BRINGING INCUSIVE LEADERS TOGETHER
In 2022, CTC partnered with Giants of Africa to host the Inclusive Leadership Forum. The event brought together 200+ participants and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion leaders to have action-oriented conversations about barriers, best practices and belonging in the workplace. Speakers included Amanda Parris, Award-Winning Writer, Producer and Host; Kike Ojo-Thompson, Founder and CEO of the KOJO Institute; Professor Maydianne Andrade, Canadian Black Scientists Network President; Prasanna Ranganathan, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Leader; Jarvis W. Sam III, Founder and CEO, Rainbow Disruption; Akim Aliu, Chairman and Founder of The Hockey Diversity Alliance and Time to Dream Foundation; Masai Ujiri, Co-Founder, Giants of Africa and Vice-Chairman and President, Toronto Raptors; and our very own Letecia Rose, Vice President of Diversity Inclusion and Belonging at CTC..
VALUING OUR VOLUNTEERS
In 2022, we hosted the first-ever Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Summit to celebrate and recognize employees helping drive belonging at CTC. The two-day event featured special performances, a multi-course dinner, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities. Speakers included Annahid Dashtgard, CEO of Anima Leadership; Samra Zafar, Award-winning Speaker, Bestselling Author and Educator for Equity, Mental Health, and Human Rights; and Dr. Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Business Consultant, Coach, International Speaker, and Best-selling Author. Employees also received awards based on their colleagues’ recognition of their efforts.
PRIORITIZING PRONOUNS
Gender pronouns are words used to refer to others without using their names. Using a person's correct pronouns fosters an inclusive environment and affirms a person's gender identity. By affirming each other's pronouns, we're creating a culture where people feel comfortable with their external appearance and their gender identity. In 2022, we piloted the Pronoun Pins at the Tire program, enabling employees to request pins to display their pronouns at work and events. Building on this initiative, pins, training, toolkits, and more resources on how to affirm a person’s identity will be available to the broader network by 2024.
SPACE FOR REFLECTION
The following year, CTC unveiled its first Legacy Space in partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. Legacy Spaces are safe, welcoming physical places for all employees to learn, reflect and honour Indigenous cultures. CTC's Legacy Space was designed in partnership with an art curator – August Swinson, a team of artists – Alanah Jewell (Morningstar), Bangishimo, Cody Houle and Luke Swinson, and The Indigenous Peoples Employee Network (TIPEN).
The launch was followed by two enterprise-wide events: a Truth and Reconciliation event hosted by TIPEN and A Conversation with Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Society. Both events provided employees with an opportunity to learn, reflect and discuss tangible ways of advancing truth and reconciliation in their work and personal lives.
SHOWING OUR PRIDE
In 2022, for the first time in our company’s history, we participated in the Toronto Pride Parade under the leadership of the PRISM employee resource group and alongside our 2SLGBTQIA+ employees and allies. In addition, several Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, and Mark’s stores in the Greater Toronto Area added window and entrance displays to show their support to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH EMPLOYEE VOICE
On the second anniversary of the murder of Mr. George Floyd, we hosted the enterprise-wide event Remembering George Floyd. Led by the Black Employee Network (BEN), this event allowed employees to share what the murder of George Floyd meant to them, while reminding us of the importance of remaining committed to ending anti-Black racism in our communities.
DEVELOPING LEADERS
People are the drivers of outcomes at CTC. We are creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace where employees have access to ongoing professional development opportunities. These include helping them build management and executive capabilities, while levelling the playing field for those from equity-deserving backgrounds. Currently, we offer the McKinsey Connected Leaders Academy’s Management Accelerator and Executive Leadership programs.
THE POWER OF NETWORKS
Studies show that support from committed, high-quality leaders can help people accelerate their leadership journeys. At CTC, we are leveraging the power of networks to connect employees across business units. Currently, we offer CivicAction Leadership Foundation’s CivicMatch program to accelerate internal talent's access to leadership opportunities and create powerful, reciprocal learning opportunities.
Advancing Truth and Reconciliation
, marked Canada’s inaugural National Truth and Reconciliation Day. To recognize this important day, CTC hosted a company-wide Truth and Reflection learning event, which featured inspiring Indigenous leaders who shared their stories and knowledge about the residential school system and offered their personal perspective on meaningful reconciliation. In addition to a live fireside chat between activist Ashley Callingbull and Leanne Bellegarde, employees had access to workshops on land acknowledgement and traditional teachings led by the First People’s Group’s team.
Addressing Anti-Black Racism
In , the Black Lives Matter movement presented the opportunity for all of us to take a closer look at ourselves and our values. This led to the creation of our formal Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) team that is working to implement a five-year strategy and DIB commitments. We committed over $600,000 to organizations dedicated to helping Black communities across Canada and an additional $200,000 to Black grassroots organizations recommended by our employees.
In , as our work continued, we collaborated with Randell Adjei, the first Poet Laureate of Ontario, to capture the many emotions that were still very present while looking forward to the ongoing work that lies ahead.
Driving change through sport
Through our partnership with the Orange Shirt Society and Keener Jerseys, the Orange Jersey Project (OJP) was developed to help coaches educate hockey teams about the history of the residential school system in Canada. The OJP is sending 10,000 orange practice jerseys to youth teams across the country to spark dialogue about residential schools and their harmful impact on Indigenous children and families.
Speaking with Judy Shepard
We were excited to have the inspirational Judy Shepard join CTC to share her wisdom and lessons with the organization. As a passionate mother and 2SLGBTQIA+ activist, Judy told the story of her son Matthew’s murder to emphasize the importance of making spaces safe, inclusive and welcoming for people to come as they are. During the session, she offered suggestions and best practices for allyships and making the world more open to diversity to drive understanding, acceptance, and social change.