Activating the true potential of your workforce means understanding and championing the individual situations of every employee. More and more companies are looking to add neurodiversity inclusion to their DEI strategy to combat the talent shortage and create more equitable workplaces so women—and everyone—can thrive. 

Join this webinar to hear our panel of experts discuss: 

• How senior leaders can model empathetic leadership and authenticity to encourage, 

• The invaluable role of people managers in creating safe and supportive dialogues for neurodiverse employees, and 

• Why workplaces that actively support neurodiversity inclusion are more productive. 

Note: Please log in to the website with your Catalyst Supporter organization email to access registration. If you are NOT a Catalyst Supporter, please email us to proceed with payment and registration. For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

Speakers

Hilary McVey, Partner, Deloitte Canada

Samantha Schilling, Human Resources Director for the Engineering Function and Enterprise Centers of Excellence, Eaton

Moderator

Simona Fontanella, Senior Associate, Catalyst

The post Webinar Recording: Neurodiversity at Work: Recognizing and Welcoming This Aspect of Identity for Women and Everyone appeared first on Catalyst.

Today, Resch is the inaugural President of the Women’s National Basketball Association Toronto franchise, which will begin playing in the 2026 season. Previously, she was a senior leader at the Toronto Raptors men’s basketball team for 11 seasons, programmed basketball for 104 locations of Life Time Fitness, and began her career in International Basketball Operations at the NBA League Office.

“If you can see it, you can be it,” said Vanessa Lewerentz, moderator of the afternoon keynote panel at Catalyst Honours on 7 October 2024 in Toronto. Chief Inclusion Officer for BMO Financial Group, Lewerentz interviewed Teresa Resch and Sarah Nurse, two trailblazing women working for equal opportunities and reshaping Canadian athletics in the session “Leveling the Playing Field: Canadian Women’s Sports and the Pursuit of Equity.”

For Resch, this was true. She discussed a college experience at a national tournament when she became aware of a career path in sports organizations. “It was the first time I ever saw a job in sports that wasn’t a coach or a player and it really opened my eyes to the opportunity to work in sports,” she said. Unlike [Sarah] Nurse, Resch knew she wasn’t going to be a professional athlete but before that experience she didn’t know the options.

Equity in women’s sports is improving and diversity is good for business, Resch explained. “People in sports are looking for any sort of competitive advantage. And what became very, very clear is when you have women and people with diverse mindsets impacting your decision-making, that elevated your performance.”

Creating safe spaces and increasing visibility

To achieve gender diversity and gender equality in sports, you need to create workplaces that support them, according to Sarah Nurse, a record-breaking ice hockey Olympic Gold and Silver medalist who plays for the Canadian Women’s National Team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League Toronto Franchise. A champion of change, she was integral in developing a single, viable professional women’s ice hockey league in North America.

Nurse spoke about “creating spaces in sports where women actually feel comfortable and safe. Because I know for myself for so long growing up, I didn’t feel welcome in a lot of sporting events and even talking about sports because I always got really talked down to. And I know what I’m talking about when I talk about hockey, but a lot of men don’t think so.”

She doesn’t want girls and female athletes today to experience that. “If they want a career in sports, if they want to be athletes, they should be respected and they should feel lifted up.” Nurse spoke about both creating safe spaces and accessibility, which she described as “being able to actually watch the product.” So even if women’s sports programs exist but aren’t broadcast or visible via marketing, public relations, and advertising, they are at a disadvantage.

“There’s a stat that basically says in women’s sports in totality, you have to invest three times as much to just be even with men’s since women’s sports are about 100 years behind,” Resch said. “Three times just to get even, not even progress.”

Investment, participation, impact

“I think for women’s sports professionally, specifically commercially in Canada, in order to succeed, we need two things: We need investment and participation. And that’s across the entire funnel,” Resch said. She then asked the audience, “Where are you spending your time and energy? Are you going to games? Are you buying tickets? Are you buying league passes? WNBA league passes are $30.”

“I’m a firm believer that no impact is small, and even just showing up, buying a league pass, buying a jersey, talking about it on social media, that makes an impact, and that’s huge, especially with startups, with things that are just getting off of the ground,” Nurse said.

Speaking about the sports industry, which was created around men’s sports, Nurse said, “If I had my way, I would rebuild the whole system.” She discussed how women’s sports could benefit from different media, storytelling, marketing, and ticket sales methods. “If we lean into that, I think women’s sports are going to be even more successful than we already are.”

