We want to intentionally create an inclusive culture at Stantec. Key to this is awareness of inclusion and diversity, education, and accountability for individual behaviors and enablement of collective action.

We start meetings with Safety and/or Inclusion Moments to educate and reinforce wanted behavior. An Inclusion Moment is a way to set the tone and encourage conversations about building a work environment that is welcoming, safe, supportive, and free of judgement. Topics of inclusion moments cover Diversity Dimensions, Accessibility, Conducting Inclusive Meetings, Preferred Gender Pronouns, Race Relations Conversations, What it means to be an Ally, Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable, Intercultural Competence, and I&D Champions for Change. 

We deliver Unconscious Bias training through certified facilitators who are Stantec employees. The training includes both online and in-person components and has been redesigned to deliver virtually during the pandemic. Post-session work includes individual action plans to drive action and accountability.

We have designed training in the area of Implicit Bias in hiring that is provided to those involved in recruitment to create awareness of our biases and how to manage them.

We are creating an environment in which employees feel safe and free to bring their full selves to work. Creating a truly inclusive workplace is the right thing to do for our employees, and also helps Stantec attract the diverse breadth of talent we need to remain an iconic top-tier global design and delivery firm.

Asifa Samji, Acting CHRO, Stantec