Jana gregorio
Advancing Equity for Women and Girls (AEWG) at Achēv hosted three panel discussions with experts from various sectors, including AI, business, and government leadership, between September 2023 to November 2023.
The objective of this series of panel discussions was to unpack the challenges faced by immigrant and racialized women, as well as young women, in the labour market. This phase marked the intervention stage of the AEWG project, aiming to engage both employers and employees with solution-oriented recommendations.
Among the panelists were Warsan Hagi-Yusuf, DEIA Specialist at Deloitte; Amal Masri, founder of Fix The Broken Rung; Theirry Lindor, Co-Founder of Happly.ai; Dorian Spears, Director of Partnerships & Strategy at the Gender Equality in Tech Cities initiative; Nammi Sriharsan, Executive Coach and AI Leader; Jhoanna Gonzales Miners, CEO of SEASONOVA; and Richard Sharpe, Director of the Black Equity Branch at the Treasury Board Secretariat in the Ontario Public Service.
Key emerging themes from all three panel discussions included:
1. Importance of Intentionality and Accountability in Implementing DEIA in the Workplace
There is a crucial need for intentional recruitment processes, especially concerning the recruitment of women, particularly immigrant and racialized women. For instance, the collaborative efforts between corporations and the non-profit sector, such as Achēv, are essential to reach racialized women and other equity-deserving groups.
Intentional data analysis is crucial for mitigating inherent biases within IT, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) development being a key focal point. The solution lies in cultivating diversity of expertise within development teams and fostering collaborations with non-profit and educational institutions. Additionally, recognizing the important role of government regulations is essential in ensuring equitable and unbiased outcomes.
2. The Benefits and Pitfalls of Hybrid Work Models
The pitfalls within our current hybrid workplace are that it can foster biases among the leadership in organizations and companies, where social networks and sponsorship are being missed for women in the workplace. There is a strong potential of impacting women and their ability to progress career-wise. For example, “Fix the Broken Rung” has been providing racialized professional women a platform to share their experiences and develop solutions to reducing biases in the workplace by promoting inclusivity and shifting the focus on the talent and contribution women make in the workplace.
Sponsorship opportunities hold significant importance for working women, particularly racialized and immigrant women, in leveling the playing field and ensuring equity in access to professional opportunities.
In the current hybrid workspace, cultivating a healthy workplace culture entails rejecting a surveillance-oriented approach and instead encouraging leaders to regularly check in with their teams, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
3. Shifting the Paradigm in the Business World Around Skilled Immigrants
For sustained success, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives cannot solely rely on Human Resources (HR) departments. Instead, they must be integrated throughout the organizational structure and operations. This approach fosters trust by prioritizing transparency and accountability at all levels.
Immigrant and racialized women represent some of the most educated and skilled individuals in Canada today. Shifting the paradigm requires employers to recognize the invaluable assets they bring to the labour market. These women are not merely employees; they are also entrepreneurs and job creators for their communities and Canadian society as a whole.
The current partnership between businesses and non-profits, particularly Employment Service Providers, has the potential to cultivate experiential opportunities through work-integrated learning, such as co-ops, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
During the panel discussions, some employers and business owners highlighted the importance of decolonizing our mindset when navigating the Canadian labour market. They emphasized the need to avoid devaluing the education and work experiences of newcomers recruited by the government based on their expertise.
Fostering alliances with diverse communities, sharing knowledge, and recognizing the potential that emerges from organizing both people and data are crucial elements in navigating the forthcoming changes in the labour market.
4. Equity Audit as a Key Part of Successful DEIA Implementation in the Workplace
The effectiveness of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) within an organization or company relies on hiring a third party to conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups. This serves as a mechanism for organizational accountability.
Sharing the results of the equity audit conducted by the company or organization with employees presents an opportunity for employers to commit to improvement and address burnout, dissatisfaction, and high turnover among their employees, particularly those belonging to equity-deserving groups.
Adopting a multi-pronged approach towards Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) involves education, fostering diverse perspectives, and conducting institutional and individual self-assessment. This is a long-term effort and not a quick fix. Throughout this process, it’s crucial to deprioritize the comfort of those in dominant spaces and recognize the impact harmful work practices have on marginalized groups within companies and organizations.
In all three panel discussions, guest speakers emphasized the critical role communities play in holding those in powerful positions, whether in government or the private sector, accountable for advancing essential systemic and institutional changes. Measuring the impact of an organization or company’s DEIA initiatives is crucial, as it provides leaders with contextualized, qualitative upward feedback, along with recommendations for the next steps. Conducting an Equity Audit requires companies and organizations to cultivate a culture of psychological safety, which is central to fostering humility among leaders and making earnest efforts to respect, recognize, and connect with all employees. DEIA work is a collective effort, and it’s important to view all small progress as steps in the right direction.
Learn More with the “Paving the Way” Toolkit
For a deeper dive into strategies supporting immigrant and racialized women in the Canadian labour force, access our toolkit for employers, “Paving the Way: A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Guide.”
About Advancing Equity for Women and Girls
Funded by Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), Advancing Equity for Women and Girls supports a feminist response and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on the employment of immigrant and racialized women in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by contributing to systemic change to promote women’s economic prosperity and equality.
Contact Us
For any questions regarding the project, contact us:
- Hodan Mohamed, Project Coordinator: hmohamed@achev.ca
- Mayela Lozano, Community Liaison: mlozano@achev.ca
Read more about our program here: Advancing Equity for Women and Girls – Employment Services