“There’s still a long way to go, but it’s been great to see the trajectory change, even just during my tenure,” Resch said.

Looking out into the audience, Nurse uplifted attendees: “So, just know the work that you’re doing impacts the greater society and that ultimately uplifts us and makes these things possible.”

Want to know about next year’s Catalyst Honours? Sign up now and we’ll email you when registration goes live!

The post Taking strides toward equity in Canadian women’s sports appeared first on Catalyst.

But depending on a company’s size, structure, broader culture, and internal communications channels, all the great work ERGs do can get lost in the shuffle. As an HR or DEI leader, you want to be a strong advocate for these important groups and make sure that their efforts are recognized, particularly among senior leadership. Experts at Catalyst’s enERGize 2024 shared the following tips to help you elevate the ERGs in your organization:

1. Remind leaders to engage with ERGs every day, not just during special occasions

   Stay informed about the work of your organization’s ERGs so you can speak about their activities when their members are not in the room. Ask to be on their mailing lists and calendars and subscribe to their newsletters. This will ensure that you know what they are doing year-round.

   “Our diversity groups and our ERGs are present and alive and acting as our authentic selves 365 days a year,” said Nicole McCormick, Senior Manager – National Assignment & Indigenous News Team at CityNews in Toronto, part of Rogers Communications. “So please don’t treat us like the flavor of the month. […] As allies, […] I need you to recognize […] that we need your support and your love and your friendship and your everything all of the other months of the year as opposed to just say, Indigenous History Month. And I think most of the ERGs will feel that, too. […] We’re human and we’re doing the work all of the other months, too.”

2. Start small with senior leaders

   Both our expert speakers agreed that getting company leaders involved in ERG efforts is important, noting that anyone can help bring leaders into ERG conversations or events.

   McCormick emphasized that senior leaders’ involvement, even in little ways, can amount to a lot. She said, “Just ask them for their time. A lot of the leadership, they’re thinking big, which I think they should. But what can they achieve in their day? So, is it coming to an event for 15 minutes? Is it saying a land acknowledgment? Is it them reaching out to say, ‘How can I support you?’, (which I often encourage leadership to do)?”

3. Amplify ERGs’ wins
   Helping to promote heritage dates, educational opportunities, and ERG events before they occur demonstrates great allyship — but remember to celebrate their successes after the fact as well.

   Inform business leaders about how well those events were attended, what people had to say about them, and what the ERGs will do next. Encourage them to join events whenever possible because when leaders have firsthand experience with ERGs, their participation and passion will inspire others to join them or become active allies themselves.

   Jamie Bergeron, Associate Director, Americas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusiveness Center of Excellence at EY, advised leaders to show up as allies not only in times of distress and times of celebration but also in the moments in between. “Everyone can be an ally, and everyone can use an ally, including our leaders,” she said.

Modeling allyship and advocacy for ERGs is a great way to help them gain visibility with senior leaders and across an organization, and it can also create meaningful opportunities to connect. As an advocate, you can build valuable relationships across all levels of the organization. Through sharing ERGs’ accomplishments year-round with your organization’s leaders, you will elevate their important work and encourage allyship.

If you want resources and insights on allyship, advocacy, ERGs, and more delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for Catalyst’s newsletter.

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The post Encourage ERG allyship with these 3 tips appeared first on Catalyst.

Today, however, as Director, Culture, Inclusion & Leadership, Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Debb reports that “I’m exactly where I need to be personally and professionally and even, I would say, spiritually.”

Debb’s commitment to social justice has always driven her career, but her path was never linear. “The anchor and beacon for all of [my work] is wanting to make social change … in particular going into settings where we really feel and believe that the change is needed most,” Debb says. This commitment to changing society for the better carried her from consulting to pursuing an academic career in social work and back again, and finally to her EDI role at Pembina.

“I took a chance on them and they took a chance on me,” she says of her move from consulting to Pembina. She and the company are equally committed to making change, and her role has allowed her to create a more inclusive culture in ways that are deeply meaningful to her.

When Debb was growing up, there was a lack of visibility for LGBTQ+ people, and her memory of this void fuels her commitment. “I knew that when I started at Pembina, I was going to be open about who I am … I hope that it creates some level of representation and visibility for people here that are part of the LGBTQ+ community.” She now regularly returns to Sarnia to visit Pembina’s site and celebrate Pride with employees there, explaining, “For me, representation … is essential to how I do my work; it’s absolutely built into my DNA.”

