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To get a sense of why Hydro-Québec is committed to diversity, start at the top. When president and CEO Sophie Brochu talks about creating a more sustainable low-carbon future, she focuses on communities and people. As head of the government-owned corporation, and first woman to do so, she wants Canada’s largest electricity provider to reflect the diversity of the people it serves. And she backs up that priority with recruitment strategies, internship programs, philanthropy and employee resource groups targeted at LGBTQ+, race, indigenous communities, people with disabilities and more.
Manuelle Alix-Surprenant, who manages Hydro-Québec’s equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, says the goal is not just to attract top talent but also to retain it. “If they don’t stay because they don’t feel welcome, or they don’t feel in a safe space, it’s almost useless,” says Alix-Surprenant. If offered the right support, though, many employees are able to increase job satisfaction and work at the top of their game. That’s why the company is now hiring a special care counselor to give disabled employees—and the teams in which they operate—the tools and support they need to eliminate hurdles to productivity at work.
Such moves helped Hydro-Québec earn the top spot on Forbes’ inaugural ranking of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity. (Hydro-Québec also topped Forbes’ Canada’s Best Employers 2022 list earlier this year.) The diversity ranking, done in partnership with market research company Statista, was calculated from the feedback of more than 10,000 Canadians working for businesses with at least 500 employees in Canada, with extra weight given to respondents from underrepresented groups. (For a fuller methodology, see below.)
Public institutions are often attuned to the need to incorporate multiple stakeholders and reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. That may explain why the University of New Brunswick came in second on this year’s list, followed by the National Bank of Canada. Three other universities were among the top ten: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson) and Sheridan College. But private sector players like Nike, IKEA and Canada Goose also ranked high on the list.
Those who don’t pursue equality as a workplace goal increasingly find that equality may be thrust upon them through public pressure or policy. Canada’s one-year-old Pay Equity Act aims to close the gender wage gap by forcing companies with more than 100 employees (or unionized employees) to take stock of internal practices. Meanwhile, provinces like Prince Edward Island are bringing in pay transparency legislation that should make the workplace more equitable for all groups.
There are numerous other reasons to be tapping a diverse talent pool. Canada’s universal healthcare system and publicly funded parental leave, along with new investment in childcare, neutralizes many of the factors that U.S. companies use to woo talent. That’s forced Canadian employers to differentiate in other ways and tap underrepresented groups as they struggle with a low unemployment rate.
This ranking is less a measure of a company’s diversity than a measure of its commitment to fostering diversity by creating an environment in which everyone can bring their full selves to work. The job is never done, and the challenges vary by industry and location. The makeup of Hydro-Québec’s workforce, for example, looks unremarkable: Approximately 28% of its workforce identify as female, with 1.5% identifying as indigenous, 2% as ethnic minorities, nearly 8% as visible minorities and 0.6% as having a disability.
But the raw numbers don’t capture how it’s making progress in a male-dominated industry in a province that is less visibly diverse than neighboring Ontario. Quebec is home to an overwhelmingly French-Canadian and Catholic population that has long fought to defend its unique culture in a Commonwealth country that still pledges allegiance to the Queen. (Quebec’s premier recently spoke out against multiculturalism as a threat.)
Even so, there’s a widespread recognition that the country’s greatest strength likes in being a magnet for the rest of the world. Canada’s population grew at almost twice the pace of G7 countries between 2016 and 2021, mostly because of immigration. BCG issued a report last year that declared Canada to be the No. 1 destination for global talent. To woo new immigrants, Hydro-Québec launched an integration program that gives them an opportunity to acquire 30 weeks of much-needed work experience. “It helps newcomers to have access to their first Canadian experience,” says Alix-Surprenant, adding that it also allows Hydro-Québec’s team to “get familiar with cultural diversity.” Now in its eleventh iteration, 86% of those who complete the program are hired.
But diversity goals are notoriously hard to meet. A 2021 McKinsey & Company report found that nearly 70% of Canadian employees reported that their organizations prioritize DE&I but only 35% felt that their companies followed through on those commitments. People who don’t feel supported or promoted also leave.
You can’t be what you can’t see. Roots, a Toronto-based retail brand that ranked No. 16 on the list, doesn’t have to explain its support for women when they occupy the CEO, chief financial officer and chief product officer roles. Yes, it has plenty of training and cultural celebrations and public talks about topics like mental health and sexual identity.
But nothing speaks like walking the walk. “We’re not perfect in terms of what we’re doing,” says Roots’ CEO Meghan Roach. “But we want to improve and grow and I think that’s the big difference.”
As economic conditions become more volatile, that’s a good lesson to heed. With numerous studies that show companies with diverse leaders and inclusive cultures outperform peers, employers need to double down on tapping multiple pools of talent when times are tough. With increased transparency and demands for accountability, those that don’t track their progress in creating a diverse workforce can be sure that others will do it for them.
For the full list of Canada’s Best Employers For Diversity, click here.
Methodology
To determine the list, Statista surveyed more than 10,000 Canadians working for businesses with at least 500 employees. All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions. Respondents were asked to rate their employers on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation equality, as well as that of general diversity. These responses were reviewed for potential diversity gaps. Statista then asked respondents belonging to underrepresented groups to nominate organizations other than their own. The final list ranks the 150 employers that not only received the most recommendations but also boast the most diverse boards and executive ranks and the most proactive diversity and inclusion initiatives. The survey period ran from September to October 2021.
Forbes
