’s fun being back in the office!”

But that’s how Geordie Knowles felt, just for a brief time, when he was able to visit his old space at Labatt Brewing Company’s lakefront headquarters in Toronto this fall.

As a supply chain lead, Knowles normally works from home due to Ontario’s COVID-19 guidelines, but being part of an essential service, he and his team were able to come in for a couple of days to meet up at a safe distance and show around new recruits.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve all been together,” says Knowles.

“And even more, there are people on our team who weren’t part of the

company when the pandemic hit. It was meeting for the first time, it was reconnecting with our colleagues, and honestly, it was a bit of a sense of euphoria.”

Across Canada, many of Canada’s Top 100 Employers have been grappling with just when that scenario might play out in their offices. Some are already back, but many more are not. And many, too, are taking the deep dive into what model they want to follow more permanently. Work from home?

Everybody in the office? Or the oft-promised hybrid, combining the two?

“Honestly, that’s a question that we’re still working on as a company,” says Beatriz Grubesic, vice-president, people, for Labatt, which is part of

the Belgium-based beer group AB InBev. “We are constantly evolving our policies and looking at what type of flexibility we can provide to our office employees, and how hybrid we can go. We’re looking at our office space in Toronto, and we’re listening to what our employees are telling us.

And we’re also looking at our company’s global guidelines. So we are looking at it from many perspectives.”

That pretty much summarizes the dilemmas confronting many Top Employers. “I think what a lot of organizations have learned during the pandemic is, you can function working from home,” says Richard Yerema, managing editor at Mediacorp Canada, which runs the competition.

“But you’ve also learned on the flip side that perhaps the human interaction that happens in a physical workplace is very much part of the glue that binds a workforce.

Can you replace it with just people off site? And you’ve learned about mental health and isolation. So I think these are serious conversations that need to be had.”

Some of the employers profiled in the stories that follow have already made their decisions, notably one of the companies at the centre of the global response to the pandemic.

“We have to stop saying ‘going back to work’ – everybody’s working – but ‘going back to the site’,” says Laura Larbalestier, vice-president of human resources for Pfizer Canada.

“And even when we do, Pfizer

15 KINAXIS

IRVING OIL

( 2022 )

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): 1. At Irving Oil in Saint John, N.B., Toom McMackin serves up good energy – along with fresh croissants and coffee – at a new onsite café that opened on April 12, 2021.

2. On the desk and up the door: reminders of family are near at hand for this employee of Ottawa-based Kinaxis working from home.

3. Keeping a safe social distance doesn’t get in the way of a little hallway socializing for these employees of the Department of Health & Social Services at the Government of Yukon.

YUKON GOVT.

UdM

4. Staff from the Université de Montréal Communications & Public Relations Office honour a colleague at a park celebration last year.

16

globally has announced that we will permanently adopt a hybrid model, which means we will not be expecting office colleagues to be at the site more than two or three times a week.

“We want people to come to the office when they need to collaborate with people,” Larbalestier says. “You want to have lunch with somebody to talk about a project, or you want to get people in a room and innovate and dream and brainstorm in front of a whiteboard.”

Many Top Employers stress flexibility as they listen to what employees want and then look ahead. With good reason. “Flexibility is a key driver in retaining top employees,” says Marc-André Malboeuf, vice president, human resources solutions development, for Desjardins Group. He expects a majority of staff to choose a hybrid model. At RBC, Lauren Friese’s very title tells much of the story – she is vice president, future of work and culture. Friese, too, believes a flexible system is here to stay. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-think how we work,” she says.

Kristina Leung, senior editor at Mediacorp Canada, notes that whatever approach employers take, it will need to be balanced. “You can’t have the pendulum swing too far in either direction,” she says. “Having full autonomy at home is great, but it can be difficult when you’re trying to juggle the challenges of family life and work deadlines. Employers may need to look at how they structure workloads.”

Yerema says the need for decision-making on these issues has come at unprecedented speed. “It’s such a fast-moving target, so companies have had to be adaptive,” he says. “This isn’t a long-drawn-out conversation they’re going to be having over the next decade – they’re having it in real time. When you look back in history, we’ll see this as a period when organizations were required to respond quickly. It will be a long-lasting legacy.”

– Berton Woodward

J.LEHMANN/VCH

(CONT.)

 An employee of Vancouver Coastal Health helps a patient connect remotely with his family.

NUTRIEN

FUTURE OF THE OFFICE

( 2022 )

 Saskatoon-based Nutrien has made significant investments to develop Indigenous employees and suppliers, helping build the communities where they operate.

17

( 2022 )

Listening helps ABB Canada navigate the new normal

R

enata Ribeiro says it’s taken resilience, patience and agility to get through the past year and a half.

Fortunately, she possesses all that and more.

As facility manager for the Montréal campus of ABB Canada, a pioneering technology company that works with industry, utilities, transportation and infrastructure, Ribeiro found it initially challenging to create a new routine working from home without colleagues around her.

Sometimes the pace was so hectic there was no time to break for coffee and she missed going to her previous gym workouts at lunch.

“I think this pandemic has shown us how to stop and think and get help – and that everybody is in the same boat and we will succeed together.”

— Renata Ribeiro Facility Manager, Montréal campus “My two kids, 12 and 10, were doing school full-time at home so I had to develop new skills to help them,” says Ribeiro. “Besides being mom, I was teacher, IT support for school Google meetings and psychologist – and on top of that, I needed to perform at work as before.

“Management was phenomenal right from the beginning of the epidemic, particularly my direct manager who was supportive, accommodating and understanding beyond expectations.”

It helped that ABB Canada acted

 ABB Canada implemented a flexible workplace policy to maintain health and safety measures across all of their sites from Day 1 to provide the flexibility and support employees needed to succeed in their “new normal.”

That included giving employees ergonomics consultations as well as a lump sum to set up their home offices and ensuring that health and safety measures were in place for essential plant employees. Additionally, ABB offered 24/7 telemedicine service and a mental health portal with tools for employees and managers.

Access to confidential mental health care proved to be a critical support for Ribeiro, who reached out when she lost a beloved family member, her grandmother, to COVID-19 in Brazil. She also appreciated that her manager gave her the time she

needed to recover.

“This situation is new,” says Ribeiro. “Even if we have been resilient, sometimes we have to ask for help. We’re not used to doing that. I think this pandemic has shown us how to stop and think and get help – and that everybody is in the same boat and we will succeed together.”

Eric Deschênes, country managing director and head of the electrification business, says the biggest challenges for employees working from home over the past year have been adapting to the reduced in-person and social interaction and finding the right balance between personal and work life. He’s made frequent communication a continuing

— A better world begins with you

focus during this time, including a mailbox for employees to send concerns, questions or suggestions directly to the leadership team.

“ABB is listening to the employees,” says Deschênes. “Managers and team leaders touch base weekly to engage and answer questions. We communicate with our employees often to update and reassure them.”

Further supports include access to free virtual fitness classes, yoga videos on ABB TV, an internal platform for employees, wellness check-ins and a 24/7 support hotline to assist employees. As well, the company’s social club has been creative in keeping employees connected by finding different ways to gather safely for outdoor activities.

While most office tower employees are still working remotely, Deschênes says if individuals express the desire to go into work, offices will remain open for them subject to health and safety control measures.

“We polled our employees last year and they opted for different scenarios,” says Deschênes. “Based on that, we put a flexible workplace policy in place, so when we do return to the office, it will be a hybrid way of working. By maintaining health and safety measures at all our sites, we have had zero outbreaks and zero plant closures.” 

3,000 3

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE

100%

TUITION SUBSIDIES

143

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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( 2022 )

AFSC adapts to a world that is constantly evolving

K

ayla Elliott joined Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) in May 2020, just as COVID-19 was upending work and workplaces everywhere, but it hardly made an impact on her.

“We’ve been given all the tools we needed to connect virtually with our producers as well as fellow employees,” says Elliott, a client service representative in AFSC’s Lethbridge office. “We go from home to the office without any disruption.

Even working virtually has been amazing.”

“We are learning that the traditional model where everyone is in the office from nine-tofive isn’t going to be the model of the future.”

— Darryl Kay Chief Executive Officer AFSC provides loans and insurance to producers across the province through a network of 38 branch offices and its corporate head office in Lacombe, a city in central Alberta about 125 kilometres south of Edmonton. Employees in the branches, many of them producers, deal directly with farmers while the corporate office has staff in a range of departments, including marketing, finance and digital services.

The corporation hires summer students each year, some of whom, like Elliott, later return as permanent employees. It also recruits at colleges and universities throughout the

 Darryl Kay, chief executive officer at Agriculture Financial Services Corporation province. It goes to great lengths to make it easy for the newcomers to get started.

“We have an onboarding module that really helps new employees familiarize themselves with the organization and their role,” says chief executive officer Darryl Kay. “They can do that before their first day on the job.”

The organization also assigns a people and culture advisor to each new employee, usually from the area of the business in which they are working. “It’s about making sure they have a positive experience when they join,” says Kay. Once employees are more established, they have multiple learning and development opportunities at their disposal. With the advent

WE’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER.

of COVID-19, corporate-wide, in-person training events became impossible, so AFSC invested heavily in online materials, including webinars, audiobooks and e-learning modules, among other things.

“Employees can access thousands of different courses,” says Kay. “They can find their own path in terms of how they learn and develop.”

Elliott, for one, has taken full advantage of the wealth of material available to employees. “If you want to learn, you’ll never stop,” she says.

“They just keep feeding you and feeding you.”

She has also been pleasantly pleased with the opportunities she received in the relatively short time since taking a permanent position.

“As a junior employee, I’ve had so many doors that have opened,” she says. “I’ve been part of so many teams and projects.”

AFSC has adapted swiftly to circumstances on the ground as the pandemic has surged and evolved.

Some branch offices have had to close temporarily when case counts in a local area got too high. Team members in the branches transitioned, using in-person and online tools to meet client needs.

Some of the changes are bound to be permanent. “We look forward to bringing people back, especially in our corporate office,” says Kay. “But we’ll adapt and have fewer people in the office. We are learning that the traditional model where everyone is in the office from nine-to-five isn’t going to be the model of the future.”

Health and safety, including mental health, continue to be AFSC priorities. “We’ve seen the strain this has put on our people and clients, and have really invested in mental health training,” says Kay. “Our strategy called ‘It’s okay to not be okay’ highlights the transparency necessary to participate in conversations and take action to keep ourselves well.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that takes the mental health and wellness of our team members seriously.” 

480

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

46

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

59%

AFSC.ca

16

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

19

( 2022 )

Inclusion makes great chemistry at BASF Canada

W

hen Caitlin Inwards joined BASF Canada Inc. in December 2020 after more than 10 years in various human resource roles in related industries, she knew about the global chemical company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“It was evident in my interviews that BASF was a front-runner in the DEI space,” says Inwards, now a senior talent & organizational development/learning specialist at the company’s head office in Mississauga, Ont.

“True belonging is a powerful motivator for engagement.”

— Apala Mukherjee President Despite a strong desire to get involved, she had only limited experience in developing and administering DEI programs. “I was up front,” she says. “I said I hadn’t had many opportunities in the past, but I saw an opportunity at BASF to focus on DEI. “Fortunately,” she says, “they had faith in me.”

As one of nine members of the company’s Canada People Team involved in HR and communications, Inwards has worked over the past year with company leaders on DEI initiatives. In particular, she co-chairs the company’s DEI Council, whose members lead the company’s operations across the country and ensure that BASF Canada’s DEI initiatives help in attracting, developing and retaining the best possible talent.

“DEI is at the core of BASF

The world needs solutions.

We need you.

 BASF Canada employees connect at an offsite employee appreciation event Canada’s strategy,” says Apala Mukherjee, president of BASF Canada. “We believe that when we have a diverse workforce, conscious inclusion, and equity among our team, real impactful work happens.”

A subsidiary of BASF SE, BASF Canada employs almost 1,200 people across the country, including 135 employees at headquarters involved in corporate functions such as communications, ecology, health and safety and human resources.

Over the past year, Inwards has been involved in numerous DEI-related campaigns, including the Inclusion Champions Initiative, in which 30 employees across Canada, all of whom come from different roles, are actively planning and executing

impactful actions in six critical areas for DEI at BASF Canada.

“We try to draw in voices from all parts of the organization,” she says, “so we can see how employees’ experience on the shop floor, for example, where they don’t have access to a computer all day, might differ from someone who’s online all day.”

In addition to the DEI Council, a number of employee-led resource groups contribute to the company’s DEI strategy, including Women in BASF, ALLchemie (LGBTQ+ and allies), the Remote Employee Community, and the DEI IMPACT Group, which now focuses primarily on the BIPOC community and allies.

“We want every employee in the company to feel included,” says

Mukherjee. “True belonging is a powerful motivator for engagement and is something we strive to provide from the moment a new employee joins our community.”

Inwards felt a sense of belonging from her first day with the company, even though she spent the first 10 months working from home because of COVID-19 restrictions. As her manager introduced her to people who would contribute to her success, Inwards suggested ways to improve the onboarding process.

The response, she says, was reassuring. “Instead of reacting defensively, they replied with a message of empowerment – ‘How can we support you to make the improvements you believe would be impactful?’”

BASF Canada’s parent organization employs 117,000 people in 90 countries and has earned a reputation for developing talent throughout the world. Not surprisingly, within six weeks, Inwards’ manager had enrolled her in a change-management program to further her career with the company.

“It’s one thing I love about BASF,” says Inwards. “The organization really fosters internal talent. Whether it’s a lateral move or a progression in your career, the company supports you.” 

1,109 50% 17 6

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE WOMEN WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY WEEKS, MAXIMUM VACATION ALLOWANCE

20

( 2022 )

Amid a pandemic, BCI bolsters support for employees

I

n February, Minh Tran’s mother-in-law fell ill with cancer, passing away in April. Tran, manager of IT vendor and contract management at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. (BCI), needed time and support to deal with this personal tragedy – especially amid the challenges of the pandemic.

BCI provided both in spades.

“People in our culture, from the leadership team to my direct manager – even people I don't normally talk to – told me, ‘Hey, we’ve got your back,’” he recalls.

“The people at BCI are fantastic and the culture they create is fantastic.”

— Minh Tran Manager of IT Vendor and Contract Management

“Did I need food dropped off? Did I need other help? And I think that says a lot about the company. That gave me the confidence to step away a little bit and support my wife as she provided palliative care to her mom.

The people at BCI are fantastic and the culture they create is fantastic.”

The firm – which provides investment management services for B.C.’s public sector and handles close to $200 billion in assets – had already demonstrated its commitment to employee well-being when COVID-19 struck. For Tran, that meant a whole lot of flexibility and support when he and his close-knit team had to abruptly shift to working at home (Tran has voluntarily

 Minh Tran and Lincoln Webb meet in the 7th floor communal area to discuss how BCI's approach to health and wellness is instrumental for leaders in supporting their teams

returned to BCI’s Victoria head office, but other employees continue to work remotely).

Still, maintaining work-life balance was a challenge. “My wife had gone back to work, and at home, I’d be in the middle of negotiating a contract with some of our leadership,” Tran says. “Then, in the middle of it, my three boys (ages 13, nine and seven) would start fighting, so I would have to go on mute, deal with my kids and then come back and try again. That context switching was quite disruptive.”

But BCI’s Employee and Family Assistance Program, and its culture

Building Meaningful Futures for our clients, our investments, our

people

of supporting staff, helped him persevere. “Without question, people are our most important asset here,” says Lincoln Webb, executive vice-president and global head of infrastructure & renewable resources.

“We'd like to think that starts with ensuring we have a positive, inclusive work environment which we promote through our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council.”

Wellness and mental health are paramount at BCI, he adds, pointing out that a few years ago, the firm introduced the professional online counselling program Inkblot Therapy to staff to help bolster the existing

team of trained BCI mental health first-aiders, and it has proven very helpful during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, in addition to a gym at the Victoria headquarters, the company has a physical activity reimbursement plan to help employees pay for gym memberships, fitness classes and even, during COVID-19, home equipment – Tran used it purchase a set of weights.

Overall, says Webb, the pandemic seems to have galvanized staff.

“Despite working remotely, the staff are bound together more closely since the pandemic. It really strengthened the collective commitment to the firm and each other. And it resulted in one of our best investment years ever.”

He adds that BCI also learned how to function and support staff better.

“Many old mindsets have been broken – for example, the way we use technology to create flexibility in our work and improve collaboration,” he says.

“The pandemic also opened up our thinking about how we can support our people in the future.

We’ve improved variable work arrangements, enhancing opportunities for staff to balance work and family. And through town halls and other tools, the communication level has gone way up.” 

588 39.7

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA AVERAGE AGE OF EMPLOYEES

118

PAID STUDENT CO-OPS/ INTERNS HIRED

43%

OF BOARD DIRECTORS ARE WOMEN

21

( 2022 )

BDO Canada offers a bucketful of flexible options

F

or Samantha Fan, walking into the Vancouver office of BDO Canada LLP is like entering a collaborative classroom with flexible time-off options that give the term “bucket list” a whole new meaning.

“What I love about working here is I talk to mentors on a regular basis and learn so much from their advice and guidance – that’s a huge benefit for me,” says Fan, senior manager, assurance services.

“The culture is very open and inclusive. Our leadership group is very supportive and approachable. I wouldn’t hesitate going up to anyone in the firm regardless of their level to ask them questions.”

“We actively strive to maintain an inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued and respected.”

— Pat Kramer Chief Executive Officer Headquartered in Toronto and celebrating its 100th anniversary, BDO Canada is one of the country’s largest professional services firms. With over 125 locations across Canada, it provides assurance and accounting, tax, and advisory services.

The firm creates an open, cooperative culture, giving employees flexibility in terms of work situations, benefits and one “bucket” of personal time off.

“When it comes to personal time, you can use it for sick days or vacation or giving back to your local charity or community and do

 BDO Canada supports local charities and community organizations across the country the things that are important to you.

There’s flexibility in the choice of how you take that time off,” says Alicia DeFreitas, chief human resources officer.

That flexibility also extends to the mix of working in-office and remotely.

The company has increased its mental health support during the pandemic. In keeping with its collaborative culture, the 'Are You Okay?' committee was set up to create awareness and provide resources around mental health. BDO Canada partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to offer further resources. Senior leaders also stepped up by sharing their personal

stories at BDO Canada’s first-ever company-wide discussion around mental health.