Debb’s efforts are also inspired by her 15-year-old son. “I knew that when my son came into the world … part of my work would be wanting to shift male norms … I kept thinking, ‘If we can make change in this area, if we can engage men in pursuit of gender inclusion and gender equity for everyone … real change is possible.’”

Debb’s goal for her work at Pembina? To create a space where “whoever you are, wherever you are, you belong here.”

To hear from Debb and other gender equity and DEI champions, attend Catalyst Honours on 7 October, 2024.

Why Debb is an HR/DEI Champion:

• Inclusion Networks: Debb initiated and developed five Inclusion Networks at Pembina—Pride Pembina, Women’s Inclusion Network, Multicultural Resource Network, Indigenous Inclusion Network, and Men’s Mental Health Inclusion Network. These groups foster community and belonging by addressing EDI topics for employees from marginalized groups and allies.
• Conversations for Change (C4C): Debb leads this company-wide platform where storytelling and personal experiences of employees are centered in discussions on EDI topics. By nurturing relationships and facilitating ongoing connections among panelists, Debb promotes empathy, compassion, and allyship.
• Field-based EDI Support: Debb directs Pembina’s Culture, Inclusion, and Leadership strategy, focusing on operational and field sites to enhance women’s representation and inclusion. Key to this strategy is the “EDI Operations” role, dedicated to fostering engagement and retention strategies for women in rural and remote field locations.

The post Debb Hurlock: Fostering belonging in the energy sector appeared first on Catalyst.

It wasn’t her intention to pursue a career in diversity, equity, and inclusion—Shaina studied media and history and worked in advertising. Her career took the turn because “in the same way that I felt like I wanted to be a part of a community at the very beginning, I was really driven to help others feel like they have that. Because during the pandemic, I think a lot of people felt very alienated, felt very alone. And so, I wanted people to feel like they had a place and a space. […] It’s branched into different things and into a few different areas to the extent that I guess I’m kind of known now at Google as someone that you can go to as it pertains to D&I and initiatives that involve community and support.”

This ability to take care of others can be traced back to her experience as a young girl caring for her four younger sisters after her parents separated. “I think seeing my mum go through a lot of stuff has taught me that I can do hard things and that I think has helped me a lot and helped me help others,” she reflects.

An experience in a yoga class helped shape Shaina’s commitment to inclusivity. She wanted to experience the benefits of yoga but found that her physical limitations precluded her from full participation. She then embarked on a yoga teacher training course to learn how to teach people with various limitations.

Another physical pursuit—dragon boating—helped her better understand teamwork and community. Growing up in South London, Shaina had never heard of this activity. Now she describes her first team sport as providing “an element of being one among the community and having responsibility in support of—and taking the responsibility for—the community within the boat […], which I had to learn,” she says. “I think I learned a little bit more around consideration for how others do things because we don’t all do things the same way.”

Now, as the head of BGN Canada, Shaina leads a team of 14 across three pillars: External Communities (partnering with Black ERGs, supporting Black-owned businesses, fundraising); Internal Communities (organizing events for Black+ Googlers and allies); and Professional Development (mentorship and career growth programs).

With a collaborative spirit and unwavering commitment to DEI, she has fostered a more inclusive environment through expanded programming, strategic external partnerships, and increased member engagement. Shaina’s dynamic leadership extends beyond Google to the tech industry at large, where she has consistently spearheaded impactful DEI initiatives.

Shaina is a catalyst for positive change, inspiring the tech industry to break down barriers and create equitable workplaces where everyone can thrive.

To hear from Shaina and other gender equity and DEI champions, attend Catalyst Honours on 7 October, 2024.

Why Shaina is a Next Generation Champion:

• Contribution to DEI at Google: In addition to her work with BGN, Shaina has held roles as Platforms Canada DEI Lead, Americas DEI Contributor, Americas Canada DEI Community Representative, and Black@ALCS Canada Lead. Her contributions amplify DEI efforts across Google, shaping inclusive practices and community engagement strategies.
• Black Renaissance Event: Shaina orchestrated the impactful Black Renaissance panel and networking event, a collaboration among leading Toronto tech companies, in July 2023. This event, which brought together more than 100 Black tech professionals for career-focused discussions, underscored Shaina’s leadership as Google’s key representative on the organizing committee.

The post Shaina Riley: Building inclusive communities at Google appeared first on Catalyst.

