b'WORK CULTUREBuilding an Inclusive WorkplacePride at Work Canada helps businesses across the country embrace a more open-minded work cultureBy Luis Augusto NobreI t was in 2008 that Pride at Work Canada/ respect. We stood up for ourselves and triedEDUCATIONAL APPROACHFiert au travail Canada was firstto stop hate speech and discrimination. WhileOperating as a member services agency established, and much has changed in thewe continue to fight against discrimination,for employers, Pride at Work Canada is a 13 years that have passed since then. Today, wethose negative voices are having less of annon-profit organization that offers education find ourselves living in a very different realityimpact and taking up less space as lawmakers,and guidance to organizations making a when it comes to inclusivity in the workplace.human rights activists and society in generalcommitment to support LGBTQ2+ inclusion. While you might think our society hasntspeak out against them. Our services empower employers to build changed much in terms of peoples rights,Five years into our work, Pride at Workworkplaces that celebrate all employees things have indeed changed. For someCanada refreshed its strategy to more directlyand recognize the skills of LGBTQ2+ minority groups, including BIPOC andaddress evidence-based LGBTQ2+ bestprofessionals. Simultaneously, we work with LGBTQ2+ people, things have been improvingpractices in the workplace. We began to focusLGBTQ2+ employees, professionals and over many years. Social justice has becomeon more tangible diversity and inclusioncommunities to share the most up-to-date an important process, and one we will not letstrategies and provide more direct support tobest practices to develop stronganyone take back from us. Systemic violence isemployers exhibiting a strong commitmentinclusive policies.being addressed, barriers are being removed,to LGBTQ2+ inclusion. This helped fuelWe do what we do because there is data and we now live in a more inclusive society. our growth and, through our educationalshowing that LGBTQ2+ people continue That said, we still have a long way to walk.programming, allowed us to connect withto face economic challenges in their It is with the idea that everyone deservespeople and employers from coast to coast. professional lives. They face stigma, bias to live in a country where they can achieveToday, Pride at Work Canada has moreand discrimination based on their gender their full potential at work, regardless ofthan 175 Proud Partners and Communityidentities, gender expressions andgender identity, gender expression andPartners, as well as thousands of networksexual orientations. sexual orientation, that a dedicated group ofconnections. The organization has volunteersIn 2019, Pride at Work Canada partnered volunteers founded Pride at Work Canada/ and staff working in different provinces towith the Institute for Gender and the Fiert au travail Canada over a decade ago.support business partners in their efforts toEconomy at the University of Torontos They had a positive and simple goal: to insertimprove their LGBTQ2+ inclusion strategies.Rotman School of Management to conduct a LGBTQ2+ inclusion on the agenda of CanadasThe organization is constantly celebratinggroundbreaking survey on workplace policies largest employers.the hard work of those who want to buildand practices for supporting trans and Our aim was to promote LGBTQ2+opportunities for LGBTQ2+ people and whogender non-conforming people: Transitioning inclusion in business and to support theare eager for the opportunity to Employers: A survey of policies and practices for educational process on diversity and mutualprove themselves. trans inclusive workplaces.12| QBiz CANADA | 2021'