BDO Canada cultivates a culture of life-long learning so employees can continually improve their career prospects with education. From supporting articling students to paying for employees to get their chartered professional accountant (CPA) designations, the company offers both internal and external learning programs designed to meet individual needs.

“Creating a supportive and collaborative work environment that embraces the unique personal and professional backgrounds of our partners and employees is what

This year, we celebrate 100 years of excellence.

Be part of our future. bdo.ca/careers

differentiates BDO Canada’s culture from others,” says CEO Pat Kramer.

“We actively strive to maintain an inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued and respected.”

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, BDO Canada has continued its charitable and community work. Partnering with Farm Credit Canada’s Drive Away Hunger campaign, the firm has donated the equivalent of over 6.4 million meals to food banks across the country since 2008. This year’s goal is to donate one million meals.

The company also partners with Hockey Canada to support minor hockey programming and the country’s national teams. BDO Canada has donated over $100,000 to grassroots hockey through this initiative. Charities across Canada have benefited from the support the firm’s employees show through volunteerism and donations.

The combination of collaboration and flexibility empowers Fan to now give her fellow employees the benefit of all that mentoring she’s received from others.

“I like to work with my teams, get to know them individually, find out what they really like about their job and help them learn and grow in their careers,” she says. 

4,092

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

48

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

7 61%

WEEKS, MAXIMUM PERSONAL TIME OF TOTAL EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

22

( 2022 )

At Bell Canada, inclusion connects with innovation

A

nticipating change and innovating are daily practices at Bell Canada.

To remain at the forefront of the communications industry, the company relies on its team of more than 50,000 to continue to learn, adapt and bring new ideas to the table.

With a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, Axel NtakaburimvoNdayiragije was eager to continue learning and saw an opportunity to do it in Bell’s award-winning graduate leadership program.

“There is no shortage in the variety of career opportunities at Bell.

You can immerse yourself in dynamic, innovative work that makes a difference in how Canadians connect with each other and the world.”

— Nikki Moffat Senior Vice-President, Human Resources He wasn’t disappointed. In his first three years with Bell, NtakaburimvoNdayiragije held five different positions in areas ranging from field operations to data analysis.

“There is no shortage in the variety of career opportunities at Bell,” says Nikki Moffat, Bell’s senior vice-president, human resources. “You can immerse yourself in dynamic, innovative work that makes a difference

 Axel Ntakaburimvo-Ndayiragije, senior manager, call centre operations, customer experience and project management lead, Black Professionals at Bell in how Canadians connect with each other and the world.”

The company focuses on recruiting a diverse team that strives to innovate and enrich experiences for customers.

Students begin their careers through internships, co-op placements and the graduate leadership program, which provide experience in fields such as network, business intelligence, marketing, applied tech, finance and media.

As one of Canada’s largest employers, Bell has a strong focus on engagement, reflected in programs supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, continuous learning, and workplace mental health initiatives like Bell Let’s Talk.

After attending a panel discussion during Black History Month, Ntakaburimvo-Ndayiragije was inspired to join Black Professionals at Bell (BPB), an employee resource

group founded in 2018.

Now the group’s project management lead, NtakaburimvoNdayiragije says, “BPB works to raise cultural awareness across the company, engage talent in Black communities and support team members’ professional development.”

BPB’s activities are just one example of the company’s ongoing efforts to align its business strategy and human resources policies with its diversity, equity and inclusion goals, under the direction of its Diversity Leadership Council, made up of senior leaders.

Bell continues to partner with diversity, equity and inclusion-focused organizations to offer team members access to events, professional development resources and more. Bell also launched an online collaboration community to increase engagement on all inclusion topics among team

members across the country.

“Inclusion is critical to Bell’s success,” says Moffat, a winner of a Women in Communications and Technology Leader award as a role model and diversity champion in the communications and finance sectors. “In fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace, we welcome diverse and unique ideas, which help us to continue to grow in all parts of our business.”

As part of its inclusion and career growth strategy, Bell encourages team members to pursue new roles.

The strategy aims to prepare, inspire and transform the company’s workforce by engaging team members to build their skills and reach their career goals through purposeful, continuous and inclusive learning.

Launched in 2020, Bell U is “one of a variety of resources and learning opportunities available to team members to grow and expand their careers,” says Moffat.

The company offers a number of upskilling programs through Bell U to empower individuals to develop relevant skills in the flow of work and own their career development in a social and collaborative way, she says. 

50,000+ $

5M

STAFF IN CANADA BELL LET’S TALK DIVERSITY FUND TO SUPPORT BIPOC COMMUNITIES

1,000+

STAFF HAVE ATTENDED UPSKILLING TRAINING

12,800

MANAGERS HAVE COMPLETED MANDATORY MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING

Give your career a boost.

Join a winning team.

Apply today at bell.ca/careers

23

( 2022 )

When its employees speak up, Best Buy listens

W

hen Young Le-Roque speaks up as a Best Buy Canada store leader, she knows her voice will be heard.

“When our executives come into the store and ask for feedback, it’s pretty amazing to see how fast changes happen,” says Le-Roque, who heads the Kingsway location in Burnaby, B.C. “We’re given a voice and that helps us to have fun while being the best.”

Headquartered in Burnaby, Best Buy is Canada’s largest consumer electronics retailer, with over 160 stores across the country. It’s also the most visited multi-channel retailer, with over 250 million visits in-store and on BestBuy.ca each year.

“What makes Best Buy so special is that they give you the tools to be a better human.”

— Young Le-Roque Store Leader, Kingsway

Best Buy’s commitment to listening to its employees’ voices has not only helped it deal with the present COVID-19 pandemic, it has positioned it to grow as a “new normal” emerges. Listening led to Best Buy’s decision to keep most of its corporate employees working remotely moving forward.

“We’re one of the few companies that decided to listen to our employee base and go fully remote,” says Chris Taylor, chief human resources

Proud to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

 Employees of Best Buy Canada taking a musical break at a staff event

officer. “I don’t think there’s a bigger work environment initiative a company could undertake and we’re all super pumped.”

That shift is exemplified by Best Buy’s decision to move its corporate headquarters to Vancouver in new offices that have only half the seating capacity of its current corporate population. The majority of employees who continue to work remotely will only have to go into the office a few times a year for collaboration, team building and business updates.

Best Buy also gives employees the tools and training they need to use their voices to support each other.

The “Continue the Conversation” initiative has fostered open and honest dialogues about diversity, inclusion and mental wellness.

Corporate employees facing

mental wellness issues can also access a counsellor confidentially on a bi-weekly basis without going through the formal Employee Assistance Program. Coverage for gender transition, in vitro and other related health benefits has also been increased in recognition of the stress these life changes can put on people.

Employees are further supported by generous benefits like 100 per cent job-related tuition subsidies, 15 weeks maternity leave top-up pay and flexible work schedules and conditions.

The package is designed to meet the needs of individual employees, says Taylor. “We welcome people to be their unique self, and we mean that in all facets of who they are as a person – their culture, ethnicity, orientation, age, personality.

Everything that makes them unique.

We embrace uniqueness because we know that unique individuals make for a better team.”

To help encourage increased diversity and inclusion, Best Buy has launched a new online mentorship and accelerator program to help Black and Indigenous innovators go to market. Other initiatives include the LIFT program focused on leadership training for women.

While it drills down to the individual employee, Best Buy is still connected to the community at large. The Geek Squad partners with schools and youth groups to provide tech training. The company supported over 500 charities in 2020 and the appearance of Toy Mountain boxes in stores is a sure sign Christmas is around the corner.

The comprehensive package of support, life-long learning, two-way communication and core values like diversity and inclusion have Le-Roque convinced she’s found the career that will take her to retirement.

“What makes Best Buy so special is that they give you the tools to be a better human,” she says. “To be able to layer on more and more skills, to be enabled to be a better listener with work-life balance, all make us better human beings.” 

5,223

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

100%

JOB-RELATED TUITION SUBSIDIES

15

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

500+

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

24

( 2022 )

A caring culture puts people first at BIOVECTRA

A

fter Adam MacDonald graduated from high school in the tiny town of Souris, P.E.I., he got a job as a chemical process operator at BIOVECTRA in Charlottetown, where his brother-in-law worked.

Nineteen years and several promotions later, he’s grateful for the opportunities the company has offered him.

A leading pharmaceutical and biotech CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization), BIOVECTRA has five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. It provides comprehensive services, from producing active pharmaceutical ingredients to drug development and manufacturing, to other pharmaceutical companies on a contract basis.

“There’s a relentless problem-solving mentality here I’ve never seen anywhere else.”

— Oliver Technow Chief Executive Officer “I started out washing buckets and dishes used in the processing of fine chemicals,” says MacDonald, now a manufacturing manager overseeing a team of 32. “As I became more competent, I was mentored by very good people and given more responsibility, which is gratifying. My goal has always been to get to that next step.”

Working his way up through such roles as equipment trainer, chemical

 DownStream processing operator at BIOVECTRA technician and manufacturing shift supervisor, today MacDonald often finds himself surrounded by co-workers with PhDs. “When I’m in a boardroom with engineers and chemists, I could easily be dismissed because I just have a high-school education, but I feel very much respected and listened to.”

That’s the kind of corporate culture CEO Oliver Technow strives to foster – one of caring, respect and professionalism. “In many places, people often mistake education for intelligence,” he says. “But while formal education is important, it isn’t everything, and it means nothing if you aren’t caring for each other.”

Technow’s ability to care for his more than 500 employees was put to the test as COVID-19 hit, when

he flew into Halifax from his home base in New York State on March 7, 2020. “All hell broke loose the next day, and I spent five months in Charlottetown. There was a lot of anxiety and concern among our people, and it never crossed my mind to leave.”

It was the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives that motivated Technow to join BIOVECTRA in 2015. “I really am committed to the value of care – for each other, for our clients and patients, and for the community. It gives me a lot of purpose and pride.”

Technow is also proud that during the pandemic, BIOVECTRA hired more than 150 people from around the world – some are working remotely, while others are based at

...

the facilities. Because the company competes on a global scale, it strives to recruit people with different backgrounds, cultures and personalities.

“We’ve shaped a really great culture of people,” says Technow.

“There’s a relentless problem-solving mentality here I’ve never seen anywhere else. Everyone is so focused on getting things done together.”

MacDonald also values the increased workplace diversity, and he’s grateful when a thoughtful co-worker leaves a cookie or a treat from another culture on his desk for him to try. “The change in demographics has become more worldly, which makes for an interesting mix and a stronger company,” he says.

Now that his management role is more administrative, MacDonald enjoys the days when he’s out on the facilities’ floors checking in with his team and pushing buttons on the automated machines (processes were more manual when he started).

But one particular group of people is never far from his thoughts.

“We think about patients all the time,” says MacDonald. “We ask ourselves, would we want our mother, sister or son to take that pill?

Is the work we’re doing what’s best for them? That’s what gives us a real sense of accomplishment.” 

$

560

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

50%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

500K

SPENT ANNUALLY ON LEARNING & GROWTH

3

LEVELS OF CHOICE FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS BENEFITS

25

( 2022 )

BDC invests in its people for the long term

A

fter Marie-Chantal Lamothe earned a master’s degree in human resources from the Université de Sherbrooke in 1995, her first job was at the head office of Montréal-based Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). After gaining experience, she left to work elsewhere in banking and finance before returning to BDC in 2019.

“My leaders have always been keen to make me see opportunities I might not have seen for myself.”

— Marie-Claude Provost Vice President, Financing and Consulting, Alberta South “It was a homecoming for me,” says Lamothe of her journey from her first role as a senior adviser in human resources to her current position as chief human resources officer. “I knew BDC’s mandate, that they were cutting-edge, and I had been impressed with their progression over the years.”

BDC is a financial institution that helps create and develop strong Canadian businesses through financing, advisory services and capital, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. “We help entrepreneurs,” says Lamothe, “and I knew I could make a difference to the well-being of both our people and our clients.”

Marie-Claude Provost is another employee who has witnessed BDC’s innovation and evolution over the

 BDC employees visiting their Tech Cafe for IT support before the pandemic last quarter-century, since she was hired in 1996 as an account manager in Montréal. After several internal promotions there, she moved to Calgary in 2018 to become vice president, financing and consulting, for Alberta South. When she joined the organization, she didn’t have a career-track plan – but her managers had good ideas for her.

“My leaders have always been keen to make me see opportunities I might not have seen for myself, like when I moved from financing to marketing, then to human resources,” says Provost. “When we see something in someone, we want to develop the person in terms of capability and career. We’re proud of them, even if it means they’re going to leave our team and move to another one.”

Provost’s move west allowed her

Join the bank that invests in people’s talent.

to discover new people and markets, as well as expand her knowledge of Canadian entrepreneurs. When the opportunity in Calgary came up, “someone tapped me on the shoulder and said I should think about it,” says Provost. “It was an ‘ah ha’ moment.”

Now, with a team of around 30 people, Provost enjoys mentoring students studying finance at her alma mater, Université du Québec à Montréal, as well as less experienced BDC colleagues. That coaching has been virtual since the pandemic began, and while she misses in-person meetings, she regularly keeps in touch with colleagues and clients with telephone and video calls.

In fact, BDC’s people quickly rose to the challenge of working remotely and senior leaders doubled down on the bank’s priority to support

employees’ physical and mental health. That support now comes in many forms: tele-medicine, virtual mental health support to encourage work-life balance, resilience, mindfulness and yoga sessions, and fitness competitions.

“We’re also keeping communications channels open, much more than we did before the pandemic,” says Lamothe. “We’re in the process of looking at returning to the office, and we’ve set up a committee with employees to discuss their needs and wants with a new hybrid work model.”

Lamothe is proud of BDC’s decision to shut down operations completely across the organization for three days over the Christmas holidays last year. “People were exhausted,” she says, “and we decided that we wanted to do more than just give out extra vacation days.” The shutdown meant there no emails or phone calls from anyone – it was a real pause to take time with friends and family.

“Our people are our most valuable resource,” says Lamothe. “Working through the pandemic hasn’t been easy, but we’ve adapted our programs to our people’s changing needs to make sure everyone is mobilized to thrive and best support Canadian entrepreneurs.” 

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No other bank is doing what we do.

We are devoted to Canadian entrepreneurs.

We’re also dedicated to our employees.

We’re hiring. bdc.ca/careers

26

( 2022 )

Canada Life embraces new ways of working

E

ven though he’d done an eight-month co-op placement with The Canada Life Assurance Company, Adrian Barker knew it would be an adjustment when he launched his career at the company with a permanent role in 2017.

“It was a big step moving from the classroom to a professional working environment,” says Barker, associate manager of search engine marketing in Canada Life’s Digital Hub. Fortunately, the company’s onboarding program made the transition a whole lot easier. “I felt welcome from the start,” says Barker. “There was a lot of communication leading up to day 1. They told me what I could expect and where I fit in.”

“We’re putting a lot of tools in the hands of our business leaders to decide what the best and most appropriate hybrid model is for their teams.”

— Colleen Bailey Moffitt Senior Vice-President, Human Resources, Canada Canada Life is committed to supporting its employees personally and professionally, says Colleen Bailey Moffitt, senior vice-president, human resources. That commitment starts with onboarding and continues at every level of their careers through mentoring, professional development and career planning.

“We encourage employees to work directly with their leaders to create a development plan that identifies the goals and capabilities they want to

 Canada Life hosted a contactless food drive nationally, raising the equivalent of over 100,000 meals – including 3,577 meals for this food bank in Winnipeg build on. They revisit their plan annually, if not more often,” says Bailey Moffitt. “That’s supplemented by ongoing training and development.”

Pre-pandemic, the training and development team facilitated in-person workshops on topics like personal effectiveness and leadership capabilities. Since March 2020, the vast majority of employees have been working remotely. Nevertheless, they have still had access to these opportunities, as the company’s learning and development team now offers hundreds of virtual seminars, videos, audiobooks and modules through the company’s online professional development platforms.

Canada Life has maintained its tuition support program for full-time, permanent employees. They are entitled to receive up to $2,000 annually to cover course fees and study materials.

The company has traditionally hired about 200 students annually for co-op, interim and permanent

Proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

positions and that has continued during the pandemic. Although the focus is on actuarial and accounting students, it recruits from a wide range of disciplines. Apart from skill sets, Canada Life is also focused on diversity and inclusion.

“We really want to attract diverse employees who can bring their unique perspectives and help us grow and evolve,” says Bailey Moffitt.

The inevitable next step in that evolution is what will happen as the country emerges from the pandemic.

As an insurer, Canada Life was deemed an essential service and had to have small teams – up to 10 per cent of employees – in their offices, some of whom were in customer delivery roles.

Bailey Moffitt says the company will take a gradual approach to bringing people back, and that their plans will evolve alongside public health guidelines and evolving market practices – with employee safety and experience remaining a top priority.

“We won’t exceed 25 per cent capacity at any of our main office locations for the foreseeable future,” she says. “When it’s safe to welcome more employees into the office, it won’t be a one-size-fits all approach.

We’re committed to a hybrid, flexible model where we can achieve the best of both working remotely and in the office, with our customers’ needs at the centre of that approach. We’re putting a lot of tools in the hands of our business leaders to decide what the best and most appropriate hybrid model is for their teams.”

The company had adopted flexible work arrangements pre-pandemic, but Bailey Moffitt estimates that less than 10 per cent of the workforce took advantage of it. In the future, she says, many employees will continue working remotely part of the time.

For his part, Barker says he’s adapted to working remotely, but still yearns for the office once in a while. “Being brought in as a younger employee in our digital working environment, it’s been business as usual.

I have everything I need to work effectively at home. I know it can be challenging for some, though,” he says. “I’m a sociable person so I get a lot of value being at the office with my colleagues, and I look forward to seeing them in-person again when it’s safe to do so.” 

10,734

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

64,000

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

654 61.2%

JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

27

( 2022 )

Cascades offers great packages – including to staff

A

fter completing an undergraduate degree at the Université de Sherbrooke, Allyson Morissette had a pretty good idea where she wanted to start her career.

Cascades Canada ULC, a retail packaging company based in the small town of Kingsey Falls, about 100 kilometres east of Montréal, was her employer of choice.