On September 18, 2024, during Hispanic Heritage Month, Catalyst gathered a panel of experts for a webinar “Let’s Hit the Accelerator for Latine Women in the Workplace.” Here are some highlights from the engaging discuss about effective strategies to not only attract Latina talent but also to create inclusive environments that support their long-term success and advancement.

Concentrate on Culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” says Eddie Coronado, Founder Upskill HR, when discussing how to recruit Latine talent. “It really starts with culture…If your company does not have a values or mission statement that aligns with their identity, you’re less likely to attract that type of people into your organization. And so it’s really important before you even try to come up with any recruitment strategies that you align internally, that your organization is building an inclusive environment from the top down.”

Employ recruitment strategies.

“While culture does eat strategy for breakfast..I think strategy is very important and I think the culture builds off of that,” says Janet Sandoval Director, Global Corporate Social Responsibility Avery Dennison. “We try to present a pool of screened and qualified candidates to be considered to interview and out of those candidates, we have at least 50% female. And for North America, that’s at least one candidate that identifies Hispanic or Latinx and one candidate that identifies as Black / African American.”

Another way to increase a company’s talent pipeline is “partnering with organizations that have big pools of Latine talent,” Coronado says.

Build inclusion into the fabric of your organization.

Having strategies, programs, and policies like anti-bias training are important but “make sure they’re not just lip service,” cautions Ana Jaramillo, DEI Engagement Specialist Moneris. “It’s making sure that you have middle management buy in. It’s making sure that there are not silos or pockets of the organization that are not being authentic to those values and to those strategies of inclusion,” she says. Jaramillo points to Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and sponsorships and mentorships as being valuable resources and strategies to foster inclusion.

Recognize and address barriers

“We’re taught to not toot your own horn,” Sandoval says about a cultural barrier to success that some Latine women face. Jaramillo shared a saying that she says many Latine women hear throughout their lives: “’Calladita te miras mas bonita,’ which means like ‘If you’re quiet, you’re prettier,’” and says “how much that permeates the way that you continue to behave even within the corporate context.”

She suggests that a way to address this reticence to self-advocate is to ask managers to step in. “Sometimes you need an open offer. Sometimes you need leadership to tap your shoulder,” she says.

Another barrier to success is a lack of opportunities, Jaramillo says, referring to access to educational and networking opportunities and to role models. “How many of us are the first in many ways?” she asks. That’s where mentorship and sponsorship can make a difference. However, our panelists cautioned leaders to recognize the differences in these roles and to set both parties up for success by educating them about expectations and best practices.

Sandoval brought up the point that “Latine women have a lot of disproportionate caregiving responsibilities, and so what policies and practices do you have in place to help people navigate that? Do you have any programs for returnship?”

Invest in Talent.

To prevent the high cost of replacing Latine women talent, Sandoval advises to “continuously invest in their growth … imagine if it is the glass cliff, these are senior level positions that you’re then having to replace because maybe you didn’t give that person a raise, maybe you didn’t provide that person executive coaching or additional support or maybe they got so tired of being the only and fighting for having a voice in in those C- suite meetings that they decided to become a consultant or an entrepreneur.”

Take Action

Latine women face numerous barriers to workplace success, but organizations can take steps to attract and retain Latine talent.

• Have a clear and inclusive mission statement to attract potential candidates.
• Understand unconscious bias and its impact and address internal, interpersonal, and organizational biases.
• Employ recruitment strategies like partnering with select organizations and prescreening applicants for interviews to include candidates from historically marginalized communities.
• Build a supportive company culture that values diverse perspectives and experiences
  through resources like ERGs.
• Recognize and address barriers to success by encouraging leaders to guide Latine women forward.
• Invest in talent by providing support throughout employees’ careers such as executive training, mentorship, and sponsorship.
• Avoid tokenism by ensuring that all levels of leadership have a presence at programs and events.

To learn more about proven DEI training programs and strategies, click here.

The post Strategies to support Latine women in the workplace appeared first on Catalyst.

1. ERGs should plan for how they will support each other.

   Jamie Bergeron, Associate Director, Americas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusiveness Center of Excellence at EY, spoke about ERGs at Catalyst’s 2024 enERGize conference. She advised, “I really think that building into your ERG annual plan the ways that you show up for other ERGs, or having a crisis response plan as a group, is a really important endeavor. When something happens in the news or globally that might impact a community that your ERG is not necessarily representing, […] what can your ERG do, and how can you activate quickly?

