DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING (“DEIB”) POLICY
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSES
A. Special Electronics & Designs Inc. (“SED Inc.”) is dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace by providing an atmosphere free from barriers where no one is denied opportunities for reasons unrelated to their abilities. We celebrate and welcome the diversity of all employees, stakeholders, and external personnel.
B. SED Inc. aims to ensure that all those participating in our workplace are treated with respect, dignity and fairness with an aim of creating an environment which promotes positive working relationships.
C. This policy has been adopted to foster an environment where everyone feels they belong and that their dignity, beliefs, and identity are respected. To achieve this, we strive to create a supportive work environment and a culture that welcomes everyone and encourages equitable opportunities for all employees. The company will comply with all applicable legislation in pursuit of these endeavours.
D. This policy is designed to ensure that all employees understand SED Inc.’s commitment to recognizing the value of diversity in our workplace as supported through equal employment opportunities and ensuring work practices promote equality and are non-discriminatory.
II. SCOPE
This policy applies to employees as well as consultants acting on behalf of SED Inc.
III. Definitions
A. Belonging: feeling supported, valued, and accepted when presenting one’s most authentic self.
B. Cultural Competency: a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency or profession that enables that system, agency or profession to achieve cultural diversity and to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.
C. Cultural Safety: exists when an environment is created and respected and where people, customers and workers feel safe, understood and respected to optimize the customer experience.
D. Dignity: being treated respectfully and ethically because of one’s inherent worth.
E. Discrimination: treating people unequally or making a distinction based on prohibited grounds that results in a burden, obligation, or disadvantage that is not imposed on others or which limits access to opportunities, benefits, and advantages available to other members of society.
F. Diversity: the presence of a variety of unique qualities, identities, or experiences.
G. Equity: access to opportunities that is fair and accounts for the different experiences people have based on factors that are protected by human rights legislation.
H. Inclusion: creating a culture that embraces, values, and respects diversity and supports all members through equitable practices.
I. Microaggressions: commonplace direct or indirect slights, insults, generalizations, or insensitive actions made at the expense of historically marginalized groups whether intentionally or unintentionally offensive.
J. Prohibited grounds: the characteristics that an employer must not use as reasons to discriminate against a person or group under human rights legislation. Sometimes called protected characteristics. Prohibited grounds may differ by jurisdiction.
K. Unconscious bias: the inclinations or assumptions (such as stereotypes and prejudices) that a person may have about social and identity groups, or the persons who belong to these groups, that operate without our awareness.
IV. Guidelines
A. SED Inc. is committed to observing and following relevant human rights, equity, and privacy legislation to prevent discrimination based on any prohibited grounds. Employees will not be negatively impacted by any actions or decisions relating to hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, job assignments, transfers, layoffs, return from layoffs, or company-sponsored programs or events due to a prohibited ground that they may have.
B. SED Inc. is also committed to developing, learning, and following best practices to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in every area of company operations.
C. SED Inc. recognizes that all people bring different qualities, abilities, skills, knowledge, experiences, perspectives and attitudes to work. Valuing and making the most of these differences can improve the workplace for individuals and enhance SED Inc.’s overall performance.
D. SED Inc. will ensure that accommodations are made for individuals who require them. Individuals are encouraged to let SED Inc. management know of any required accommodations.
E. We understand diversity as the presence of a wide range of human qualities and attributes within a group organization or society. The dimensions of diversity include but are not limited to ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.
V. Cultural Competency & Safety
A. All employees and stakeholders of SED Inc. must respect the differences of others and treat everyone with dignity.
B. SED Inc. will strive to build a culturally competent workforce by providing training about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, encouraging positive attitudes towards cultural differences, raising awareness of unconscious biases and the harmful effects of prejudice, discrimination, and microaggressions, and working to eliminate such aggressions in the workplace.
VI. Training
SED Inc. may use various training initiatives to foster cultural competencies. Every employee and manager will receive training around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as part of their onboarding.
VII. Recruitment
A. SED Inc. is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce. By valuing a diverse workforce, SED Inc. is committed to hiring practices that are fair and equitable.
B. SED Inc. will always hire the most qualified candidate for a position. A prohibited ground will not be used against an individual during the hiring process. The company will ensure that the search and hiring processes are fair and equitable so that each candidate has a fair opportunity throughout the process regardless of any prohibited ground they may have.
C. SED Inc. seeks to address conscious and unconscious bias in recruitment through a panel interview, with the involvement of the Human Resources Manager in the process.
VIII. Succession Planning
A. SED Inc. is committed to identifying and implementing programs that will assist in the development of a broader and more diverse pool of skilled and experienced employees. SED Inc. seeks to develop its officers, employees and contractors to prepare themselves for higher levels of responsibility by offering equal opportunities for career development based on knowledge, skills and leadership prospects for future success. Internal promotions and our employee recognition program are widely encouraged as a development as well as a retention strategy.
B. SED Inc. is committed to developing and promoting staff fairly and equitably. Development opportunities will be offered equitably among employees as they become available and when reasonably possible. Personnel decisions will be made based on the qualifications and performance of employees and upon successful completion of the internal application process. A prohibited ground will not be used against an individual in consideration for a promotion.
IX. FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
A. SED Inc. acknowledges that the needs of employees change during different stages of life with different family support and care requirements.
B. As such, SED Inc. offers the opportunity to work part-time or with flexible start and finish times (in agreement with the manager) and the adoption of other supportive practices that enables employees to achieve work-life balance. Employees returning from parental leave have the right to request flexible working arrangements and SED Inc. will give careful consideration to come to an arrangement that balances both the needs of the employee and the business.
X. EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR AND CODE OF CONDUCT
A. SED Inc. values a workplace culture that is respectful of inclusion and diversity. There is zero tolerance for bullying, discriminating, harassing victimizing or vilifying behaviours. This is achieved through continuously educating our employees and contractors on the standards SED Inc. expects of its employees.
B. Occurrences of violence or harassment should be reported in accordance with the Company’s Zero Tolerance Harassment & Workplace Romance Policy (WI-H010).
XI. REPORTING PROCESS
A. If an employee feels that this policy has been breached, they may file a verbal or written complaint with the person identified in the reporting process of the Company’s Zero Tolerance Harassment & Workplace Romance Policy (WI-H010).
B. Attempts should be made to reach a resolution on an individual level or with the employee’s direct manager before filing a formal complaint; however, if the employee does not feel comfortable approaching the individual or their manager about the matter, they may contact any Supervisor, Manager, or HR Representative directly. The complaint will be reviewed and addressed confidentially.
XII. BREACH OF POLICY
All individuals covered by this policy are expected to adhere to the standards of behaviour contained herein, at all times. Any employee or contractor, who is found to have breached this policy will be disciplined accordingly, which may lead to, and include termination of employment or engagement.