In 2019, she did a four-month internship with the company and liked what she saw. “There’s so much potential to grow at Cascades,” says Morissette, a communications advisor. “Cascades really makes a place for junior employees. You get a chance to set goals and see where you could be working in five to ten years.”

“We have a strong focus on career development, which drives the new generation. They can move geographically and to different business units. That’s an attractive feature.”

— Jennifer Dingle Vice-President, Talent Management Apart from all that, the company has won awards for its innovative approaches to recycling, sustainability practices and energy consumption.

“Cascades is always trying to find ways to use less energy and have an impact on the future,” says Morissette. “That’s something that really fits with my values.”

From its origins as a family

 Cascades encourages career development through in-person workshops and online modules and virtual sessions business in small-town Québec, Cascades has expanded and grown over several decades. The company now operates close to 85 plants in Canada and the United States, most of them in Québec, Ontario and the northeastern U.S. As a manufacturer of packaging for food products and a wide array of retail goods, Cascades was designated an essential service and has had to operate at full capacity throughout the pandemic. “Our first priority for our plant workers was their safety,” says Jennifer Dingle, vice-president, talent management.

To that end, the company established a COVID-19 advisory committee comprising senior executives, legal advisors and medical professionals. Protocols for contact

You see a job.

We see a career.

tracing were implemented at all manufacturing facilities and any employee who had to stay home for COVID19-related reasons was eligible for short-term disability payments.

Most salaried staff have been working remotely, which has led to changes that will become permanent.

Henceforth, they will be able to split their time between home and office.

“We tell our employees we want to see each other at least 50 per cent of the time and we’re flexible on the time chosen by the employees,” says Dingle. “You don’t have to be three days in the office one week and two the next. You can work from home for a whole week then return to the office the next week. You get to plan your days according to what works best for you.”

Cascades employs people in operations, supply chain management and finance, among other things, as well as chemical engineers, energy efficiency experts and sustainable development specialists. Most of them work at large corporate offices in Brossard, Candiac and St. Bruno, three South Shore communities close to Montréal.

“We recruit from all over North America and internationally as well,” says Dingle. “We look for people who are diverse, innovative and who bring new ideas to the table. Diversity is important to ensure we have different mindsets when we are making decisions.”

Cascades conducts two-part annual reviews, for salaried and hourly employees. Half of the assessment is based on performance against goals, the other half is based on behavioral competencies.

The company’s learning and development team offers in-person workshops, when possible, as well as online modules and virtual sessions.

“We have a strong focus on career development, which drives the new generation coming into Cascades,” says Dingle. “They can move around geographically and to different business units. The playing field within Cascades is very large and that’s an attractive feature.” 

7,152

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

1,024

JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR

57 300

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

28

( 2022 )

CIBC banks on attracting the best tech talent

I

n 2005, Anantha Emani made a brief over-the-border visit to CIBC in Toronto as a software product consultant for a U.S. tech company. She had no idea it would change her life.

At the time, her parents, husband and young son remained in Hyderabad, India’s tech centre, while Emani worked on a special visa in the U.S. She was planning to return to India soon. But when her CIBC stint was ending, leaders approached her.

“The vice-president said, ‘Why don’t you join us? We will support the relocation of you and your family.’ I was quite surprised and very happy,” she recalls.

“Our team is working on some of the most important and transformational projects in Canada.”

— Lisa Luinenburg Vice-President, Payments Emani accepted, her family came and she started work at CIBC as a developer. Today she is director, business banking technology, overseeing a large team of developers and other tech experts.

“My career grew with the support of all the great leaders and people from the team who valued my expertise and mentored me and gave me opportunities to learn and grow,” Emani says. “it’s a very inspiring story about CIBC that I often tell all my friends and family.”

It’s also a story about how much CIBC values technology talent as it continues to evolve its offerings

 Anantha Emani and her son Ratna are building rewarding technology careers at CIBC to clients. The bank has long been looking for technology talent, known for pioneering digital including talent experienced in new products, from early mobile wallets technologies like blockchain, cloud, and e-transfers to today’s wide variety and artificial intelligence, and how we of innovative client systems, from can use those to develop great new digital IDs to financial goal-planning solutions for our clients.” Working at technology.

CIBC, she notes, offers a comparable “Our team is working on some of environment to a so-called fintech – a the most important and transforfinancial technology startup – “but with the resources of the bank behind mational projects in Canada,” says you and the leadership and support.”

Lisa Luinenburg, vice-president, As Emani can attest, talented tech payments. “It’s a collaboration of people are recognized, encouraged folks across businesses, products and and valued at CIBC. Having started risk management, as well as techas a developer in reporting, she nology, who are implementing these B:8.25" was able to try different areas, from once-in-a-generation opportunities.”

T:8.25" databases to web development to In her area, she says, “we are

applications, and was soon elevated to team lead, then senior manager, and finally director in 2017. “It was really gratifying,” she says.

As for feeling appreciated, “It's not just me,” she says. “The bank values talent and they appreciate you and make sure that you are well-recognized. Twice I received annual achievement awards. They do identify and recognize whoever goes that extra mile to achieve things.”

Luinenburg notes that as part of CIBC’s outreach, the bank is putting major emphasis on inclusion.

“Both within our internal teams and externally within our industry or communities, we have People Networks like our International Professional Networks that create opportunities for the next generation of leaders,” she says.

Like Emani’s son, perhaps. Having come to Canada in Grade 5, he became so intrigued by his mother’s work that he went on to graduate from McMaster University in software engineering. After working in the field for a couple of years, says Emani proudly, “he looked at the way I work here and the technology we use, and he was inspired to apply and join CIBC. For me, CIBC just feels like home.” 

36,744

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29

( 2022 )

Citi Canada: employee programs and perks with ‘soul’

A

spiring to be a bank “with a soul” and empathy might sound like an oxymoron, but Citi Canada lives up to that commitment from the company’s new global CEO, Jane Fraser.

Just ask associate banker Gursahiba Chandhoke, who says she was drawn to Citi five years ago – fresh out of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. – in part because of the “human aspect of the bank, the opportunity to volunteer in the communities that we operate in. That’s something very dear to my heart, and it’s been a consistent theme to everything I’ve done since I was a young girl.”

“We take meaningful actions on everything from education to affordable housing, racial diversity and gender equality. We’ve been recognized over and over again as being leaders in this space.”

— Christine Discola Director and Country Human Resources Officer A few years ago, Chandhoke got involved with a national program called Rise Asset Development, a Citi Foundation grant partner that helps entrepreneurs with past mental health or addiction challenges to thrive.

She became a mentor to a Kingston woman who ran a business providing services to pet owners.

“She was having a bit of trouble

 The Citi team pushes the boundaries of innovation to create industry-leading products and services with understanding how to balance her books, how best to price some of her products and services, so I had monthly discussions with her to understand how we could better shape her business,” says Chandhoke.

“That was really powerful for me because I felt like I was sharing what I’d learned at the bank, and seeing her transformation as a person and with her business was truly powerful.

Every time I’m in Kingston I try to stop by and see her.”

A subsidiary of Citi, a financial-services multinational, Toronto-based Citi Canada focuses on safeguarding assets, lending money, making payments and accessing capital markets on behalf of its clients.

PROGRESS STARTS HERE

It also supports non-profits across the country with virtual Citi Skills Marathons, donating the talent and expertise of bank employees to address organizational issues in areas such as human resources, information technology, governance and public affairs.

Christine Discola, country human resources officer for Citi Canada, notes that environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria are key to the company’s strategy. Indeed, in addition to its “Global Community Day” and another paid volunteer day per year, notes Discola, in 2021 Citi in North America introduced a unique program whereby employees may take two paid weeks off to engage in volunteerism.

“It’s so clear to all of us working at Citi that our ESG agenda, including philanthropy, is not something happening just at the side; it’s something that’s integrated into our business and culture,” she says. “We take meaningful actions on everything from education to affordable housing, racial diversity and gender equality.

We’ve been recognized over and over again as being leaders in this space.”

Among other things, Citi Canada has a self-ID program that, says Discola, “encourages all employees to feel comfortable to disclose all aspects of their identity. Whether it’s gender or sexual orientation or ethnicity, we believe that self-ID signals to our employees that we see you, we hear you, we welcome you.”

For Chandhoke, Citi Canada’s commitment to diversity is empowering. In addition to training that has allowed her to grow, she says, Citi is devoted to grooming female employees: three years ago, it set a goal to have 40 per cent of its management team as women, which it has now exceeded.

“From Day 1 of joining Citi I’ve had women in senior positions in my own business group,” she says. “And then there’s our new CEO. For me, as a young professional moving up the ladder, if you can see it, you can be it.” 

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OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

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30

( 2022 )

Creative Options Regina transforms care for vulnerable citizens

I

n the fall of 2019, Katelin Lawrence joined Creative Options Regina (COR), a nonprofit corporation that provides support for individuals experiencing an intellectual disability, and she felt at home right away.

“I had a couple of friends at COR and they told me how amazing it was,” says Lawrence, a home support worker. “When I joined, it felt like such a close community. Everybody cared about me as an individual.”

“We’re allowing people experiencing disability to have choice and control in their lives.

We strive to ensure that they feel safe, valued and respected.”

— Michael Lavis Chief Executive Officer COR’s approach to delivering personal support is based on “gentle teaching,” a philosophy that is woven through the organization and embedded in the services it provides.

“We’ve shifted the way traditional care is provided,” says chief executive officer Michael Lavis. “We’re allowing people experiencing disability to have choice and control in their lives.

We strive to ensure that they feel safe, valued and respected.”

COR’s leadership group goes the extra mile to support its front-line employees. “Caregivers who feel nurtured and well cared for, who have the tools, resources, training and fair compensation, are going to provide top-notch care,” Lavis says.

COR’s approach to recruitment

 Creative Options Regina employees finding time to have fun at their headquarters and hiring also sets it apart. “We don’t post job openings except for executive positions or other senior roles,” Lavis notes. “We get hundreds of applications every year based on what people know about us and what they hear. They want to be part of a movement that values and respects people.”

The organization hires home support workers almost entirely through referrals. Some recruits have degrees or backgrounds in social work or kinesiology, but COR has hired people with degrees in engineering, business and education.

“We’re always looking for good people with good hearts who want to make a difference,” says employee experience adviser Casey Sakires.

“That transcends educational

background.”

Lawrence has felt the embrace of the organization in a number of ways.

“COR provides so much training to build your confidence in supporting individuals entrusted to your care,” she says. “Our coordinators meet with you if you have questions or concerns. We also have mentors.

They’ve really helped me in areas where I felt weaker. They really encouraged me.”

Apart from training directly related to the job, COR provides a variety of other learning opportunities based on employee interests. “We’ve run financial literacy sessions and we have a dietician who is available for anyone who is interested,” says Sakires.

Home support workers like Lawrence assist the individuals in

IT TAKES

Courage TO

Care

creativeoptionsregina.ca

their care in many ways. These can range from job coaching or looking for volunteer opportunities to day-to-day responsibilities such as budgeting, grocery shopping and keeping a tidy home.

Group activities aimed at building a sense of community are also a big part of COR’s offering to both employees and the individuals whom they support. The organization holds summer barbecues and regular sports nights. Basketball is a favourite, but they have also played soccer, hockey and dodgeball. In addition, COR developed an art studio to encourage creativity.

“The barbecues are the highlight of the week for some of our supports,” says Lawrence. “One of the girls I support adores the sports nights.

They make her feel so valued.”

COR has gone to great lengths to keep employees and the individuals they support safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone has been provided with the necessary PPE. As well, COR has provided enhanced wellness, mental health and financial support for employees. It also partnered with the health authority to set up both a testing centre and vaccination clinics. “Keeping people connected and feeling safe has been key,” says Lavis. 

195 30 63% 4%

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN CANADA YEARS, AVERAGE AGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN TURNOVER RATE FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

PROUD TO BE

31

( 2022 )

Employee-centricity is key at Danone Canada

D

anone Canada constantly seeks employee input in shaping its workplace culture. For instance, during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, President Dan Magliocco reached out to Fiona O’Brien for her views. O’Brien sees that conversation as a turning point.

“Leadership listened to my advice about what decisions should be made and what I wanted to see and hear from the organization,” says O’Brien, director of marketing. “It was the first time in my career that anyone had asked me for my opinion on race in Canada or wanted to listen to me on the topic. It really was life-changing.”

“Being people powered is one of the things that makes Danone so special.”

— Mélanie Lebel Vice-President, Human Resources The food and beverage company, one of Canada’s largest, listens to its employees in other ways too, O’Brien says. A prime example is its employee resource groups, launched in 2020 with the aim to drive impact and promote inclusive diversity among its workforce and communities. The three employee resource groups are 1DanONE, the company’s Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) group; PRIDE, its group for LGBTQIA2S+ employees and allies; and LIFT (Leading and Inspiring Female Talent), which aims to empower women employees.

Beyond educating employees and creating events to promote diversity,

 Fiona O'Brien, director of marketing (left) and Mélanie Lebel, vice-president, human resources (right) at Danone Canada these employee-led groups seek to drive change in the community. For example, 1DanONE advances mentorship and professional development programs – both within Danone and in the community. PRIDE partnered with the company’s International Delight brand to amplify LGBTQIA2S+ voices through an ad campaign in support of Pflag Canada, which helps families understand and accept their LGBTQIA2S+ children.

“Using business as a force for good is at the core of what we believe,” says O’Brien, who leads the 1DanONE and PRIDE groups. “Not only do these employee resource groups work towards making our workplace better, but they also have

a positive effect on the communities where we live and do business.”

This commitment is evidenced by the company’s status as Canada’s largest consumer-facing B Corp. This certification means Danone meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. “For Danone, that’s how we’ve operated since the beginning,” says Mélanie Lebel, the company’s vice-president, human resources. “To work at Danone means you are doing business in a socially, community and environmentally responsible way, and achieving great financial results at the same time.”

For Lebel, it is important to

provide employees with an environment in which they can thrive, while feeling respected and valued. “If we aren’t going to take responsibility for the people working with us, who’s going to do so?” she asks.

This approach meant that when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Danone Canada immediately prioritized employee safety, food safety and business continuity. The company then turned its attention to providing clear communications to its employees, customers and other stakeholders.

“That was a time when the world outside was more uncertain than ever,” says Lebel. “The best we could do internally was to create as much certainty as possible. We ramped up our internal communications to keep our employees informed about our efforts to provide them with a safe workspace, to get their feedback and to simply listen to their concerns.

“Being people powered is one of the things that makes Danone so special,” she adds. “We have phenomenal products that are crafted by our employees. We have fantastic programs that are run by those same employees. My pride in Danone is related to its people and how they come together to form this great community that drives great results.” 

522

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50%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

45

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

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32

( 2022 )

At Desjardins, flexibility is here to stay

F

or Matthew Gribble, working from home full-time wasn’t as much of an adjustment as it was for many of his colleagues impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gribble, whose team is spread throughout Canada, was among the nearly five per cent of Desjardins Group employees already working remotely at least part-time.

Even so, the strategic advisor says he’s seen plenty of changes.

Most notably, over 80 per cent of Desjardins employees now work from home. Thanks to new digital tools for real-time collaboration and communication, they readily interact virtually with one another and, when appropriate, with members and clients of Canada’s leading cooperative financial group.

“Now, the focus is on the deliverables. And that means the role of the office has changed forever.”

— Marc-André Malboeuf Vice-President, Employee Experience Desjardins also introduced a variety of measures so employees at home would still feel supported.

This includes regular web conference updates from president and CEO Guy Cormier; an internal website offering comprehensive information and advice; and team managers enabled to accommodate individuals’ disparate needs.

“There’s been an all-round shift,” says Gribble, who lives in Toronto.

“As an organization, we’ve gotten so

 Desjardins employees volunteering at the Refuge des Jeunes de Montréal before the pandemic much better at working virtually. It’s been a real eye-opener.”

Marc-André Malboeuf, vicepresident of employee experience, agrees, describing developments in teleworking as “game-changing.”

“For one thing,” he says, “employees report they’re able to maintain a better work-life balance.

Plus, contrary to some expectations, employees are more efficient when working at home than in the office, not less so.”

Malboeuf attributes this both to how it’s quicker and easier to collaborate when you don’t have to organize and travel to meetings, and to people working more productively when they have more control over their time.

“This has accelerated changes in the mindset that you need to see people to know they’re working,” says

We’re not just a potential employer.

We’re the employer of choice for over 52,000 people.

There’s a difference.

Malboeuf. “Now, the focus is on the deliverables. And that means the role of the office has changed forever.”

This has wide-ranging implications for Desjardins as the leadership begins to map out how and when people could return to work on-site. Still, according to Malboeuf, “One thing is already clear: Flexibility is essential to the reimagined workplace.”

“Employees have indicated they don’t want to return to their previous work schedules,” he explains.

“Furthermore, Desjardins recognizes that a one-size-fits-all template simply wouldn’t be practicable.”

The Lévis, Que.-based organization offers career opportunities in more than 800 types of jobs in banking, insurance, wealth management, IT and more. Its operations throughout Canada follow varying public health and safety protocols

depending on the pandemic’s progression in different regions.

Malboeuf says he expects the majority of those working remotely will eventually switch to a hybrid model, portioning out time at home and in the office based on member/ client needs and business requirements. As part of their road map back, employees will be given at least 30 days’ notice so they have time to readjust their routines.

Working in the office, however, could be a new experience for many of the 13,000 people Desjardins hired in the 18 months following the March 2020 onset of the pandemic. In that same period, over 10,000 Desjardins employees were promoted or took on new roles.

Gribble is one of them. He took on his current position in November 2020, his second such promotion since he joined Desjardins in 2017.

He says he was originally drawn to the cooperative business model, and while the pandemic has brought about many changes, a change of his heart isn’t one of them.

“Instead of answering to shareholders, the people we serve are our members and clients,” Gribble says.

“The human element is so much more real. It’s such a refreshing way of doing business.” 

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33

( 2022 )

An inclusive culture empowers Enbridge employees

E

nbridge is all about energy, and its leaders take a holistic approach to energize employees and create an inclusive culture in which they can thrive.

“Life takes energy and each of our team members has their own part to play in the daily operations that keep that energy flowing,” says Melissa Harper, chief human resources and inclusion officer.

“We’re proud not just of what we do, but how we do it – by living our values.”