   “[…] Having some real planning around that and thinking through what kind of collaborative ally you want to be among the entire ERG community at your organization is an investment of time and strategy that I think makes it possible for us to show up authentically, connected with one another, so that in those moments of crisis we’re not doing the strategy and planning then.”

2. Empower employees to check in on each other individually.

   A one-on-one check-in can make a big difference for an ERG member dealing with a crisis, according to Nicole McCormick, Senior Manager – National Assignment & Indigenous News Team, CityNews, Rogers Communications. She said, “Often people think allyship and supporting ERGs has to be this big show. It doesn’t. […] It can be […] a Teams message. Say, ‘Hey, I’m aware of what’s happening in the world right now. How can I support you?’”

   Bergeron said that her Business Resource Group created a one-on-one check-in how-to guide. She said, “It seems like it should be a natural part of how we connect among colleagues. But what we see over and over is that people really freeze. They really hesitate to […] ping someone, send that email, walk over to their desk.” They reframed checking in to be “a really intentional and proactive action that we should incorporate not just in times of collective distress but all of the time so that we actually are more connected in real ways to what we each actually need.”

3. Offer to temporarily ease workloads.

   If employees notice that colleagues are struggling, Bergeron said that “those are great opportunities for an aspiring ally to get really tactical.” She advised that in addition to asking, “What can I do to support you?” you can also ask, “What can I take off your plate?” Bergeron gave specific examples like, “Can I call the caterer?’” “Can I book the room?” “Can I print the newsletter?” and “Can I send the calendar invite?” She said that this results in “taking some of that workload toward activation so that those in community can focus on one another, on caring for one another, and still get to the thing that needs to get done. “

   Bergeron noted that, “Clearing space and time for people in moments where they need to focus their attention on themselves, their families, or their communities, is one of the most important and impactful ways that we can show up for one another one-to-one or ERG-to-ERG.”

4. Create space for emotion.

   Perhaps the most important thing in a truly difficult time is giving people a safe space where they can be together. This is McCormick’s go-to strategy in times of crisis. She said, “For me it’s about creating that safe space for the emotion. So, what does that look like? Is it a smudging ceremony for 15 minutes? Is it just a big, honest Teams meeting where everybody joins and we allow and give space to the ERG that’s being affected at that time, time to emote. Right? Sometimes the chair, sometimes members of the ERG have so much to say, you know?”

Conclusion
A crisis is a high-pressure time so it’s essential to have a strategy in place to support colleagues before one occurs. Here are some key takeaways:

• Creating a plan before a crisis happens allows employees to be more proactive in the moment.
• Checking in with colleagues in crisis and offering to assist with their workload sets the stage to become an active ally instead of a well-wisher.
• Creating a space for colleagues to express their feelings will ensure that they have the psychological safety they need.

The allyship journey is ongoing. Catalyst can bring over 60 years of unparalleled expertise, thought leadership, and actionable solutions to your organization. Sign up for our newsletter to receive insights like these directly in your inbox.

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The post ERGs need allies in times of crisis. Here’s how you can help. appeared first on Catalyst.

Pamela had a paper route as a child, and later she handled money working as a cashier and making bank deposits for a community center. After graduating from university and beginning her financial services career as a bank teller, “I talked to my managers and leader about opportunities and what I needed to do to get there. I took courses, worked extra hours — worked any hours they wanted — because I knew that if I worked hard and told people what I wanted to do I would get there someday, and I did.”

That’s not to say that there weren’t hiccups. For example, there was the time that she applied for a position and the hiring manager said that she didn’t get the job because it was between her and a man, and the man had a family to take care of. “It was very eye-opening very early in my career,” Pamela says. Another manager told her that she couldn’t have a career and a family “and I said to him, ‘You do both: You have a family and a career.’”

Both of Pamela’s parents worked outside the home. “I was not neglected because my mom worked,” she says. “That was the one thing that I really wanted to make sure that my kids saw … Don’t let the world tell you what you can and can’t do. If you want it, you can do it. Sometimes it takes a support system around you, but you can do it.”
Pamela stands out in the financial services industry, where only 18% of C-suite positions are held by women.¹ She spearheaded vital initiatives including impactful programs supporting women investors and leaders, all while emphasizing the importance of paving the way for future women CEOs and fostering diversity in senior leadership across the financial services sector.

Pamela emphasizes the importance of inclusive hiring. She actively collaborates with her teams and talent directors to strategize on inclusive approaches to recruitment, including reviewing the language used in job descriptions and making accommodations as needed. This approach aims to attract diverse talent and reflect the demographics of MD’s client base.

