Diversity in the Workplace September 24, 25 & 26, 2008 Toronto

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Conference Agenda

Session 4:

1:35-2:35 -CCAS Case Study: A Long-Term Approach to Your Diversity Plan
Terry Daly, CHRP, Director of Human Resource Services, Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto

The Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto is an award-winning organization heralded for its ongoing commitment to diversity which has leveraged them to become an employer of choice. Throughout the past 20 years, CCAS has implemented a broad range of initiatives to create an organizational climate that actively promotes the elimination of inequalities in service and employment and operates from the premise that how the organization treats its employees is how employees will treat their clients. In this presentation, Terry Daly offers insights on developing a first-in-class Equity program and will:

-Tell the story of the journey in transforming their organization as a model for anti-racist organizational change that is responsive, credible, inclusive, accountable and reflective of the community at all levels.
-Share how all aspects of the organization were examined including areas such as recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, performance, disability management and succession planning.
-Highlight current challenges in creating an anti-oppressive framework and a culture of respect and dignity in the workplace.


2:35-3:15 -BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD CASE STUDY: DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A DIVERSITY PROGRAM
Tony Jenkins, Vice President, Cultural Competence and Diversity Systems, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida

The start of any diversity program requires a well-developed strategy and work plan. This case study presentation will examine Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s well-formulated diversity road map and discuss its development and implementation, with a view to draw out best practices and lessons learned.

- How to develop a diversity strategy: including securing senior management support
- Key features of a diversity strategy
- Developing an implementation plan
- Taking action: the first steps for implementation


3:15-3:30 NETWORKING BREAK

3:30-4:10 -Developing Employee Resource Groups
Sandy A. Jones, Diversity Consultant, EDS Canada Inc.

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are champions of the diverse groups they represent, fulfilling a multitude of purposes that include serving as an educational and mentoring resource, participating in community outreach and supporting personal and professional development. Employers can initiate an awareness campaign that includes marketing and measuring ERGs, bolstering the effectiveness of these groups and increasing their positive impact on company culture and employee pride. This session will focus on:

-Strategies for employers to support and sustain ERGs
-Creating ERG guidelines
-Benefits of ERGs for employees and employers
-Examples of ERG mission, initiatives and outreach


4:10-4:50 -Encouraging Organizational Support for your Diversity Plan
Janet Naidu, Manager, Workplace Diversity, Liquor Control Board of Ontario

Once an organizations recognizes that valuing diversity is an organizational imperative, among its key strategies for gaining support is to involve employees and key stakeholders in making diversity part of its cultural change management initiative. This presentation will provide insights into how to gain organizational support to foster your diversity plan.

- Identifying key imperatives to increase stakeholders' understanding of the changing workforce.
- Creating a diversity strategy to foster an inclusive and culturally competent workforce
- Moving towards employee engagement, embracing cultural change and a legacy of diversity
- Making diversity an integral component while maintaining a focussed approach through organizational change.



4:50-5:30 -Visible Minorities in the Canadian Workplace
Margaret Yap, Assistant Professor, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University

Do visible minorities have the same opportunity for career development and advancement? Are foreign credentials valued by Canadian corporations? How do visible minorities experience the workplace and how can your organization ensure that their experiences and others will be positive ones? This presentation will explore these questions using data collected from a recent national survey focusing on career advancement of managers, professionals and executives in corporate Canada.

-Defining obstacles to visible minority professionals’ advancement
-Visible minorities and the potential talent shortage
-Creating a positive organization driven by success
-Applying the survey’s findings to organizations