“Enbridge strives for a respectful, diverse and inclusive culture – one where people can feel good coming to work, collaborate across teams, be successful and grow their careers.”

— Melissa Harper Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer Headquartered in Calgary, Enbridge operates North America’s third-largest natural gas utility, while its pipelines move about 25 per cent of the continent’s crude oil. An early investor in renewable energy, it also has a growing offshore wind portfolio.

Enbridge is a complex organization with its 7,000-plus Canadian employees working in multiple professions and settings. With such a diverse organization, the company keeps focused on four core values – safety, integrity, respect and inclusion.

“Enbridge strives for a respectful, diverse and inclusive culture – one

 Enbridge strives to create a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees thrive where people can feel good coming to work, collaborate across teams, be successful and grow their careers,” says Harper.

Safety is the overriding company value, with everyone working to uphold and improve upon best practices. That commitment to safety was never more evident than during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Enbridge implemented a shift to a work-from-home model as well as assisted employees to volunteer in their communities in other ways.

That proactive approach was especially meaningful to employee Derek Lyons.

“I was really impressed by how we all came together across the utility to face the vast and numerous challenges associated with the pandemic,” says Lyons, asset & work management system lead at Enbridge’s technology and operations centre in Markham, Ont. “Enbridge, in my eyes, is the type

of place you can build a long-lasting and meaningful career while, most importantly, being proud of where you work.”

Enbridge supports employees with diverse training and education programs tailored to their individual needs. In-house career planning services are complemented by training initiatives, skilled trades apprenticeship programs and paid internships. The company covers up to 100 per cent of tuition per year for work-related courses.

Enbridge also has a comprehensive wellness program focused on physical, financial and mental well-being. It features over 100 employee 'wellness ambassadors' who champion employee engagement.

The company’s health benefits plan includes a mental health practitioners benefit of up to $2,000 annually, dental coverage, physiotherapy, homecare, chiropractic and alternative coverage for services like

a career with unlimited potential Proud to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

enbridge.com/careers

acupuncture and naturopathy.

The company also looks after the financial health of its employees.

Enbridge provides retirement planning assistance, financial education seminars, phased-in work options for those nearing retirement and a health benefits plan that extends to retirees with no age limit. Employees also receive a unique combined pension plan, with a defined contribution plan during their first five years of employment and a defined benefit plan thereafter.

Employees are encouraged to put their energy back into their communities, which Enbridge also does at a corporate level. The company offers paid time off to work on charitable and community-building projects.

Corporately, Enbridge invested over $25 million in 2020 in communitystrengthening initiatives across the U.S. and Canada.

Teamwork in the workplace and in the community fosters a sense of company-wide camaraderie that Lyons values.

“The thing that truly sets Enbridge apart from other businesses I’ve worked in is the people I work with,” he says. “Our team-oriented work culture and the collaborative atmosphere that Enbridge has fostered here is what really stands out to me.” 

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( 2022 )

Health and wellness take top priority at EDC

M

ohammad Al Jarrah, a risk analyst for Export Development Canada (EDC), was on his honeymoon in Jordan when COVID19 hit and the couple had to cut their trip short to catch the last flight back to Canada. As they adjusted to a new normal working from home in their one-bedroom apartment, tragedy struck.

Four months into the pandemic, they went through a miscarriage.

“I’ve always felt EDC is a place where you can thrive at work and life, simply because they set you up to succeed at both.”

— Mohammad Al Jarrah Risk Analyst “It was a crazy, crazy year and I realized it was time to reach out for help,” says Al Jarrah. “I knew support was there but never needed it until we had such big life events happen in such a small time period. It was tough mentally for both of us.”

Besides his manager’s support, Al Jarrah tapped into EDC’s Employee Family Assistance Program. Given that there were so many people stressed by the pandemic, he expected a long queue, but connected with a counsellor within the week.

EDC, an Ottawa-based Crown corporation and national export credit agency that helps Canadian businesses expand internationally, had increased support for mental health and wellness at the start of the

 Mohammad Al Jarrah shares how EDC helped him through the pandemic pandemic. This includes enabling employees facing extenuating circumstances to take paid special leave, making additional wellness resources such as Virtual Healthcare available through a flexible benefit plan, and providing a separate allotment to support health and wellness in the past year.

“The support system to speak to a counsellor extended to my wife as well,” says Al Jarrah. “If my wife isn’t doing well, I won’t be doing well, so it was nice that help was available to both of us for as long as we needed it.

“On that first call, my wife and I opened up about things that we hadn’t spoken about before, so it was instrumental to our healing.”

By sharing his story, Al Jarrah hopes to inspire others to get mental health support when they need it.

“I grew up in a culture where you just don’t speak about these things,” says Al Jarrah. “I’m sure other people are going through similar crises so if this helps someone reach out, I’d feel really good about that.”

Al Jarrah says these supports are essential to any company that wants to help employees with work-life balance.

“I’ve always felt EDC is a place where you can thrive at work and life, simply because they set you up to succeed at both.”

President and CEO Mairead Lavery says EDC changed its

wellness and benefits program because this year was challenging for a lot of employees in terms of mental health – and “you can’t just have all words and good feelings” without backing it up with concrete action.

“My human resources team ensured there was frequent communication, that leaders were briefed and employees were provided with necessary support,” she says. “We also enhanced the overall benefits we offer. For example, we never had access to doctors online before, but now we have that as part of our health benefits program.”

“Making sure our workforce is healthy is our number 1 priority because we can’t continue to support Canadian companies unless we actually achieve that,” says Lavery.

“Crisis is the mother of invention.

We’ve learned some positive things during this time that we shouldn’t forget, such as how we can come together as a community, how we can change our policies on a dime to make it a bit easier to work, how we rely on the flexibility and the passion of our employees and to never forget that.

“In the darkest moments, that’s when you need to come to the table and demonstrate your values.” 

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35

( 2022 )

Fidelity Canada finds opportunities in change

W

hen Jeffrey Peyer joined Fidelity Canada in Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Ottawa, his education was just beginning.

“Since then, I’ve taken a steady stream of courses,” he says. The company covers the cost of his courses and adds an incentive when he completes one, but the training and education have paid off for Peyer and Fidelity alike.

From his initial role in 2010 as a bilingual client relations representative, Peyer has advanced through the company to his current position as senior product solutions analyst.

He’s now one of four people on the mutual-fund product-development team who analyzes, designs and develops new investment products for the company.

“Our culture encourages innovation, leadership and teamwork.”

— Diana Godfrey Senior Vice President, Human Resources Those products help Fidelity Canada to remain in the forefront of the financial services industry in Canada. With headquarters in Toronto and offices in Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver, the company relies on the adaptability of employees like Peyer to remain competitive in a continually changing investment environment.

“Our culture encourages innovation, leadership and teamwork,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice president,

 At Fidelity Canada, employee engagement activities help create a sense of community and belonging human resources. “Adaptability helps to keep people motivated and committed to excellence.”

Since 2020, the company’s adaptability has been tested in ways that no one expected before COVID-19.

From the early days of the pandemic, when employees were instructed to work from home, the company has adapted to changing conditions without losing momentum.

In the early stages, it reimbursed employees who acquired desks, chairs, monitors and other equipment for their home offices. It equipped designated employees to conduct client webcasts from home. As it became apparent that adjustments to COVID-19 would be more permanent than anyone had initially expected, the company began

renovating its offices “so the work site would be more conducive to collaboration,” says Godfrey.

As the renovations progressed, employees purchased at a discount its unneeded furniture, monitors and other equipment, then donated the proceeds to charity, while the purchases were still eligible for the reimbursement program.

“I bought the chair that I sat in every day,” says Godfrey.

For Peyer, the transition to working from home seemed almost seamless, and as his work continued, so did his studies. In June, he acquired his credential in the Fundamentals of Sustainable Accounting (FSA) from the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board, confirming his expertise in identifying, managing

and analyzing material information related to sustainability as he develops sustainable mutual funds for the company.

Even before he obtained his FSA credential, Peyer had been helping Fidelity take advantage of opportunities in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, says Godfrey.

Based on ESG criteria, Peyer designs sustainable funds that invest in companies selected according to their financial prospects, how they manage various ESG issues and the impact they may have on society and the environment. With a choice of sustainable investments from Fidelity, clients can achieve their financial goals while aligning their investments with their values, the company says.

In addition to his FSA, Peyer’s credentials after 11 years with the company now include a certificate in derivatives market strategies, a designation as a Canadian Investment Manager, a fellowship in the Canadian Securities Institute and a designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Even during COVID-19, Fidelity continues to encourage employees to pursue new career objectives. “We’re still dedicated to development,” says Godfrey. “We’re just finding new ways of doing it.” 

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( 2022 )

The patient comes first at GSK

A

s a doctoral student in respiratory science at the University of Calgary, Claire Tacon occasionally drove past the divisional headquarters of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Mississauga, Ont. “GSK is a leader in respiratory,” says Tacon, who also holds a master’s degree in pharmacology from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. “I’d like to work there some day.”

In 2012, Tacon did just that. As the company’s medical director respiratory, Tacon now works with a team of medical affairs personnel as well as sales and marketing staff to bring increasingly effective treatments for asthma and respiratory ailments to market.

“People lead better lives because of what we’re doing.”

— Claire Tacon Medical Director Respiratory With more than 2,600 full-time employees, GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with divisional headquarters in Mississauga and Laval, Que., and two manufacturing facilities in Québec that research, develop and manufacture pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products.

“The people who work at GSK are highly talented, educated and experienced,” says Nicole Stuart, GSK’s human resources country head. “They do important work to help people’s health and wellbeing.

It’s critical that we hire talent who passionately work to be ambitious

 Employees at GSK participated in Olympic-themed activities that brought the company’s culture priorities to life for patients, accountable for impact and who live our culture to do the right thing for our patients and the community.”

Confronted with the challenges of COVID-19, Stuart says, “everything we used to do still needed to be done, including talent planning and career development. Fortunately, we didn’t miss a beat in our deliverables as people went from working at a desk in the office to a desk at home or from the field to virtual engagements. But the beat did, and does, feel different and we had to make adjustments.”

Deemed essential operations, GSK’s two manufacturing sites continued to produce medicines, vaccines and healthcare products. Another 1,500 employees moved home, supported by the company’s technology team with collaboration tools such as

Microsoft Teams and Vevox.

Not only did they have access to all training materials online, they engaged virtually with each other in social activities such as GSK Olympics and an ugly-holiday-sweater event that attracted plenty of participants.

GSK also ensured that employees were properly equipped with monitors, chairs, desks and other office necessities, supported by a $500 non-taxable reimbursement that’s part of the company’s Performance with Choice program.

Acknowledging the benefits of flexibility and increased productivity that employees have experienced in working from home, GSK created the program so that employees can balance the flexibility and convenience of working from home with the

power of face-to-face collaboration.

“We learned a lot during the pandemic about new ways of working,” says Stuart. “We recognized that a cultural shift to encourage people to look at how they might work differently to perform at their best was critical in accelerating innovation, collaboration, learning, sharing and celebration, all while being ambitious for patients.”

“With kids at home,” says Tacon, “it was fantastic to have the flexibility. Moving forward, we’ll see a hybrid work environment where employees can choose what’s best for them so they can do their best work.”

Now in her 10th year with the company, Tacon remains as enthusiastic as ever about the advances that GSK continues to make in respiratory as well as other therapeutics areas such as infectious disease, HIV, oncology and immunology.

“What I didn’t realize when I started was the amount of dedication and how much work it takes to get a drug from research to Canadian patients,” she says. “Now I see how everyone’s pulling in the same direction to go from the earliest clinical stages of research and development right through to the patient.

“People lead better lives because of what we’re doing,” she concludes.

“That’s why I joined GSK.” 

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Hatch engineers strong support for new employees

A

bout a year ago, when she was 22 and had been fulltime with Hatch Ltd. for only a few months, Emily Miszk was on assignment in Baffin Island for the global engineering firm. After learning about a project in Nunavut, she recalls, she had sent an email saying, “‘Hey, just so you know, if you ever need someone to go up there, I could be that person.’ A week later, they were like, ‘OK, pack your bags, you're going.’”

A geotechnical engineer in training, Miszk has travelled three times to the Mary River site of Baffinland Iron Mines, possibly the most northern mine in the world; when she first went last November, the temperature was minus 40. Her job is to supervise a drilling investigation looking at soil, rocks and ice.

“Real development happens on the job, so we give our people lots of responsibility early on in their careers.

We purposely stretch them.”

— John Bianchini Chairman and CEO “I was super-intimidated at first, but my supervisor and other project managers said, 'Oh, you've got this,’” she says. “I was given the opportunity to make decisions in the field. It’s cool to know that whatever decision I make, they will support me 110 per cent.”

 Emily Miszk, geotechnical engineer in training at Hatch Ltd. Miszk notes, however, that she has never felt completely on her own in Nunavut. “Sometimes when I come back from the site it's late in the evening, but my project managers are always on the computer if I have any questions, and they respond before my shift the next day. They make sure that everything is set up for me to be successful here.”

John Bianchini, Hatch’s chairman and CEO, says grooming young talent has always been part of the company’s DNA. “Real development happens on the job, so we give our people lots of responsibility early on in their careers. We purposely stretch them,” he says. “Worldwide, we hire and develop about 300 new engineers

every year as well as several hundred students.” He notes that Hatch provides abundant training and a career-management program.

Bianchini, based in Mississauga, Ont., was himself challenged early in his career in 1988, when he was 25 and had been with Hatch only three years. He was assigned to lead a team involved in expansion of Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa. “It was a real developmental project for me,” he says, “because I got to learn about the technology and help modernize it with the team.”

He adds that social responsibility is embedded in the company’s “manifesto” and continues to be key, driven by a desire to create positive

change in its communities. In South Africa, where Hatch still counts Richards Bay as a client and where the company’s second largest campus is, Hatch has invested more than $26 million in skills developments and bursaries, largely targeted to previously disadvantaged groups, over the past 15 years.

The company also provides scholarships and bursaries to Indigenous students in Canada. And this year, through employee donations and a corporate match, it raised $1 million for COVAX, the global COVID-19 vaccine-sharing project.

Miszk says Hatch jumped right on board when she proposed initiatives to inform high-schoolers – particularly females – about STEM in Niagara Falls, Ont., where she spent her first year with the company (she’s now based in Vancouver). Last March, she co-ordinated an event attended by 70 young people. “It was a dream of mine to run a seminar kind of thing,” she says. “Growing up, I had no idea what engineering was, and it was a very fluky thing that I ended up in the field.”

Bianchini says Hatch also has a “real open-door policy,” whereby employees are welcome to email him directly. “There is no ladder at Hatch to escalate an idea or a problem.

There is no hierarchy.” 

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( 2022 )

Togetherness helps Hershey Canada keep things sweet

T

hroughout his five years at Hershey Canada, David Plamondon felt a solid connection with the company. But that feeling grew even stronger when the director of manufacturing in Canada received an unexpected phone call in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The call was from Jason Reiman, a top executive of the Pennsylvaniabased confectionary giant. The chief supply chain officer wanted to know how Plamondon was personally coping with the stresses of the pandemic, and how his family was doing.

“What makes me feel good about Hershey is that we work for a multinational, but you don’t feel like you are working for a multinational, because we’re connected,” Plamondon says of the company, which has 17,000 workers at manufacturing plants and offices around the world.

“That’s what I like about Hershey.

They always make the person the first priority.”

— David Plamondon Director of Manufacturing, Canadian Sites Plamondon, director of manufacturing, Canadian sites, says he’s responsible for about 600 employees at Hershey’s two Canadian plants – in Saint-Hyacinthe and Granby, Que. – but he doesn’t feel like he’s seen as merely a manager asked to manufacture and ship products at the best cost.

“I really felt at that time that they really cared about me as a person as

 A manufacturing employee at Hershey watching production of the company's signature confectionery product, Hershey Kisses well,” Plamondon says of Reiman’s call.

The chocolate and snacks maker, founded about 125 years ago by confectioner and philanthropist Milton Hershey, has always promoted values including togetherness, integrity and making a difference.

Regarding the first goal, Plamondon has tried to duplicate the attention he gets from his managers to the people who report to him.

He does that through such things as one-on-one meetings at least every two weeks. Two-way communication allows managers to understand employees and “leverage their strengths,” he says.

The way the company generates a sense of belonging is a real differentiator, says Houssam “Sam” Chehabeddine, Hershey Canada’s

overall general manager. “We do act and feel like a united family,” he says.

The executive, who works out of the Canadian head office in Mississauga, Ont., had experience at several large companies in markets around the world before starting at Hershey in Dubai in 2015. He says not many places have “the same sense of genuine care and family feel.”

“People support each other,” Chehabeddine says. “There’s a lot of collaboration, a lot of responsibility by the team, a lot of resilience, but most of all caring for each other.”

He points to other important initiatives that enhance the worker experience. Hershey runs an employee-recognition program called Smiles, and promotes diversity in all forms (for instance, about 60 per cent of the Canada leadership team is

female, along with the chairman/chief executive officer). It also continues to sponsor charitable events to support underprivileged youth, extending a legacy started in the early 20th century by the company founder at the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania.

Chehabeddine says the company’s emphasis on togetherness has helped keep the workforce strong amid the pandemic. That means really listening to their needs and frustrations, and sometimes even over-communicating.

“COVID has been difficult,” he says. “There has been a lot to digest, and people needed to feel that they are supported and we really care for them. So that also translates into a lot of empowerment and trust.”

Plamondon says that emphasis on caring extends to giving workers flexibility and time off during the COVID-19 crisis to deal with family issues. Managers also let people work from home as much as possible and promoted the idea that Hershey Canada employees should be able to balance life and work “without feeling guilty.”

“That’s what I like about Hershey,” Plamondon says. “They always make the person the first priority. I think that makes a big difference.” 

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39

( 2022 )

IG Wealth Management minimizes the hierarchy

A

senior analyst with the planning specialist network at IG Wealth Management, Ruth Brant is not exaggerating when she describes her role as “rather diverse.”

Project management and coordination, website administration and being the communications lead for written material, presentations and events are just a few of her varied responsibilities.

But why Brant enjoys her role with Canada’s largest independent wealth management company is clear-cut – and it’s not just that she relishes variety and challenges. Helping supply IG’s financial advisors with the tools and information they need to provide clear, simple and timely advice and financial solutions satisfies her desire to help clients, she says.

