Illustration : Thierry Cap de Coume
Barry Koen-Butt is Director of Communications and Outreach for the Ontario Public Service Diversity Office (OPSDO) in Canada. He explains to us why the OPSDO created, less than a year ago, the position of Chief Diversity Officer, currently held by Noëlle Richardson.
Commerce International: What does diversity mean in a country like Canada?
Barry Koen-Butt: “Canada is a country where diversity is a concrete and lively
reality. The country is officially bilingual French-English. But some 200 languages are spoken here. In Ontario, the least populated province in Canada, 12 million inhabitants out of a total of 32 million, in other words 54% of individuals, belong to what are called “visible minorities”. And almost one-third of these minorities originate from South Asia. But diversity is not limited to differences in race, culture, age or sex. Like an iceberg, it includes a visible and an invisible part. Our education and life experience make each of us into different beings. It is all these types of diversity that must be promoted.”
Why has the position of Chief Diversity Officer been created in the SDO?
B. K.-B.: “The province of Ontario and its capital Toronto are both very multicultural. With 68,000 employees, the OPSDO is the province’s second largest employer. The OPSDO owes it to itself to reflect the diversity of the population to more capably offer better service. We also have a duty to set an example to other employers. For example, a law in our province makes it compulsory for all open public spaces to be accessible to those with disabilities who we consider as part of our diversity. A major proportion of work carried out in the Diversity Office consists in making all premises of the OPSDO accessible to people with disabilities.”
What are the missions of the OPSDO Chief Diversity Officer?
B. K.-B.: “The Officer’s role is to ensure that each employee feels he or she may
be different and that this difference is supported. For us, diversity requires inclusion. But this process of inclusion does not take place either in spite of or in opposition with difference. Rather, the process promotes it. For diversity can bring innovative solutions to problems that arise. Which, in a crisis period like the one we are going through, may prove to be particularly advantageous. It is with this in mind that we appointed Noëlle Richardson. Her experience as a consultant for large companies in Canada, as well as the United States and Africa, has allowed her to develop, in the last ten years, a very positive approach to diversity. We share this approach that we have summed up by an acronym: IDEA, with I for inclusion, D for diversity, E for equity and A for accessibility. The time has come for this idea to be made into reality.”
What means does the Diversity Office implement to reach its goals?
B. K.-B.: “The Diversity Office is made up of a team of twenty people. We have developed a three-year strategic plan, drafted in English and in French. Our ambition: to expand diversity within our teams, in particular in the highest ranks of our
organization. But we have decided not to put in place quotas. We prefer to back education. We have launched a training programme accessible by e-learning, on the theme of leveraging difference. We have also planned to carry out a survey amongst employees, in which we will ask questions on their first and second languages, their race, sexual orientation, etc. The idea is to constitute a snapshot of our workforce, so that we can evaluate our future progress. Finally and more symbolically, we have created an electronic calendar, in English and French, indicating the festivals celebrated by all religions, with explanations on their meanings.”
Are there any obstacles to overcome to promote diversity within an organisation like yours?
B. K.-B.: “One another’s attitudes and beliefs, of course. This is why training and communication are so important. That said, our initiatives have been very well received by our employees. Some of them have even taken the initiative to create community networks, open to others and accessible to all. Amongst these, there are networks of South Asians, East Asians, French speakers, gay, lesbian and transsexuals, etc. They meet regularly and give us opinions and advice. They have thus helped us to elaborate some of the questions in our survey on employee profiles.”
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