Diversity and inclusion: a priority for the commissions

My journey with Alberta Barley began in April 2011, when I joined a team of three staff members. I still remember my first board meeting. I was the odd one in the room – a woman of colour in attendance with 11 white male board members. That day, I made a commitment to further advance our ‘diversity and inclusion’ (D&I) practices. During my tenure, I have witnessed the adoption of D&I at our workplace every single day – expanding the inclusive workforce for the commissions from three to 20 members.

My passion and commitment to D&I comes from the fact that I myself, by default, am in that category of diversity. I take huge pride in setting a tone for the commissions’ culture by developing and promoting inclusive practices at our workplace, striving to provide a positive, respectful and nurturing environment.

So what does D&I mean to the commissions?

Each staff member in our organization shapes and builds the workplace culture. We promote equality and equity in our workplace to all employees regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education and national origin. It is also a strategic priority embedded in our business plan.

We embrace and respect people from diverse backgrounds. Staff are empowered and given equal opportunities to climb the ladder of success. We encourage and provide leadership, education and training opportunities to everyone at all levels. We also integrate flexibilities that allow employees to balance family and office obligations. We leverage their expertise and talents.

It is worth noting that 59 per cent of our staff are women, serving at various positions, while 41 per cent of our staff come from diverse backgrounds. The management team that directly reports to the general manager are eight staff members, and five of them are women leading major strategic portfolios. Currently, the Alberta Barley board is led by

a woman and we have had women in leadership roles on the Alberta Wheat Commission board.

How did the commissions foster an inclusive culture?

The big drivers are inclusion and equity which are applied during the screening process, throughout the hiring process, and even after the employee is hired. We draw people from a big talent pool and assess with one eye – merit, regardless of their age, background or gender. Their performance is assessed annually based on goal completion directly linked to the commissions’ priorities.

As a result, we have been able to unleash creativity and innovation in everything we do. Our staff are aware that they can fulfill their career goals without any hindrance. Thanks to the adoption of D&I practices, the staff feel valued and this is also why we have long-serving employees.

Although we are excited about the progress we have made, we still believe there is more to be done and we continue to improve inclusion around gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ2S+, and empowering women to maintain a culture of excellence.

In 2022, our focus will be to further develop metrics to measure D&I and to develop succession plans for staff, directors, regional representatives and delegates.

I often ask myself how much evolution is needed in the 21st century? The more I think about it, the more it makes me believe that the women of today are more powerful than ever before. Women before us have made sacrifices and paved the way for us.

It is our time to shine, celebrate, lead and inspire others. Because the evolution starts with you, within you and around you – be a catalyst, be a leader, be the change maker and lead by example!