“We take staying connected to our people very seriously.”

— Damon Murchison President and Chief Executive Officer According to Brant, that mindset starts at the top and permeates the organization. “I really see a strong desire to do what’s best for the people who work here, our clients and the communities in which we operate,” she says.

The Winnipeg-based company, known for most of its 96-year history as Investors Group, was rebranded as IG Wealth Management in 2018.

Building on a track record of innovation, it offers synchronized financial products and services ranging from

 IG Wealth Management employees taking part in a fundraising walk for Alzheimer's research in 2019 tax and retirement planning to cash management and brokerage services.

IG has also garnered a reputation as a leader in responsible and sustainable investment.

After working for an affiliated company, Damon Murchison became president and CEO in September 2020. He describes IG as the least hierarchical organization he’s seen in the financial sector.

“This is not by happenstance,” Murchison says. “We take staying connected to our people very seriously. Any employee can contact me directly.”

Other senior leaders also have a history of answering employees’ emailed questions themselves. Not surprisingly, connecting digitally has

become increasingly important as the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on.

Before IG sent nearly 2,000 employees home in March 2020 for health and safety reasons, the majority worked in offices in Winnipeg, Toronto and Montréal where there were ample opportunities for in-person interactions, planned and otherwise. Then suddenly, people were scattered in hundreds of individual home offices.

Chief human resources officer Cynthia Currie says IG wanted to make sure people felt supported, not isolated and anxious. So soon after supplying technological and other resources to ensure employees’ physical work spaces were fully functional, IG launched initiatives to

help foster their mental wellness.

It started with the announcement that there would be no job losses during the pandemic. In fact, the rate of hiring has nearly doubled, Currie says, with particular attention paid to onboarding young people from the first cohort to enter the workforce during the pandemic.

In a show of solidarity, company leaders have shared how they, too, have felt vulnerable and struggled during the pandemic. “This was not to teach and preach,” says Currie.

“It’s not all about work: we genuinely care for one another as people.”

Employees took up the banner and began offering virtual peer-to-peer counselling programs, she adds.

They also stepped up their charitable and fundraising activities for causes important to IG. Even though most in-person events were cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, employees exceeded their goals and raised more money and contributed more volunteer hours than in 2019.

Brant, who’s on the organizing committee for the annual United Way campaign, wasn’t surprised. “I work with a lot of dedicated leaders and creative people throughout IG who are committed to coming together and making a difference in people’s lives,” she says. 

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40

( 2022 )

Irving Oil is grounded in its commitment to people

W

hen Andrea Matheson graduated from her Saint John, N.B., high school in 2013, she took a year off to decide her next step, but she was certain of two things – she didn’t want to leave her hometown, and she wanted to work at Irving Oil, which is based there.

“My grandfather and other relatives had worked for the company, so I knew it had a great reputation,” says Matheson, who ultimately decided to study chemical technology at the New Brunswick Community College and joined the Irving Oil team as a co-op student.

“We haven’t let the fact that people aren’t in the office every day stop us from doing the things we’ve always done.”

— Sarah Irving Executive Vice President Founded in 1924 in Bouctouche, N.B., Irving Oil is a family-owned and privately held international energy company with a strong commitment to people – to its employees, customers, communities and partners.

For nearly 100 years, the company says proudly, it has built a kind, inclusive culture that remains true to its value of respect for the people at the heart of its operations.

“From our scholarship programs to career-building opportunities, we believe we can empower our communities through education and are proud to partner with academic institutions in the places we serve,” says Sarah Irving, executive vice-president. “Students bring

 Andrea Matheson, product development analyst at Irving Oil, helped produce hand sanitizer during the pandemic energy and fresh ideas, and we focus on building a great experience for them.”

In 2017, Matheson was hired as a chemical technologist, then promoted to product development analyst in March 2020, just before the pandemic hit. When the impact of COVID-19 became known, Irving Oil immediately shifted the production line at its Irving blending and packaging facility to produce hand sanitizer.

Matheson was a key part of the team that made it happen. “It was very outside our typical operations,” she says, of returning to the lab where she had done her co-op terms. “But it was rewarding knowing what we were doing would help keep people safe.”

With rising COVID-19 case numbers in New Brunswick’s fourth wave this fall, office workers continue to work remotely. “With safety as our top priority, we have pushed our return to the office to 2022,” says Jennifer Beach, chief human resources officer. “When we are back, recognizing that flexible work arrangements are important to our employees, we’re rolling out a model to give our teams the opportunity to work at home some of the time.”

Matheson, who is expecting her second child, appreciates knowing that when she returns from maternity leave, there will be flexible options.

“It’s important to have a healthy work-life balance,” she says. “I don’t

feel like I have to sacrifice time with my family in order to excel in my career.”

Over the last year and a half, it has been a priority for the company to keep employees feeling connected and engaged. “We haven’t let the fact that people aren’t in the office every day stop us from doing the things we’ve always done, while also continuing to grow and move our company forward,” says Irving.

An area of growth the company is particularly proud of is the release of its first comprehensive sustainability report, available on irvingoil.com. “It details our environmental, social and governance performance and the significant events and experiences that continue to shape our business,” says Irving. “This is the next step in our journey in sustainable development and shows our commitment to work toward a more sustainable energy future, while continuing to meet the needs of our customers, today and tomorrow.”

The company’s employees, customers and community members are always at the forefront of Sarah Irving’s mind. She likes to quote her father, Irving Oil chairman Arthur Irving, by saying, “Thanks to our customers for their business, but thanks to our employees for everything you do for our business.” 

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( 2022 )

Kellogg Canada is a cereal donater to communities

W

hile employees had to put most in-person volunteering on hold due to the COVID19 pandemic, Kellogg Canada Inc. found creative ways to continue helping its communities.

When the pandemic began, the Mississauga, Ont.-based company accelerated planned food donations to provide immediate relief to communities with the greatest need, giving more than $3 million in food and funds to Food Banks Canada and Breakfast Club of Canada.

“Giving back is something that runs deep and through the entire Kellogg Canada culture.”

— Tony Chow President, Kellogg Canada On the company’s first ever Day of Caring, employees listened to speakers discuss the impact of food insecurity within marginalized communities and then assembled more than 4,000 Day of Caring kits for local organizations, each with healthy snacks, an engraved Kellogg’s spoon and a handwritten message on a notecard.

“Giving back is something that runs deep and through the entire Kellogg Canada culture,” says Tony Chow, president. “We are continuously finding ways for team members to volunteer through local food drives, food sort challenges and packing events. We are long-standing supporters of Food Banks Canada and Breakfast Clubs across the country. Hunger relief is not only my

 Alexandre Comtois, associate director at Kellogg Canada, participating in their 'Day of Caring' program where they assembled more than 4,000 kits for local organizations personal passion, but it’s part of the DNA of our company.”

Alex Comtois, an associate director who has worked for Kellogg Canada for 17 years, is a regular volunteer at the local breakfast club. “It’s very important to me to give back in any way that I can,” he says. “I have been blessed with many things in my life – an awesome family, my health and my work at Kellogg. Not giving back just wouldn’t make sense to me.”

Comtois doesn’t just volunteer in the community, but also across other Kellogg Canada committees. He is part of the social committee and has been on the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Council for a decade.

The council helps run diversity awareness campaigns, community

initiatives and employee events. At a recent annual Day of Reflection, employees learned about topics including Indigenous history in Canada and listened to employees share personal experiences of racism and discrimination.

“I volunteer on the EDI council because I want everyone working at Kellogg Canada to feel included and feel like they are part of something special,” Comtois says. “That’s not to say that we don’t have any challenges, but we are all on the same team and working together to get through those challenges.”

Chow says EDI is embedded in the company’s values. Kellogg Canada launched 10 EDI commitments in late 2020 and tracks its progress

through quarterly reports to employees. “Our EDI strategy helps us build more inclusive teams and strengthen our empathy for one another,” Chow says. “It helps us create an environment where we embrace and learn from our differences and enable people to bring their best authentic selves to work. And, as we do, it will only further drive our culture while better serving our customers and communities.”

Employee wellness is another focus at Kellogg Canada. At its new virtual Wellness Day, the in-house nutrition team provided healthy-eating tips, an instructor led a fitness break and a guest speaker discussed resilience.

Each employee received a wellness gift pack and had part of the day off to pursue an activity to help support their total health.

“The pandemic has had a profound impact and there are more instances of stress and people feeling overworked as they juggle family and work obligations,” says Chow.

“That’s why it’s absolutely critical that we invest in our employees, by far our greatest asset, and ensure we are giving them the tools to cope.

Total wellness – emotional, financial, physical and social – is critical to individual and team success. If we are not well, we can’t bring our best selves to work.” 

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42

( 2022 )

Wellness and care is at the heart of Keurig Dr Pepper Canada

D

uring her first 18 months at Keurig Canada Inc., doing business as Keurig Dr Pepper Canada (KDP), Melissa McLean went through two rounds of onboarding – the first when she joined the company and the second when she welcomed a new employee to her team. Both rounds were done virtually.

“One of the things I really like about KDP is that we have a strong set of values we hold ourselves accountable to. They drive our conversations and our ethics.”

— Melissa McLean Senior Manager, Partnerships “It’s been incredibly interesting to learn a new job and discover a business remotely, and the organization helped me navigate through this adventure very well,” says McLean, senior manager, partnerships. “When I had to welcome a new resource to my team and onboard him into a world that I myself had to discover from the comfort of my own home, it really helped that I had gone through it and knew what resources there were available to support me.”

As a growing organization, KDP Canada has hired throughout the pandemic, but had to find new ways to bring people on board, says president Olivier Lemire. “I meet with

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ARE THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS Join KDP Canada careers.keurigdrpepper.com

 Keurig Dr Pepper Canada employees at the Charles-Bruneau Cup all new employees,” he says. “It's important to me that everyone feels welcomed, especially in a time when it's not possible to see and interact with each other on a daily basis in the office.”

KDP faced some unusual pandemic-induced challenges because it has corporate-level salaried employees working from home, sales and operations teams on the road and employees working on site at its Montréal plant.

“We are extremely proud that we never had to shut down the operations of our plant, due to the way we quickly adapted for COVID-19 challenges,” says Lemire. “It speaks to how seriously the employees took the health measures we put in place.”

To assist employees who were

working remotely and dealing with stresses caused by the pandemic, the company emphasized the mental health training and educational activities available through its wellness program.

“The first step was to train our managers to help them recognize the signs of mental health issues and raise awareness about mental health,” Lemire says. “We also provided them with tools to support their employees in challenging situations.”

For her part, McLean has been impressed with the learning and development opportunities. “I’ve had incredible training,” she says. “One of the things I really like about KDP is that we have a strong set of values we hold ourselves accountable to.

They drive our conversations and our

ethics.”

She also belongs to two of the eight employee resource groups (ERGs) founded by KDP to promote community and connection. “It is a really cool experience,” she says.

“The ERGs have been instrumental in bringing people of different backgrounds together and demonstrating our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the company.”

KDP has traditionally recruited at job fairs, but since the pandemic it has placed more emphasis on recruiting talent from its internship program and has offered expanded opportunities for internal talent to grow and develop their careers.

“In recent years, several of our interns have been hired into full-time positions,” says Lemire. “People are genuinely happy at KDP and there are opportunities for those who want to grow within the company. In fact, we have people in management who started as interns.”

The company plans to slowly return its salaried workforce to the office in 2022. “After 18 months of being apart, this has shown that our corporate employees can work effectively from home,” says Lemire.

“As such, flexibility will be a key component to our new hybrid model, with employees working a few days a week in the office.” 

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43

( 2022 )

For KPMG, ESG is at the centre of everything

A

s a marine biologist, Josh Hasdell seems an unlikely candidate for Torontobased professional services firm KPMG LLP (Canada). But Hasdell’s innate passion for ocean conservation and environmental stewardship is equally matched by his passion for wanting to make a real change in the world by working with global organizations.

That drove Hasdell to switch from the sciences to getting his Chartered Professional Accountant designation, because he wanted to understand how the finance function of organizations actually works and how environmental aspects can be integrated within.

“Whoever would have thought we’d have a marine biologist turned accountant and advisor working with us at KPMG Canada? I think that’s a great example of how our world is changing.”

— Kristy Carscallen Canadian Managing Partner, Audit and Assurance Next came an accountancy and advisory role with KPMG, first in the U.K. and currently as a manager in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy & Impact Services at KPMG in Canada, based in Vancouver.

“I didn’t feel I could have as much impact as I wanted in the research,

 Josh Hasdell, former marine biologist turned accountant and advisor at KPMG, conducts coral reef research and conservation in Bermuda conservation or NGO space,” says Hasdell. “I wanted to be able to sit with organizations, corporates and public-policy makers to discuss these pragmatic issues so we could make some real changes.

“KPMG was one of the organizations with a seat at the table and an organization akin to my own personal values of purpose, drive and resiliency. I saw KPMG globally as having those values instilled in its culture and that was very closely aligned to how I was conducting my life, my ambitions and my career.

So it was an easy decision for me to join.”

Hasdell saw Canada as a real opportunity to make a big difference and advance the ESG agenda, building on what he’d learned in the U.K. and bringing those insights here.

“There are so many different

types of work we’re doing – with corporations, public policy and listing organizations,” says Hasdell.

“KPMG’s recent CEO Outlook survey shows how progressive Canadian executives are in wanting to take action to address the needs of their stakeholders and how seriously they’re taking these ESG issues.”

According to Kristy Carscallen, Canadian managing partner, Audit and Assurance, ESG has evolved into a fundamental part of the organization, impacting every aspect of KPMG’s services.

“When you look at the services KPMG provides – audit and assurance, tax and advisory – there’s an ESG component to every single one, whether it’s helping a client develop their ESG strategy or measure and report on ESG metrics,” says Carscallen. “It crosses absolutely

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everything we do.”

ESG also impacts hiring because it requires a whole range of diverse skill sets with different expertise.

“Gone are the days when KPMG would just hire accounting graduates and economic graduates,” says Hasdell. “We’ve got chemical engineers, teachers, educators and scientists on our teams because that’s what we need to help clients navigate this complicated but progressive journey. It cements why diversity is such an important part, not just in gender and ethnicity but also diversity of thought, when it comes to ESG.” “Whoever would have thought we’d have a marine biologist turned accountant and advisor working with us at KPMG?” says Carscallen. “I think that’s a great example of how our world is changing. We need people from different backgrounds with different experiences and perspectives, to be able to serve the needs of the future.

“The pandemic has put a laser focus on ESG and doing the right thing for investors, employees and all Canadians. It’s really moved society to hold both individuals and corporations to account in terms of making Canada and the world a better, kinder, greener and bluer place. And, having the right talent to help achieve this is at the centre of it.” 

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( 2022 )

Labatt brews a culture built on ownership and trust

I

n the wake of the terrible wildfire tragedy that struck Lytton, B.C., in mid-2021, destroying 90 per cent of the village in a single evening, Geordie Knowles and his colleagues at Labatt Brewing Company Limited were ready to help.

Within 36 hours of getting a call, Knowles had directed 26,000 cans of much-needed drinking water, packaged in the same 355-ml aluminum containers that hold the company’s famous beer, to townspeople and first responders who had returned to take stock.

“Labatt gives every employee the autonomy to operate.”

— Geordie Knowles Supply Chain Lead, Western Canada

“Our team was able to pivot really quickly and deliver that water to people who were so hard hit by the wildfires,” says Knowles, who is supply chain lead for Western Canada. “I take a ton of pride in our ability to help the community.”

In fact, the Toronto-based company has its own Labatt Disaster Relief Program to help out in times of need across the country. It has donated more than 700,000 cans of drinking water since 2013. “When it’s needed, our production line switches over from beer in cans to water in cans,” says Knowles. “It’s a very similar operation.”

The Lytton episode was a reminder to Knowles about the company he joined in 2017. “It reinforces to me

 Employees like Geordie Knowles thrive thanks to the team-centric approach at Labatt Brewing Company

what our culture here is all about,” he says. “We had to make quick decisions and then push forward to help our community. Labatt gives every employee the autonomy to operate, and as you build trust, you get more and more responsibilities.”

It was the culture that attracted him when he attended Queen’s University recruitment events before graduating with a civil engineering degree. “No one came to those open houses with such a team-centric approach as Labatt did,” he says. “I got the impression that they were going to give me the opportunity to develop and be a contributor, right off the bat.”

Which they did. Once on board

as a supply chain trainee, Knowles was given a real-life operational challenge to solve – “it’s not some make-believe task” – and spent six months touring various Labatt operations across Canada with a side visit to a Seattle location for Anheuser-Busch, which is also a member of Belgium-based parent company AB InBev. “It was a really cool opportunity to learn from our subject matter experts and build a network from site to site,” says Knowles.

Beatriz Grubesic, Labatt’s vice-president, people, says the invitation to move around the company is a hallmark of its approach to new talent. So, too, is what the company

calls its “people cycle,” in which employees are regularly evaluated on results and managers are encouraged to maintain constant two-way communication with their people.

“Our culture is built on ownership, informality and transparency,” Grubesic says. “We hold employees accountable for their decisions, so they feel part of our bigger goals as an organization, part of the strategy.

But it’s not just results in terms of our commercial strategy. We focus on development and career goals.”

Grubesic says Labatt has also been expanding its recruitment outreach to enhance diversity.

Recently it formed a partnership with the Black Talent Initiative, which works to promote equitable career opportunities for Black Canadians. “We have a three-year plan for our diversity, equity and inclusion initiative,” she says. “We put a lot of emphasis on inclusion as well, and we have partnered with companies to provide training for our employees.”

Knowles, too, has been involved as an ally with the Labatt’s employee resource group Women in Beer and Beyond. “I think it’s another source of pride for us,” he says. “These groups are ingrained in our culture.” 

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45

( 2022 )

Employee connections keep the culture alive at Manulife

A

fter working from home since the start of the pandemic, Islam Elshenawy says he’s more connected than ever. Sure, he misses in-person meetings and conversations over coffee, but Elshenawy, a customer service consultant for Manulife Canada in its Halifax office, has been able to enjoy multiple ways of socializing with colleagues as well as lots of learning opportunities.

With its global headquarters in Toronto, the insurance and financial services firm operates offices in Canada, Asia, Europe and the United States. “When everything switched to virtual, my circle began getting wider because I’m getting to know people from across all of Manulife’s locations,” says Elshenawy.