Recognizing the underrepresentation of women in investment management, Pamela aimed to inspire more women to become portfolio managers at MD’s Private Investment Counsel. She sponsored a talent initiative, personally engaging with potential women candidates to encourage their career growth. Thanks to this effort, over the past 30 months 34% of new hires have been women and 25% of leadership roles in MDPIC have been filled by women.

“I feel an obligation to make sure other women don’t experience what I did,” Pamela says.

To hear from Pamela and other gender equity and DEI champions, attend Catalyst Honours on 7 October, 2024.

Why she’s a gender equity champion:

• Project Diana: Pamela initiated Project Diana to address the unique financial needs of female physicians, creating a program that enhances their financial confidence. By surveying 500 women physicians and using their feedback, Pamela developed a values-based financial planning experience tailored to women. This initiative aligns with the Scotiabank Women Initiative, extending its impact to all Scotiabank women clients.
• Women in Leadership: Pamela designed the Women in Leadership program to foster career advancement for women at MD, offering mentorship, leadership training, and strategic work rotations. Since its launch in 2018, the program increased women’s representation in targeted leadership roles from 37% to 40% within 18 months, with significant promotions and career advancements among participants. Today, women make up half of MD’s executive leadership team and 58% of all employees.

Endnotes

1. Danielecki, P., Hazuria, S., Rogish, A., Shemluck, N. (2023). Advancing women leaders in the financial services industry, 2023 update: A global assessment. Deloitte Insights.

The post Pamela Allen: Breaking Barriers in Finance appeared first on Catalyst.

From her first volunteer role as a candy striper at Toronto General Hospital to the six months she spent as a volunteer teacher in Ecuador and her job counseling at-risk youth at an unemployment center, Vivian has always made it a priority to lend her support to people who are marginalized by the societies they live in.

She credits her parents with her open mindset. They “really shaped … my values around fairness … around equity and equality and respect.” They also taught her the importance of connecting with people on a human level across differences. “Having that empathy is so, so critical, I think, in the DE&I space.”

An avid traveler and former backpacker, Yoandis says her travels demonstrate that we have so much more in common than we think. This belief in the importance of making human connections stayed with her through those early work experiences where she often witnessed firsthand the realities of systemic racism and inequity that motivated her actions moving forward.

When Yoandis started at Hydro One, there was no DEI. Today, she is the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider.

However, the DE&I space is not without challenges. The first hurdle, in Vivian’s view, is to demonstrate that DE&I isn’t a zero-sum game in which supporting one group means disadvantaging another. She has found that “in many cases, you … need to … deal with [resistant] people individually and help them … get to a place of acceptance, of belonging, of inclusion.” She has succeeded through empathy and a willingness to listen and find out what is the root cause of their resistance.

According to Vivian, patience and persistence is key. “Sometimes progress is very, very slow. And that can be challenging. It can make you feel like you’re not doing enough. But I think it’s so important to actually relish in those small victories, celebrate those things … [to] keep you moving on.”

Role models like Vivian guide their workplaces towards a more equitable, inclusive future, where all voices are heard and everyone can thrive.

To hear from Vivian and other gender equity and DEI champions attend Catalyst Honours on 7 Oct, 2024.

Why Vivian is a HR/DEI champion:

• Men as Allies: Vivian introduced the Catalyst MARC program to Hydro One almost 10 years ago, bringing employees together to talk about gender partnership and the importance of male allyship in achieving gender equity.
• Women in Engineering (WiE) University Partnership: This program, which Vivian co-led, has both increased the representation of women in STEM fields at Hydro One and helped both boost high school applications to electrical and mechanical engineering by 169% and enrollment in the same programs at the four partner universities by 81%.
• Step Up Program: Vivian created the Step Up content at Hydro One to promote inclusion, psychological safety, and respect in the workplace. She co-leads the program, which empowers employees to “step up” when they see non-inclusive behavior or hear non-inclusive language, resulting in a 44% increase in comfort levels in advocating for inclusion.
• Cultural Embedding and Legacy: Vivian’s leadership embedded a culture of equity and inclusion at Hydro One, ensuring sustained progress and empowerment for women and marginalized groups. Her commitment and foresight have positioned Hydro One as a leader in fostering inclusive environments for all identities in the electricity industry.

The post Vivian Yoanidis: A lifelong advocate for inclusion appeared first on Catalyst.