OPG named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers
OPG has been named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, a major recognition in the company’s journey to be a global leader in equity, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I).
The award recognizes employers across Canada for exceptional workplace ED&I programs. This year’s winners were announced on March 7 and featured in a special section in The Globe and Mail.
The recognition comes two years after OPG launched its 10-year strategy to become a global leader in ED&I best practices. This ambitious strategy identifies nearly 100 initiatives and 15 strategic priorities to be carried out across the enterprise by 2030.
“A growing company like ours needs to attract and retain the best and smartest people from diverse backgrounds and experiences,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG’s President and CEO. “To do so, you need to provide candidates with a work culture where they can belong and excel. We’re starting to see a positive shift and are focused on building a culture where everyone can excel.”
Some of the recent actions OPG has taken to move its strategy forward include launching anti-racism training for all employees; providing $5 million in funding over 10 years to post-secondary programs to recruit and graduate students from historically under-represented communities; and partnering with the BlackNorth Initiative to launch a nationwide STEM recruitment platform to connect Black candidates with internship, mentorship, and career opportunities across the sector.
“A growing company like ours needs to attract and retain the best and smartest people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. To do so, you need to provide candidates with a work culture where they can belong and excel.”Ken Hartwick, President and CEO, OPG
OPG’s efforts to build a more diverse and inclusive organization are showing signs of progress. Women now make up over half of OPG’s Board of Directors and executive team. And in March 2022, Pickering Nuclear Generating Station had its first all-women led supervisory crew oversee the safe operation of the station’s six nuclear units during a night shift.
While there is more work to be done, these milestones mark significant progress in an industry where women have historically been underrepresented.
“There’s a wealth of research showing that if people feel more welcomed and included, they will thrive and bring their best selves to work,” said OPG’s Juliet Ajambo-Doherty, a Technical Engineer/Officer who works with the company’s nuclear chemistry department in Pickering and is a member of several of OPG’s employee resource groups. “For the best of the best to succeed, you need a level playing field. It’s about providing opportunities for everyone.
“In the same way you have a safety policy in place, ED&I is a necessity that’s here to stay. I’m excited to see this cultural shift going on at OPG.”
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