“It’s our culture and values that drive our decision-making, that drive how we talk to each other and how we support our customers.”

— Kathryn Kitchen Head of Human Resources, Canada “It’s really amazing that I’ve built so many connections with co-workers over the past year in Montréal, Toronto and other places. I can’t wait to travel again and meet them.”

Besides weekly fun meetings to unwind with his team, Elshenawy joined multiple employee resource groups (ERGs), including VIBE (Valuing the Inclusion of Black Employees) and GWA (Global

 At Manulife, the ‘Fuel Up Fridays’ initiative gives employees the morning to learn new skills and the afternoon to rest and recharge Women’s Alliance) just to get to know people and help elevate each other.

“Manulife’s ERG programs give me the opportunity of working with others from different backgrounds and learning new perspectives on how to tackle a task or problem,” says Elshenawy. “I also like Podium, Manulife’s global recognition program, as a way to reach out and recognize others.”

The company’s Yammer social network groups are another favourite, where Elshenawy is an active member on Pets of Manulife, along with “work buddy” Oscar, his eight-year-old black-and-white cat.

“Getting to know other people’s pets is a lovely way of getting to know people better within the organization,” says Elshenawy. “I

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also participate in Fuel Up Fridays, a fantastic program to help employees develop and learn about topics that interest them. I’m interested in business analysis and Six Sigma certifications and am already connecting with others who share my passion.”

Kathryn Kitchen, head of human resources, says the recently launched Fuel Up Friday initiative is getting a tremendous response. Employees learn for half a day on Manulife’s platform of LinkedIn Learning and other venues, then rest for the second half.

“That’s the day we’re wholly focused on the well-being of our global team, and dedicated to learning and rest,” says Kitchen. “People just appreciate the time to collectively learn together and bounce ideas off each other with lots of laughter and stories.

There’s something different when a whole company does it together – a collective sense of rejuvenation where people come back refreshed and excited.”

When the pandemic struck, Kitchen says the company earnestly tried to make sure everybody had the support they needed – and did so by listening to employees’ feedback.

“We focused on connection and operating with a deep sense of humanity,” says Kitchen. “So, we communicated constantly with weekly videos from leaders, regular ‘ask me anything’ sessions with our executive team and by bringing in incredible speakers to help bring connection and humanity to the entire experience for everybody.”

“There’s something that gets missed when you don’t run into each other in the cafeteria or stairway, so leaders are being quite intentional with building those moments of connection – such as a team doing a cooking class or yoga together – so people feel well integrated into the fabric of our organization.

“It’s our culture and values that drive our decision making, that drive how we talk to each other and how we support our customers.

It's connecting everybody with our purpose of helping Canadians live better lives.” 

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( 2022 )

Wellness is a key focus at McCarthy Tétrault

“Our commitment to wellness is about empowering our people to make the decisions that are right for them.”

— Barbara Boake National People and Practice Leader The firm provides programs such as bereavement leave, compassionate care leave and wellness benefits in order to support employee wellness.

It also recently started providing access to virtual healthcare for employees and their families through an app, which includes virtual medical appointments, home-delivered prescription medication and psychotherapy services.

“Ours is a profession with unique stressors,” Boake says. “We also know that happy people take fewer sick days, are more creative and innovative in their work and derive greater satisfaction from the work they do.”

Addressing mental health is not just for the sake of productivity,

 Lawyers and staff at McCarthy Tétrault LLP taking time to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation #EveryChildMatters Boake adds. “Our commitment to wellness is about empowering our people to make the decisions that are right for them.”

This commitment includes offering employees choice regarding their work patterns with a range of flexible options, including staggered start times, part-time reduced hours, unpaid leaves of absence and reduced workload where possible.

CEO Dave Leonard says this dedication to employee wellness extends to the firm’s commitment to equity and inclusion. “Our commitment to equity and inclusion is about making sure all of our people are comfortable bringing their full selves to the workplace,” Leonard says. “Accepting and embracing our differences is about more than committing ourselves to being a safe

place to work and grow, it’s about ensuring that all of our people can flourish.”

The firm’s Inclusion Now program, created in 2018, aims to attract, retain and advance members of equity-seeking groups including Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC); members of the LGBTQ+ community; people with disabilities; and women.

In addition, more than 540 members of the firm have volunteered for one of its action groups – Pride, Gender, Race and Abilities – which run initiatives to educate employees and invest in community agencies to support equity-seeking groups across Canada.

“We want current and future firm members to see themselves represented in our ranks,” Boake

Our people make us better.

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says. “We want our people to feel that they have a community of peers who have experienced life in the same way they have. Equity and inclusion are our way of proactively ensuring the mental well-being of all equity-seeking groups.”

Firm-wide mentoring is another way employees receive support. The professional mentor program pairs a second- or third-year associate with a senior associate or partner. The mentor assists with the associate’s integration into the firm and provides guidance on the practice of law and office procedures.

The career mentor program pairs a partner with an associate approaching their fourth year of practice, with a focus on aspects of creating a successful career, such as how to attract and retain clients and build industry expertise. The firm has also introduced mentoring programs for associates who identify as diverse and for members of professional staff teams.

“Our collective success is a function of each individual thriving in the workplace,” says Leonard.

“Our programs have evolved from being an extra benefit to becoming the cornerstone of our firm’s business strategy – one of our five strategic pillars: investing in our people.” 

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McCarthy Tétrault LLP

A

t McCarthy Tétrault LLP, the mental health and wellness of its people – lawyers, students, paraprofessionals and members of its service teams – is paramount.

Barbara Boake, national people and practice leader, says the firm is committed to building a culture that encourages people to share their experiences and seek support for their challenges, while reducing stigma and increasing action regarding workplace mental health.

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Caring and culture is at the heart of Medavie

I

n 2008, a few days into her new job with Medavie as a disability claims specialist at Medavie Blue Cross, Sylvia Atkinson felt comfortable enough to let her hair down – literally. It was an important step in her evolution both as an employee and as a person.

“As a visible minority, I never felt my naturally curly hair was professional, so I straightened it or wore it in a ponytail,” says Atkinson, now manager of life and disability management. “Medavie was the first employer that made me feel comfortable with my individuality.”

“We are fostering a culture that promotes openness, understanding and a sense of belonging where everyone can bring their true selves to work.”

— Bernard Lord Chief Executive Officer

Medavie is a national health solutions partner that integrates benefits management, health management and health-care delivery. Overseeing Medavie Blue Cross and Medavie Health Services, over 7,200 employees across Canada are dedicated to improving the well-being of Canadians.

CEO Bernard Lord is working hard to nurture and grow an even more diverse and inclusive culture.

“At Medavie, we are fostering a culture that promotes openness, understanding and a sense of belonging where everyone can bring their true selves to work.”

 Sylvia Atkinson, manager, life and disability management at Medavie in Toronto

Since joining the organization 13 years ago, Atkinson says her career advancement is linked to Medavie’s strong culture of caring. “Before, I never aspired to be a leader because I didn’t have any friends who looked like me as role models,” she says. “Here, I had mentors and team members who gave me the confidence and push to grow my career.”

In 2021, Atkinson was honoured to join the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employee working group. “I felt very inspired to be part of it,” she says. “While we are making progress, we also recognize that we can continue to do better to make sure we

reflect the communities we serve.”

The pandemic has been a prime opportunity for Medavie to live its values of being caring, accountable, responsive, innovative and community-minded, propelling its people to do better on myriad levels. “It taught all of us we can do things differently, and much faster, than we could ever have conceived,” says Lord. “And that implementing a flexible work environment where possible would make the company more attractive to new talent.

“Innovation isn’t just developing new gadgets and technology, it’s also adapting to new ways of thinking,” adds Lord. “We’ve been listening to

our employees to understand how we can continue to provide relevant support, while being flexible with where and how our team members work.

This makes us more productive, and that’s better for everyone.”

Medavie aims to align its purpose – improving the well-being of Canadians – with its culture. Since most of its office employees remain working at home, wellness initiatives such as last summer’s INSPIRE World Tour physical-activity challenge help boost morale and encourage people to be active.

“We had almost 550 employees participate in our challenge, taking enough steps to go around the world almost five times over,” says Lord.

Atkinson, a national champion powerlifter, also rose to the challenge (her team placed in the top 10).

“It created excitement because we shared a common goal to be healthy, especially during the pandemic,” she says. “And it motivated us to get outside during our work day.”

That compassionate culture has a broad reach beyond Medavie’s internal borders, says Lord. “Caring for our people, our members, our clients, patients and communities is at the heart of Medavie – it’s how we’re helping build a healthier Canada.” 

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Careers with Purpose

Improving the Wellbeing of Canadians medavie.ca

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( 2022 )

Medtronic equips its people to make a difference

F

or diabetes marketing manager Melissa Louis, working with Medtronic Canada ULC is a win-win. She’s made good use of opportunities to grow professionally at the medical technology company while doing work that’s personally meaningful to her.

“When I was a teenager, my younger brother Aaron was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and started to use an insulin pump,” she says. “I saw how important a medical device can be and that’s helped me further connect with the Medtronic mission to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life.”

“All our employees can feel positive about their daily efforts to help us drive the transformation of healthcare.”

— Neil Fraser President

Wanting to make a difference in people’s lives through healthcare is what typically motivates people to join the company, says Medtronic Canada president Neil Fraser.

“Contributing to human welfare is inspirational,” he says. “All our employees, whether they’re in a support role or launching the latest innovation, can feel positive about their daily efforts to help us drive the

 Melissa Louis, marketing manager at Medtronic, adapting & leading her team in the virtual workspace

transformation of health care.”

With the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, Medtronic transformed its operations virtually overnight. While some employees continued to work on-site to supply and maintain crucial life-saving equipment like ventilators, Medtronic Canada adopted a mandatory work-from-home policy that applied to more than 90 per cent of its workforce.

With that, Louis began working remotely from her home in Oakville, Ont., instead of making the daily commute to the Canadian headquarters in Brampton. While working conditions have changed, Louis says, Medtronic’s focus on its core goals and philosophies hasn’t wavered.

“For me, it’s important to have open team communication and stay connected to ensure I’m meeting my team where they are,” says Louis, who speaks from the vantage point of both pre- and post-pandemic experience. “We have a very strong mission that guides us, including knowing the impact we make to our customers every day.”

Having joined Medtronic in 2006 as a new university graduate, she has had several promotions and now heads her own team.

Taking advantage of the resources Medtronic provides for professional development and advancement has played a key role in Louis’ success.

With Medtronic’s support, she has participated in several internal

leadership and mentorship programs and has earned an executive MBA and specialist certificates in integrated branding.

Employees also have opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and networking. As an active member of the Medtronic Women’s Network (MWN), Louis connects with colleagues worldwide with different backgrounds and mindsets to share their unique perspectives. Like other employee resource groups at Medtronic, MWN champions a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace culture where everyone can thrive.

With her promotion to marketing manager in July 2020, Louis has continued to move forward, pandemic notwithstanding. She’s adopted, for instance, how to onboard and begin training the two members of her team who were hired during the pandemic.

There are lots of online resources that can help her hone her skill sets, Louis says. But she also learned a lot from the managers over the years who mentored and encouraged her to explore her potential and now she wants to pay it forward. “I want to help develop my team’s careers the same way my managers supported me,” she says. 

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Mondelēz challenges employees – and provides treats ulie Anne Philip says that while she’s always up for a challenge, she’s “not much of a thrill-seeker. I’m not the sort of person who would go bungee-jumping or leap out of an airplane.” However, working for Mondelēz Canada has presented demands that, for her, are the career equivalent of those daredevil activities – and exhilaratingly so.

Since joining the company in 2012, Philip has progressed with four leadership roles. She is currently associate director of customer strategy, sales. Philip took on her latest job in January, a cross-functional leadership opportunity outside her traditional expertise. “Coming out of university,” she says, “I would never have imagined the teams I’ve had the opportunity to lead. At Mondelēz, I've had really amazing managers who’ve helped me realize my true potential.”

“At Mondelēz, I've had really amazing managers who’ve helped me see my true potential.”

— Julie Anne Philip Associate Director of Customer Strategy, Sales She adds that time she has invested in the company “has been repaid by Mondelez’s confidence and investment me.” The firm has supported her advancement with formal and informal training and mentoring.

Philip has also participated in an

 Based in Toronto, Mondelēz is Canada’s second-largest snacking company online Harvard Business School program. “Senior management reinforces a growth mindset celebrating your wins, encouraging you to see challenges as opportunities to thrive and not to dwell on any fears you might have.”

Based in Toronto, Mondelēz is Canada’s second-largest snacking company, and makes and bakes a wide range of global brands, including Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, Toblerone, Dentyne, Triscuit, Halls and Christie, among many others (the firm’s name is meant to suggest a world of treats).

It is part of Mondelēz International, based in Chicago.

Commitment to employee growth is deeply woven into its culture, says Julie Sirois, vice-president of sales at

Mondelēz Canada since March 2020.

“We have annual career conversations with our people to learn what their aspirations are, which areas of the business they might want to go into, and which training opportunities would help them continue to grow within the organization and personally.”

Sirois notes that Mondelēz has an internal process for assessing employees’ talent and planning for their future. “So, we have a succession plan to have people ready to take on certain roles in three years or five years.”

Diversity and inclusion are also very important at the company, Sirois says. Indeed, Philip – who is of South Indian descent – is involved

in one of the firm’s five Employee Inclusion Groups. Part of Mondelēz’s inclusivity commitment pertains specifically to women. It has a women’s network and the majority of its senior leadership team is female.

“Many of us are also moms,” says Sirois. “I have a 12-year-old and a 17-year old, the vice-president of marketing is a mother of three, our HR vice-president is also a mom. That means we have a lot of empathy for mothers, especially during COVID-19. And we have initiated policies to make it easier for families to manage work-life balance, especially as, because of the the pandemic, we move into a more home-based work environment.”

Until her kids returned to school this fall, Philip was working at home while her children, who range from kindergarten to Grade 8, were also there pursuing their studies virtually.

And, she says, the firm was phenomenally understanding of employees’ need for flexibility.

Philip mentions another benefit for Mondelēz staff, one that her children particularly love “access to our amazing brands. I love getting a sneak peek at our innovations, whether it’s a chocolate treat for me to enjoy – I love everything Cadbury Dairy Milk – or something for my three cookie monsters at home.” 

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( 2022 )

Nutrien feeds the world in a smart, sustainable way

B

y the time Calen Gruber joined Nutrien in 2020, he had made a strong commitment to a career in engineering.

Gruber had left high school and worked for several years before he decided in 2017 to go back to school at the University of Calgary. After three years of study, he earned his bachelor of science degree in energy engineering and joined Saskatoon-based Nutrien as an engineer-in-training at the company’s nitrogen operation in Carseland, about 45 minutes from Calgary.

“When I left college, everybody wanted to work on Wall Street.

Now people want meaning. They ask, what do you stand for? How will you make this a better planet?”

— Mike Webb Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources & Administrative Officer Gruber is now part of a 150-person team at the Carseland facility that produces anhydrous ammonia using natural gas, air and water as feedstocks for the production of fertilizer. He’s also one of almost 5,500 Nutrien employees in Canada and one of more than 23,000 employees in 13 countries working for the world’s largest provider of fertilizers and other crop inputs, services and solutions.

Nutrien is committed to helping growers around the world optimize crop yields and increase food

 Nutrien's volunteer program offers employees time off to volunteer in their communities production in a sustainable manner, says Mike Webb, executive vice president & chief human resources & administrative officer, in Calgary.

“We want to lead the new wave of innovation and sustainability in agriculture.”

In pursuit of that goal, Nutrien has developed a comprehensive sustainability program under which growers around the world will apply sustainable agricultural products and practices.

A key component of the company’s sustainability portfolio is its Carbon Program, which is in the pilot stage this year. It rewards growers for pursuing climate-smart agriculture and soil carbon sequestration, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030. Meanwhile, the company is investing in new technologies and pursuing the transition to low-carbon fertilizers.

“We’re also teaming up with other ag companies on carbon-capture programs and to produce low-carbon

ammonia,” says Webb. “And we’re collaborating with our global shipping partner to develop a low-carbon fuel tanker ship.”

At Carseland, Calen Gruber contributes to Nutrien’s global sustainability initiative as part of a reliability team of maintenance engineers that troubleshoots and makes improvements to the company’s operations, from replacing leaking valves to installing more efficient compressors.

Because of COVID-19, Gruber has spent most of his first two years with Nutrien working from home.

Using Microsoft Teams and other online tools, Gruber joins his group of mechanical engineers, inspectors and instrumentation and electrical technicians via his laptop at 7 a.m. and remains online throughout the day.

The team works closely with trained operations and maintenance personnel who have continued to work at Carseland during the pandemic.

“We have team meetings,” he says, “and we collaborate when necessary

on problems in the field.”

On a corporate level, Nutrien’s executive leadership team hosts regular webcasts covering the latest COVID-19 company updates and addressing concerns about operational plans, policies on remote working and sick leave. Throughout the pandemic, the company has continued to work closely with their community partners to fund and support local food solutions as well as offer five paid volunteer days for employees and a $5,000 match for employee’s charitable giving.

Meanwhile, the company has grown its communications focus and commitment, says Webb, “to drive the sustainability message through town hall meetings and social media.”

Nutrien’s commitment to sustainability not only eases pressure on the planet, it also enhances its corporate culture and attracts committed employees like Calen Gruber.

“When I left college, everybody wanted to work on Wall Street,” says Webb. “Now people want meaning.

They ask, what do you stand for?

How will you make this a better planet?

“In our culture, cutting-edge innovation is what we’re all about. If you’re feeding the world in a smart, sustainable way, you attract good talent.” 

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PCL builds ‘purpose’ into its construction projects

S

arah Kim has been inspired by many aspects of her job at PCL Construction. But when asked what makes the company such a good employer, the first thing she mentions is what PCL has encouraged her to do outside of work.

Among its high-profile projects in Toronto, the construction firm is building a 22-storey educational, training and administrative tower for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), which is the first phase of the hospital’s campus transformation: Project Horizon. Additionally, PCL has been a major backer of SickKids Foundation’s 'GetLoud' initiative, which encourages supporters to fundraise through activities like running, walking and biking.

