Diversity

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already shown his stance on diversity in
the workplace, selecting the first gender-balanced cabinet in Canadian
history, to reflect A Cabinet that looks like Canada!
With October being Global Diversity Awareness Month, it brings up the
question: How important is diversity in the workplace?
Take the example of Vancouver International Airport, which makes reflecting
the diversity of our city a mission.
YVR has an Employment Equity and Diversity team that hosts events
throughout October in celebration of Diversity Awareness Month. This team is
a joint committee of employee and employer representatives, implementing
their Employment Equity Program. Their objective is to develop fair,
equitable and barrier free employment practices to all.
Not only do they have a coalition of workers, working together to raise
awareness of available diversity initiatives and resources, but they even
provide extensive training and education for workers on diversity and respect
in the workplace. From Queer Competency Training, to Disability Simulation
Training, to presentations on diversity by special speakers, employees are
given the opportunity to learn about the differences they see in their
workforce, their airport, and throughout the country.
It doesnt stop at awareness programs at YVR. On an organizational level,
there is a commitment to employment equity that runs from the hiring
managers, the VP of Human Resources, to the CEO, who publicly reports on
progress in terms of diversity and respect in the workplace.
YVR looks for occupational gaps in the workforce to set specific hiring
targets. Targets are created for four designated groups including women,
Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible
minorities.
Canada has a diverse population of individuals from very different walks of
life. Organizations in our community such as BCs airport work to reflect this
notion, and its fitting, during Diversity Awareness Month, for other
companies to take steps to follow suit.
By fostering inclusion and a positive attitude towards diversity, YVR has
gained much success on an organizational and even global scale. If were

asking how important diversity in the workplace truly is; YVR was named the
Best Airport in North America 7 years in a row, so it seems as though they
must be doing a few things right.