“This is not just a building for us – it’s an extension of the community.”

— Sarah Kim Health, Safety and Environmental Coordinator

For staff like Kim, that has meant getting active and raising money for the hospital while helping support GetLoud events as well.

“They want us to feel connected to the project that we're building,” says Kim, a health, safety and environmental coordinator at PCL’s Patient Support Centre project in Toronto.

GetLoud is part of a much larger initiative by PCL’s Toronto District to encourage its staff to get fulfilment

careers.pcl.com

 PCL Construction employees make community-building a team sport

from their jobs by looking beyond the construction site. “They really like us to get involved,” Kim says of her PCL managers. “So this is not just a building for us – it’s an extension of the community.”

That engagement offers some hints as to why Edmonton-based PCL has made the list of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for the 13th consecutive year. Getting “PCLers” involved in the projects they work on and giving back to society are part of the company’s “Purpose,” says Mike Olsson, vice president of human resources and professional development.

PCL staff literally have a stake in their actions at work because, as Olsson points out, 100 per cent of the company’s shares are held by employees. And they can gain satisfaction knowing that the healthcare facilities they are building support essential services for their communities.

“It’s really important that we’re proud of the company we own and work for,” he says.

Another big focus at PCL, which has offices across North America and Australia, is the training and development and leadership programs.

“We build communities, we build infrastructure,” Olsson says, but also, “we build people and we build legacies.”

Kim says she appreciates the personal development opportunities at PCL. She also feels that her managers encourage her to ask questions, are very open to ideas that challenge the norms, and are quick to offer recognition to anyone who excels at their work.

And throughout the pandemic, Kim says, the company has been extremely diligent in ensuring its staff and the entire workforce are as safe as possible. PCL did that at the outset of the pandemic, for instance, by supplying necessary training and equipment – such as additional portable washrooms and hand-washing stations – and by keeping the lines of communication open about its COVID-19 initiatives.

That really resonated with Kim because keeping people safe in all parts of the construction site jibes directly with her own job as a health, safety and environment coordinator.

“It makes me feel great when I know that the procedures are in place, and that people are following them so that they can go home safely at the end of every day,” Kim says. 

2,618 90%+ 1,000+ $

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF SALARIED EMPLOYEES ARE OWNERS COMPLETED HEALTHCARE PROJECTS IN CHARITABLE GIVING LAST YEAR

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Pembina Pipeline energizes positive change

T

hey are known internally as “Conversations 4 Change” and, for Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation, they have certainly lived up to that billing.

About every five weeks over the past year, panels comprised of four or five Pembina employees assembled virtually to discuss their lived experience as people who have, at one time or another, felt marginalized or excluded because of their gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, or because of individual challenges such as mental health or physical disabilities.

“Everyone wants to be in a company that’s forward-looking.”

— Janet Loduca Senior Vice President, External Affairs & Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer Each of the sessions attracted hundreds of live participants as well as hundreds more who later viewed the discussions on the company’s intranet.

“I’ve been impressed by the incredible courage people have shown in sharing their stories and their vulnerabilities,” says Debb Hurlock, senior adviser, equity, diversity & inclusion (EDI) for Pembina, who organized and hosted the events. “The response from their fellow employees is also incredible.

People are ready and hungry for this kind of conversation.”

Hurlock was hired last year to what is a new position for Pembina, as part of a concerted effort to promote EDI across the organization. In addition to

 Employees at Pembina Pipeline Corp. raising money for local charities in last year's United Way campaign the Conversations 4 Change, she has been working on a five-year EDI strategic plan as well as a conversational EDI Foundations Learning Series with Pembina leaders.

For Hurlock, whose background is in the non-profit and academic sectors, the shift to the corporate world has been an encouraging one.

“To be honest, going in I thought I might be pushing some boulders up hills,” she says. “But I’ve been impressed how supportive and excited everyone at Pembina has been about what we are doing.”

The EDI initiatives are part of a larger and renewed focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). And another relatively new hire, Janet Loduca, is helping lead the charge there.

A California native with extensive experience in the green utility sector, Loduca was named Pembina’s senior

Dynamic growth. Dynamic people.

Build your career with Pembina.

Learn more at pembina.com/careers

vice president, external affairs & chief legal and sustainability officer, at the beginning of 2021.

“As a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider, Pembina is really excited to play a role in the energy evolution,” says Loduca. “We see a lot of opportunity to continue to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy while also supporting a cleaner economy by lowering our greenhouse gas emissions.”

Loduca cites as an example Pembina’s recently completed Prince Rupert Terminal, a propane export facility in B.C. built on the remediated site of a pulp mill that had been a major local employer before going bankrupt two decades ago.

Pembina spent approximately $12 million remediating the highly contaminated site while also pumping $350,000 into the local community and allocating approximately 35 per

cent of the project spend towards local and Indigenous contractors. As well, a training program was established to provide local and Indigenous job candidates with an opportunity to obtain specialized training.

“It was a win for the community, the environment and Pembina’s customers,” observes Loduca. “To me, that epitomizes how you can embed the principles of ESG into your business.”

Pembina is currently developing specific targets for reducing company-wide greenhouse gas emissions and improving workforce diversity. It has also embedded ESG metrics into the short-term incentive compensation program offered to all employees.

In addition to making Pembina more resilient, Loduca believes ESG is a critical factor in recruiting, retaining and engaging the best workforce.

“Everyone wants to be in a company that’s forward-looking,” she says. “Whether it’s lowering greenhouse gas emissions, partnering with Indigenous communities or increasing diversity, these are initiatives that get people excited and proud about where they are employed and why they want to come to work every day.” 

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( 2022 )

Penguin Random House Canada supports diverse voices

L

ast year, Kristin Cochrane, CEO of Penguin Random House Canada, packed and labelled a mountain of boxes in Toronto’s cavernous Rogers Centre, shipping books to underserved communities as part of the Read On Canada! campaign. In the social, event-based business of publishing, she loved being hands-on again.

“Sending off those boxes to our partnership groups across the country brings it to life more than just signing a cheque – although that matters too,” says Cochrane. “The books that kids are getting through this program may be the only ones they personally own, books they don’t have to return to the library. The pride of ownership and layers of understanding that come through reading a book over and over are critical for children.

“Given our status in the market and cultural responsibility as a publisher in Canada, we’ve learned the importance of leading and being visible as leaders.”

— Kristin Cochrane CEO “Extending into communities where there’s limited access to books is incredibly meaningful for us, as a book publisher and for our authors.”

Toronto-based Penguin Random House Canada actively supports local and national organizations and educational institutions aligned with

 As the office reopens, Penguin Random House Canada colleagues meet safely in its reading nooks again its mission to make the literary world a more open and accessible place.

To that end, in 2020 the company donated funds and books worth over $1.4 million.

For instance, in partnership with First Book Canada, the publisher launched the annual Raptors 905 Summer Reading Challenge in 2020, donating 1,000 copies of five books by Black authors, about Black characters, to 200 Grade 5 students in the basketball team’s home area.

“There’s a long overdue, ongoing racial reckoning happening in North America,” says Cochrane. “One of the things we talked about this year is to be explicit about it, not to be quiet. Given our status in the market and cultural responsibility as a publisher in Canada, we’ve learned the importance of leading and being visible as leaders.

“Having a shared conversation and creating the space for those conversations is important. This is just the beginning of what we will continue, whether with Indigenous authors, in Black literature or with writers from the LGBTQ+ community. We want to engage more directly with our writers to better understand the world, the better for all of us to learn and grow through one another’s stories.”

What happened to George Floyd was a real catalyst to action, says Anyka Davis, district sales manager, Québec and Atlantic Canada, and a member of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

“Management told us not to miss the moment, to do whatever we needed to do,” says Davis. “That kick-started and sped up initiatives that were already in progress,

Changing Changingthe theworld, world, one onebook bookatataatime. time Discover theone GTA’s Top Employers: penguinrandomhouse.ca/careers Learn why morewe’re aboutone whyof we’re of Canada’s top employers: penguinrandomhouse.ca/careers

including a forum for our racialized colleagues to come together. They may be the only racialized person on their team, so there was that feeling of isolation.”

The committee also created a special session for Asian colleagues to grieve after the Atlanta spa shootings last March and launched an anonymous channel for questions and concerns.

“Internally, some of our processes have changed at work,” says Davis.

“We are focusing more on books that have been traditionally underserved by the entire publishing industry, such as books by racialized authors.

There’s been a shift in how we think about the books we publish and how we market those books.”

The company has also engaged consultants to partner with it on a range of anti-racism training sessions.

“It was great to have an expert walk us through it,” says Davis.

“There’s really no wrong way of doing this work. It just has to get done. You can’t let fear keep you from doing the work that needs to be done.

“Diversity is not a trend or a fad.

The company has made it clear we’re committed to working on projects going into the future.” 

251

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

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JOB-RELATED TUITION SUBSIDIES UP TO $5K A YEAR

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OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

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( 2022 )

Collaboration is key in Pfizer Canada’s vaccine success

O

scar Mancini vividly remembers December 14, 2020. It was a high point for Montréal-based Pfizer Canada in what he calls “quite a journey” – the day the first people in Canada received Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. Mancini, logistics and supply lead, played a key role in getting it there.

“Since July 2020, I’ve been almost fully dedicated to the vaccine,” says Mancini. “Sometimes it was 12 to 15-hour days, including weekends.”

Not that he’s complaining. It was a thrill when all of that planning led to people in long-term care homes in every province receiving those first injections. “It was stressful, but so rewarding.”

“There are so many competent people at Pfizer – that’s where you see the excellence come out.”

— Oscar Mancini Logistics and Supply Leads Initially, Mancini immersed himself in getting ready, staying in constant touch with Canadian government officials as well as his colleagues in Europe who were testing and then manufacturing the Pfizer-BioNTech doses.

Once it was approved by Health Canada, Mancini and his colleagues at Pfizer went into high gear for the rollout. The vaccine vials had to be shipped from Belgium to Germany to the shipper’s hub in the U.S. and finally to locations in all 10 provinces and the North – always maintained at

 Pfizer Canada President Cole Pinnow receives his COVID-19 vaccine at a colleague vaccination clinic at Kirkland, QC head office a temperature of -80C. “We chose a Friday for shipping so we would have the weekend to get it to our locations on the Monday,” says Mancini.

“There were government officials and TV crews waiting in many of the places and it had to be on time.”

As the shipments to immunize Canadians continued, a critical element was a proprietary GPS monitoring system developed by Pfizer in partnership with digital companies, says Mancini. “We knew at any moment where the vaccine was, what the temperature was and when it arrived. It was brand-new technology for a new vaccine developed in record time.”

Mancini, who joined in 2001, credits Pfizer’s collaborative culture for keeping things running so

smoothly. “Our values are courage, excellence, equity and joy,” he says.

“And there are so many competent people at Pfizer – that’s where you see the excellence come out.”

Laura Larbalestier, vice-president of human resources, agrees. “We are incredibly proud of our employees’ contribution to the public health effort of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and to have maintained access to Pfizer’s portfolio of medicines,” she says.

She notes that although Mancini’s long hours were essential for that project, extended hours are not something that the company promotes – in fact, she says, “one of the challenges of working from home is that the lines between work life and personal life have become blurred.

“So we instituted several benefits and programs designed to support our colleagues and effectively manage their overall wellbeing, such as telemedicine, online mental health support, fitness and nutrition programs and other innovative initiatives.” These benefits, along with a hybrid flexible work policy, are now permanent.

Employee excellence goes well beyond the pandemic, Larbalestier adds, whether at the Montréal head office, the company’s specialized manufacturing facility in Brandon, Man., or at its locations worldwide.

“It’s all about our colleagues who bring their best to work every single day, because we have patients who are counting on us,” she says. “They desperately need our medicines to manage a broad range of other diseases, from breast cancer to rheumatoid arthritis. The work we do beyond COVID-19 is also critically important.”

Both she and Mancini point to a very special piece of the Pfizer values – joy. “At the beginning of every meeting, we start off with someone talking about a moment of joy – it could be a successful project, or a new baby or a great tomato sauce,” says Mancini. “It’s all about our values, and I do believe Pfizer employees live them every day.” 

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OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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( 2022 )

Pomerleau builds innovation into all its projects

W

hen she interviewed in 2020 for a senior position with Pomerleau, Isabel Pouliot was intrigued that the construction company includes “love” as one of its values.

“In joining the company, I saw that the values we have are not just posters on the walls,” says Pouliot, now executive vice president – talent, culture and leadership. “They are really part of the culture. We are a big company with many employees, but there really is a family connection and you can feel that.”

Pouliot says this atmosphere fosters one of Pomerleau’s other key values – innovation. “We don't have a top-down culture. People feel encouraged to propose ideas and we are constantly challenging ourselves to improve. At Pomerleau, innovation is powered by our people.”

“People feel encouraged to propose ideas and we are constantly challenging ourselves to improve.”

— Isabel Pouliot Executive Vice President – Talent, Culture and Leadership Saint-Georges, Que.-based Pomerleau is one of the largest general contractors in Canada, carrying out projects in the institutional, industrial, residential and commercial sectors, with more than 4,000 employees, nearly 200 active worksites and nine regional offices.

Earlier this year, Pomerleau announced a partnership with Factry in Montréal to open its aXLab. At

 Mona El Dabee, a contract manager at Pomerleau the facility, researchers will test and develop technologies and creatively solve problems facing the industry.

PX3, the company’s training centre, is the only one of its kind in Canada.

At the centre, or virtually, employees learn to master new skills, processes and tools.

It was this approach to innovation that attracted Raquelle Ouimet to Pomerleau. “The construction industry is evolving very quickly,” says Ouimet, a civil engineer who is a project coordinator on two Pomerleau projects on Vancouver Island. “It feels like every week, there are new technologies coming out.

So, it was really important for me to find a company that was ahead of the game and forward-thinking in applying new technologies to the construction site.”

Ouimet is also grateful for how the company has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within five days of the March 2020 stayat-home-orders, Pomerleau had established an emergency response plan, which it shared for use by others in the industry. It also developed a telework policy for employees whose function allows it, provided access to a telehealth service and held twice-weekly company-wide update calls.

Pomerleau has also put extra emphasis on supporting employees’ physical and mental health and providing opportunities to connect.

After it moved its company-wide activity, known as The Challenge, to a virtual format, employees could earn points for activities such as reading a book or taking a yoga class.

In recognition of their participation, Pomerleau donated $600,000 to health care, health research and food support organizations. In a more recent challenge, points went toward the planting of 1,875 trees.

“It was such a positive experience to be encouraged by the company and the people I work with to stay healthy,” Ouimet says. “These activities also brought us closer together and during this challenging time, we got to see our own personal growth, as well as the company growth, as we adapted. I can't imagine a better place to have been working during the pandemic.”

Ouimet says she also appreciates that Pomerleau prioritizes helping each employee reach their professional and personal goals. For example, twice-yearly employee reviews are not only for feedback on work performance, but also to help employees set personal targets.

When Ouimet expressed an interest in improving her networking and negotiation skills, her leadership team set her up with appropriate training sessions. “Your personal growth carries the same weight as professional,” Ouimet says. “It is not only about developing your professional skills but also about learning skills to better yourself as a person, which also helps you enjoy your work more.” 

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( 2022 )

Rio Tinto sets ambitious goals to increase diversity osette Ross is making groundbreaking history at Rio Tinto, a leading metals and mines company. In December 2020, Ross became the first woman director of the Arvida Research and Development Centre, Rio Tinto Aluminium, since it was started 75 years ago. The centre is based in Saguenay, an important hub for Rio Tinto’s global aluminum production.

While Ross recognizes she is a seminal example of Rio Tinto’s tangible action to improve gender balance in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she credits the company most for its training and sensitization programs on diversity.

“Everyone has biases and it takes effort to be aware of how we are influenced by our beliefs.”

— Josette Ross Director, Arvida Research and Development Centre, Rio Tinto Aluminium “Everyone has biases and it takes effort to be aware of how we are influenced by our beliefs,” says Ross.

“I try to be better in understanding my own bias to reduce the influence in my decision-making. In this way, the programs at Rio Tinto have given me a new lens that helps me even in my personal life.”

With more than 10 different nationalities represented at the Arvida Centre and 60 external partnerships, Ross says she is always exposed to diversity.

 Logistics superintendent at the Rio Tinto Fer et Titane powder plant “It’s always positive,” she says.

“I encourage my teams to mix brains, people and culture, and to increasingly interact with each other internally and externally. By mixing different mindsets, we further our ability to think out of the box, which is so important in research and development.”

Ivan Vella, chief executive officer for Rio Tinto Aluminium, affirms that at Rio Tinto, diverse cultures, communities and points of view are not only respected and recognized, but seen as essential to its long-term success.

“Inclusion is everyone’s business and to live by this, we have clear expectations for individual and group behaviours and accountability,” says Vella. “This goes all the way through

our business, with diversity and inclusion targets directly linked to the remuneration for our senior leaders.”

To that end, the company is currently focused on implementing a comprehensive gender-neutral parental leave policy. Another goal is increasing the number of women hired by two per cent per year and ensuring that 50 per cent of the graduates hired are women. Globally, the number of women in senior management at Rio Tinto Aluminium is at 40 per cent.

“In addition to being the right thing to do, inclusion and diversity enable us to deliver strong performance, growth and innovation by attracting, engaging, retaining and developing the full potential of our talent,” says Vella. “We’re proud

“I encourage my teams to mix brains, people and culture, and to increase interactions between each other internally but also externally.”

You never know where a career at Rio Tinto will take you riotinto.com/careers

that our positive impact on diversity and inclusion extends outside of Rio Tinto, as part of our commitment to working with communities where we operate.”

Besides promoting women inside the organization, Rio Tinto supports numerous outside initiatives and organizations, such as the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Chair for Women in Science and the International Women in Resources mentoring program. Additionally, the company supports Catalyst, a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving workplace inclusion, and donates to community organizations such as women’s shelters.

Rio Tinto has also developed multiple key partnerships with Indigenous communities across Canada. For example, in 2010, the company signed the Haisla Legacy Agreement, establishing a collaborative working arrangement with the Haisla Nation for the next 30 years.

“Employees are proud of the proactive, respectful and long-term engagement we have with our communities,” Vella says. “We know we have more to do and are eager to be involved and improve our engagement and relationships with host communities and First Nations where we operate.” 

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Josette Ross Arvida Research and Development Center Director

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Rogers is investing in the next generation

S

uchitra Maria Saha joined Rogers Communications Inc. in June 2021 shortly after graduating from Ryerson University with a bachelor of commerce degree in business technology management. But for her first six months, Saha never set foot in an office. Nor did she meet any of her new colleagues face-to-face.

And it didn’t bother her in the least. “My mentors and my business unit champion at Rogers have been very supportive,” says Saha. “The company is very aware of what their team members want and need when it comes to COVID-19. They’re very diligent in their support and responsibilities.”

“All the projects I’ve worked on have been meaningful. You’re not just stuck at a desk doing paperwork, you’re truly making an impact.”

— Suchitra Maria Saha Member, New Grad Program Rogers has had to be both diligent and responsible, given that upwards of 20,000 of its employees have been working remotely since the spring of 2020. In addition, the company has hired some 3,000 people since then, all of whom have come onboard virtually, which is no small feat.

“When you step into a crisis like this, there’s no playbook,” says Jim Reid, chief human resources officer.

“You manage decision by decision.

Make your possible Visit jobs.rogers.com to learn more

 In the past three years, Rogers Communications has tripled the number of new graduates that it hires Our people are the heart of our success and our top priority has always been to keep our teams safe.”

To that end, Rogers has held weekly question and answer sessions for its team members since the start of the pandemic. CEO Joe Natale and chief medical officer Dr. David Satok have addressed top employee concerns ranging from vaccinations to return to work protocols. As many as 6,000 employees have dialed in weekly.

Rogers also increased the benefits available to support both physical and mental health. The company offered virtual healthcare consultations with doctors and nurses. Employees could also access an app called Headspace that offered tools and resources for

mindfulness and well-being. Another app called HELM Life provided educational resources to support employees with young children while working from home.

Reid notes that Rogers has a youthful workforce with an average age of 40. As well, millennials and Gen Zs – people born after 1997 – currently comprise 57 per cent of the workforce. Within three years, that figure is expected to reach 75 per cent.

“Competition for young talent has intensified,” says Reid. “We’re looking for people who want to be part of a growing, innovative company with a great team – there are endless possibilities to grow your career here.”

The New Grad program is one of the initiatives developed to recruit top-flight young talent. In 2021, Rogers hired 150 new grads, up from 50 three years ago. “We hire a diverse slate of candidates from across the country, and right now we’re keen to go after STEM grads to build the strongest team,” says Reid, referring to science, technology, engineering and math.

Saha has become an enthusiastic advocate for the program. As she explains, new grads spend their first year doing four-month rotations through three different roles before making a decision about where they want to start their career at Rogers.

“My experience has been amazing,” says Saha. “I’ve participated in multiple information sessions with different universities and shared my story. All the projects I’ve worked on have been meaningful. You’re not just stuck at a desk doing paperwork, you’re truly making an impact.”

Return to work is the next challenge in the ever-evolving pandemic.

Reid says flexibility will be key to the Rogers approach. “Flexibility is here to stay,” he says. “Be at the office for team meetings and collaborative work. And for heads down, productive work, people can do that from home or wherever works best for them.” 

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ACTIVE TEAM MEMBERS IN CANADA EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE NEW GRADS HIRED IN 2021

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How people work, not where, matters most at RBC

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ike the majority of RBC employees, Colleen Tam had been working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020. As a member of RBC’s global technology & operations team, she worked with those whose tireless efforts helped to ensure that colleagues worldwide could also work remotely, both safely and efficiently.

Then in January 2021, Tam took on a new challenge – director, return to premises & future of work transformation. Tam says RBC’s virtual collaboration technologies and other digital tools enabled her and her new teammates to work well together.

Even so, they missed the serendipity of “watercooler collisions” and other informal face-to-face encounters.

“We have a oncein-a-generation opportunity to rethink how we work.”

— Lauren Friese Vice President, Future of Work and Culture

They got an opportunity, one day in September, at RBC’s WaterPark Place on the Toronto waterfront.

“That first in-office experience felt like the first day of school,” says Tam. “We were all so excited to finally meet in-person and to be in the office together again. We even went out as a team for a snack afterwards.”

Tam’s work is just one indication of the significant resources RBC is dedicating to finding the best way forward in a permanently altered, yet

 Lauren Friese, vice president, future of work and culture at RBC

still unsettled, workplace landscape.

It’s a pressing matter, but for Lauren Friese, vice president, future of work and culture, there are a lot of positives.

The pandemic has opened people’s eyes to new possibilities, she says.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-think how we work,” says Friese. “It’s employees’ ideas that drive RBC’s success, not where they come up with them.”

To help inform that thinking, RBC has been soliciting feedback from employees. This involves ongoing

pulse surveys, targeted interviews, and other initiatives. “We’ve been doing a lot of listening,” says Friese.

The clear message: some employees are eager to get back to the office full time, others have little desire to join them and many are happy to work where circumstances demand at different times.

With that and other factors in mind, RBC has determined that flexible and hybrid work models are here to stay. The goal is to hang on to the best elements of working remotely and recapture best practices

from pre-pandemic days, Friese says.

This includes maintaining RBC’s culture of inclusivity and continuous learning, while enabling trust and support for employees to do their best work wherever they are.

So there’s no overarching mandate for how and when people must work.

Instead, Friese says, RBC’s diverse businesses and teams are basing their decisions on what’s best for their clients, communities and employees.

One of Canada’s largest employers, RBC also has operations in 28 countries globally. Personal & commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, capital markets, functional groups and other teams all offer an array of career opportunities.

Although still working largely off-site, Tam and her team have been meeting in real life more often since their first encounter and she expects their plans will continue to change.

It’s also likely the pandemic will continue to evolve and as a result health and safety protocols may need updating.

The fact that RBC has taken such variability into account while encouraging new ways of working leads Tam to think it’s on the right track.

“Nobody has a crystal ball,” she says. “RBC’s test-and-learn mentality just makes sense.” 

59,098 1 M+ 9,346 57%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

We’re honoured to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

We empower our employees to use their imagination to create positive change for our clients and in our communities. jobs.rbc.com

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TD empowers its people through career growth

W

hen he was a college student in 1999, Alex-Bobbie Mason began working for TD Bank Group (TD) as a senior customer service officer after a friend encouraged him to apply.

It would turn out to be a personal turning point. As a visible minority, a member of the LGBTQ2+ community and a person living with a disability, he would find a mentor – and become comfortable with his true self – at work.

“I want to work for a company that cares for me and encourages my career choices, and TD truly does.”

— Alex-Bobbie Mason Manager, Customer Experience

“Growing up, I was bullied because of my speech impediment,” says Mason, who has been in his current role at TD as manager of customer experience since 2018.

“It’s a constant struggle, with the goal of being ‘perfect’ always hovering over my horizon. I consider myself lucky because of the support I’ve received from within TD and the encouragement to challenge myself.”

Promoted to senior relocation services officer in 2005, Mason spent the next eight years helping his TD colleagues manage their moves and make relocation experiences as seamless as possible. During that time, he met Al Ramsay, associate

 Alex-Bobbie Mason, manager, customer experience at TD Bank Group

vice president of LGBTQ2+ and Black customer segments. Shortly after, Ramsay became Mason’s mentor and made a big impact in his life and career.

“It’s rewarding to see someone grow in their career and pursue their full potential,” says Ramsay. “I recruited Alex to the Black Employee Committee at TD and nominated him to lead our community outreach pillar, where he excelled at bringing his volunteerism to life. In the process, Alex taught me resiliency and helped me understand what it’s like to be a member of the people with disabilities community.”

Ramsay first joined TD in 2005 to support diversity and inclusion initiatives, tasked with leading the

TD is excited to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. jobs.td.com

community relations strategy to build the brand in diverse communities across Canada. “At TD, my Blackness and queerness has been an asset, not a liability,” he says.

Although Mason felt the same way about his own diversity within the bank, and he was doing well there, in 2012 he left to explore and focus on self-discovery. The next year, he returned to TD with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence, and chose to shift his career path and work within the customer-facing side of TD. He says the bank encourages colleagues to unlock their full potential and constantly explore new career paths and goals.

“I felt that I could give back to my community more by working

in customer service,” says Mason.

“Internally, I started to get more involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives, which is easy to do at TD because they genuinely believe in and prioritize equality issues. I want to work for a company that cares for me and encourages my career choices, and TD truly does.”

Upon his return, Mason joined the bank’s Black Employee Network, as well as Toastmasters to help strengthen his public-speaking skills and confidence. Embracing his new role in customer service, he enjoys working with his close-knit team at a branch in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood.

“We’re a small family, and the way we pull together for each other and our community – especially during the challenges of the pandemic – is a beautiful thing,” says Mason. “TD is committed to helping enrich our lives and encourages us to gain new perspectives and build our skill set to feel confident about our future and our career development. I’m surrounded by supportive leaders who want to help make a difference.”

And although Ramsay is now a senior leader himself, he echoes Mason’s feelings: “The executives I first interviewed with are still my biggest champions, both personally and professionally.” 

55,292 162,026 55.7% 80,000

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN STAFF VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

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Teck's people are empowered by opportunity

F

or Catherine Adair, one of the best things about working at Teck Resources Limited is having had so many different careers at the same company.

“Over my 11 years at Teck, I’ve been in multiple different positions in multiple communities and multiple roles and on multiple different projects,” says Adair, manager, community development.

“It’s really great if you don’t have to jump around from company to company to try new and exciting roles.”

“Each one of our employees is a leader.”

— Jackie Scales Director, Inclusion and Diversity New opportunities and the chance to work with passionate employees who have a sense of mission in an inclusive, diverse workplace create an open corporate culture at Teck.

With headquarters in Vancouver, Teck is one of Canada’s leading mining companies, producing copper, zinc and steelmaking coal. It has operations in Canada, the U.S., Chile and Peru.

While it’s a large, international company, Teck employees consider themselves part of a close-knit family that have each others’ backs and put a premium on safety. That and core values like open, honest communication make for a dynamic culture that permeates the company from top to bottom.

“We live our values from the most entry-level role to the most senior role, which gives us cultural uniformity across the organization,”

 Employee at Teck working at the company's steelmaking coal operations in Sparwood, B.C. says Jackie Scales, director, inclusion and diversity.

“Each one of our employees is a leader. Each one is empowered to have a voice so we can work together and continue to innovate and move forward.”

Teck takes an overall well-being approach to supporting employees, through generous financial compensation, comprehensive benefits, health and wellness programs, education opportunities, leadership training and more. Contributions to retirement plans, performance-based bonuses, tuition subsidies and other training programs are also part of the package.

Join Our Team jobs.teck.com

Adair especially values the support she receives to take Teck’s executive MBA (EMBA) program, run through the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. The program allows employees like her to earn their degrees while continuing to work full time. Its cohort model draws in participants from differing backgrounds who work in a wide variety of Teck operations, from head office comptrollers to mine site managers.

“Not only is getting the EMBA valuable, but the program has also given me the opportunity to connect with employees I likely never would have worked with in my regular

day-to-day and to learn about all the different aspects of the business, including production, finance, operations and procurement and how they contribute to the business,” says Adair.

Teck’s culture of safety helped the company transition through the COVID-19 pandemic. Stringent health protocols were put in place to protect employees’ health. The company ramped up access to employee and family assistance programs and virtual health care, and placed greater emphasis on psychological safety and mental wellness.

Nor did the company let the pandemic stop its community and charitable outreach. In addition to funding larger organizations like UNICEF Canada and UN Women, Teck employees donated their time and money to support over 800 local charities, with the company matching their financial contributions.

Being connected to the company and their communities as well as feeling valued creates an environment where employees can excel, says Scales.

“We want to make sure that we have an inclusive environment where employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work and live those values that define us as a company,” she says. 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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Thomson Reuters keeps its people on the cutting edge

H

ow do you attract and retain the most talented technologists and other professionals in a very tight market? At media and technology company Thomson Reuters, a big part of the strategy has been to offer recruits a myriad of opportunities to advance and learn – while ensuring their voices will be heard and trusted.

That’s certainly been the case for Amy Gelowitz, a lead software engineer at Thomson Reuters in Toronto. The University of Calgary graduate, whose team supports tax and accounting solutions for corporate clients, has risen quickly to a team leader position in just four years.

“We attract really talented people who want to work with other talented people on a global team doing important impactful work.”

— Mary Alice Vuicic Chief People Officer

Gelowitz is excited to be working in a large, global company with a strong mentorship program and many opportunities to move around – and up. She also appreciates the resources she can access to continue to learn and stay on the cutting edge in technology.

But she was particularly heartened by the way her managers recognized her successes and pushed for her quick promotion to team leader.

“They saw that I was already

 Thomson Reuters employees at Canada's Wonderland leading a lot of things because I’m just bossy,” Gelowitz says with a chuckle. “And having the team fight for me to get that position, even though it’s not a typical career path, was really great.”

A Canadian-based global company headquartered in Toronto, Thomson Reuters ranks among the world’s leading providers of news and business information services, providing information-enabled software and tools for legal, accounting and tax professionals.

To attract top talent in this very competitive sector, the content-driven technology company has to ensure it remains a leader in providing great career opportunities, says Mary Alice Vuicic, chief people officer. It also has to provide learning and skill-building

resources, and have leaders who are taught how to coach and develop people. She says success in all those areas creates a virtuous cycle.

“We work in the knowledge economy solving incredibly complex problems for our customers,” Vuicic says. “We attract really talented people who want to work with other talented people on a global team doing important impactful work.”

Thomson Reuters is also focused on boosting its diversity, and has targets to increase the number of women and racial and ethnic representation in senior leadership roles. For instance, the company has already surpassed its objective to have 40 per cent of senior roles held by women, and has set a new goal of reaching 45 per cent, Vuicic says.

Join us to help shape the industries that advance society.

Another company-wide priority is wellness and mental-health programs.

Those have been ratcheted up amid the pandemic and will continue, Vuicic says. That include two mental health days annually and investments in new tools and systems for employees to assess their mental health and to support their team members.

Gelowitz commends the company’s efforts to ensure a proper work-life balance for people working from home. She also appreciates Thomson Reuters for its social impact projects. She has already done four or five volunteering stints. “It's nice to be able to give back so frequently without having to worry about taking time off,” she says.

And it’s rewarding too. Gelowitz recalls volunteering to teach a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) course at a Toronto school that was attended by one of her nieces. “She thinks I’m super cool, even though her dads are engineers too, because I’m a girl engineer,” Gelowitz says with a smile.

“It’s an opportunity to give back and it’s an opportunity to engage the next generation of engineers,” she says of the volunteer work she’s done at Thomson Reuters. “It can show young women it is possible to succeed in these careers – and it can be a lot of fun.” 

1,280

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

46%

OF ALL EMPLOYEES ARE FEMALE

45%

GOAL FOR WOMEN IN SENIOR ROLES BY 2022

169

CANADA EMPLOYEES HAVE 20+ YEARS TENURE

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Western Financial Group tends the grassroots

G

rowing up in small-town Saskatchewan, Marissa Gellner sometimes wondered if she would be able to find meaningful employment in the community she loved. Western Financial Group gave her that opportunity.

After finishing high school in 2011, Gellner received a bursary from Western’s charitable arm, the Western Financial Group Communities Foundation, that helped pay for her post-secondary education. Upon graduation, she began work as a frontline insurance adviser at a branch near her home town.

“I feel very fortunate to work for a company that cares about their people and their communities.”

— Marissa Gellner Leader, Personal Line Sales & Services Centre Today, Gellner is the leader of personal line insurance products for a cluster of Western Financial branches across southwestern Saskatchewan.

As such, she now plays a part in handing out bursaries to other deserving students and working with local communities to support everything from school nutrition programs to upgrading playgrounds and swimming pools.

“Supporting your local community and giving back when you can is a very big part of how I grew up,” says Gellner. “I feel very fortunate to work for a company that cares about their people and their communities.”

 Western Financial Group team members celebrate Pink Shirt Day Western, which is based in High River, Alta., operates in 184 locations across Canada, many of them situated in small towns or rural settings. The grassroots nature of the business is reflected in Western’s guiding principles of truthfulness, fairness, value and loyalty.

“Those principles define our workplace culture and the way we engage with our customers,” says Lisa Osachoff, chief people & culture officer. “We believe in frank, open and honest communication and building long-term relationships in our communities. Each one of our principles is also something we look for when hiring. We ask applicants if they can give examples of how they’ve practised those principles in their earlier lives. If they can’t, then perhaps they aren’t a fit for our

culture.”

The COVID-19 pandemic presented some unique challenges – and opportunities – for living out Western’s values. Of the company’s 1,800 employees, fully 1,300 work in front-line branch offices where they continued to serve customers over the past 18 months.

“Our front-line staff have been so innovative and caring, especially in cases where we’ve had to strictly control customer traffic,” says Osachoff.

“We’d hear about branch managers going out on the street to offer clients a Tim Horton’s card to get a coffee and come back later to manage the flow. In some cases, branch staff would conduct transactions in the parking lot to keep things moving smoothly and safely.”

Western’s strong emphasis on

open dialogue – through employee town halls, virtual chats and internal communication tools – helped bolster workplace morale during the toughest months of the pandemic.

“Listening to our people and providing clear, concise and timely communications about our results and directions paves the way for all of Western’s achievements,” says president and CEO Kenny Nicholls.

“COVID-19 really catapulted our efforts. We created a strong rhythm of clear and consistent communications that offered the transparency and stability we all needed.”

Western was also quick to implement 14 employee sick days for potential quarantine situations, a measure it is now continuing as “wellness days” employees are entitled to in addition to their annual personal days and vacation time. The company also stepped up access and opportunities for counselling on a range of issues.

Gellner saw the impact of these initiatives on front-line employees.

“We were able to keep our teams safe and motivated,” she says. “We kept communicating and supporting one another. In this way, we’ve been able to take care of our customers and of each other.” 

$

1,756

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

74.4%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

170

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

500 K+

RAISED FOR WESTERN FINANCIAL GROUP COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION

Match your degree or diploma with employers that recruit new grads with your academic background Published annually since 1992, The Career Directory is Canada’s longest-running and best-loved career guide for new graduates.

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2022

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 Top 100 Employers. Now entering its 23rd year, our project is the nation’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers.

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