National Research Council of Canada

Self-assessment on the forward direction of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service

 

Goal setting

Question 1

Has your organization set goals (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years) for recruiting and promoting Indigenous peoples and Black and other racialized people?

  • My organization has set recruitment goals for:
    • Indigenous peoples
    • Racialized people
  • My organization has set promotion goals for:
    • Indigenous employees
    • Racialized employees

Please provide details and/or examples, including what your organization is using to set its goals (e.g., operational priorities, labour market availability [LMA], population data, workforce availability [WFA]), and how these goals are communicated to employees, if applicable. What has been the most helpful in advancing towards the goals you have set? What challenges, if any, have you encountered?

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has set representation and hiring goals for:

  • Each of the 4 designated Employment Equity (EE) groups (Women, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with disabilities, Racialized persons).
  • Each of the 4 designated EE groups, within the executive classification.
  • Specific EE Occupational Groups (EEOGs) where we know we have gaps in representation.

We use labour market availability (LMA) as the starting point for our representation goals. The information comes from the 2016 Census and 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability. We may adjust our goals when we receive the 2021 Census data. In determining these goals, we consider expected turnover and we review hiring and departure information from the past 3 fiscal years.

We also established a goal that at least 50% of new hires from outside the organization will be qualified candidates who identify as Indigenous peoples, Racialized persons or Persons with disabilities. We incorporated this goal into the performance agreements for executives.

Since we put in place representation and hiring goals, we have seen a significant increase in the representation of designated EE groups in our workforce. At the overall NRC level, we have exceeded LMA benchmarks for both Women and Racialized Persons. Our representation of Indigenous Peoples and Persons with Disabilities has doubled since 2018, and is still steadily increasing.

Things that have worked well:

  • Considering EE groups first in our hiring processes. Our job postings say that we may consider EE candidates first and hiring managers review applications from EE candidates and interview or test these candidates before considering anyone else.
  • Holding managers and executives responsible for goals by putting these into their performance agreements and measuring progress at the end of the year.
  • Building and promoting an Inclusive Hiring Toolkit for hiring managers and human resources staff. The toolkit includes an inclusive hiring checklist, a selection board preparation guide and an Indigenous Hiring Best practices guide. This ensures they are taking an inclusive approach to recruitment and hiring.
  • Regularly sharing progress towards our goals through quarterly reports to our senior executive team and organizational business unit leaders.

Challenges:

  • We need to increase awareness about the NRC as a great place to work.
  • We need better data to make good decisions about hiring, retention, and inclusion initiatives.
  • We need to find ways to promote self-declaration in job applications.
  • We need to encourage hiring managers to embrace Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) best practices.

We have not set specific goals for the promotion of EE employees within the organization. However, as part of our new EDI strategy, we will be tracking the rate of promotion for employees in EE groups compared to those in non-EE groups. Our goal is to have no disproportionate differences in the advancement of members of EE groups relative to non-EE groups. Our workforce and succession planning tools and processes have integrated EDI elements that we will review and improve

Question 2

Has your organization set goals to foster greater inclusion (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years)?

  • My organization has set goals to foster greater inclusion.

Please provide details and/or examples, including which metrics or data your organization is using, if applicable (e.g., your Public Service Employee Survey results, pulse surveys, exit interviews, human resources administrative data).

At the NRC, fostering greater inclusion is a key priority. We established goals to guide these efforts. These goals are an important part of our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2024-27. Our goals include:

  • Develop EDI competence and practice: Ensure that all employees and leaders understand and value the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
  • Enhance community and inclusivity: Promote participation and engagement in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and networks, fostering a greater sense of belonging among employees from equity-deserving groups.
  • Value and respect employees in all domains: Make employees feel valued, reflected and respected in our documents, policies, systems, and in both the physical workplace and virtual working environments.
  • Strengthen accommodation practices: Ensure that employees and supervisors understand and can navigate the accommodation process effectively.
  • Become an employer of choice for diverse talent: Create a workplace culture that reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion, making the NRC an attractive destination for diverse talent. 

To track how well we are doing in achieving these goals, we use different measurements and sources of information:

  • We track the responses to Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) questions. We follow the questions related to respect for individual differences and activities that support a diverse workforce.
  • We compare the answers of Employment Equity (EE) and non-EE employees to the question in our Exit Survey about inclusivity.
  • We keep track of the formal and informal reports of non-inclusive environments, harassment, and discrimination.
  • We will develop and maintain service standards for accommodation requests.
  • We monitor the retention rates of EE groups compared to non-EE groups.

We also include EDI metrics in our performance agreements for executives. These include expectations that they adopt inclusive and accessible practices. More detailed information on these performance agreements can be found in question 4.

We regularly assess our progress and make necessary changes to promote greater inclusion within the NRC.

Measuring progress

Question 3

Has your organization developed an approach for measuring progress towards your established goals? 

How is the approach being implemented within your organization (e.g., how is it communicated to employees? What are the roles of executive team members including the Chief Data Officer and Head of Audit and Evaluation and regional management if applicable? How are you reporting on results and outcomes both internally and externally?)?

To make sure that the NRC keeps making progress in achieving our goals, we have put in place a thorough system for measuring and monitoring our efforts.

Reporting of results

We use a robust accountability framework for our Employment Equity (EE) Plan.

  • We keep track of and report on performance indicators, such as numerical goals for hiring and representation.
    • We do annual reviews to assess progress, make any necessary adjustments to goals, and identify areas for improvement.
  • Senior management oversight of EE which includes:
    • An annual report on progress relative to the Workforce and Workplace Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy.
    • Quarterly progress reports on representation and hiring.
  • The NRC has also reported results to:
    • The NRC Departmental Audit Committee on EDI.
    • Members of the NRC Council who provide advice and oversight on the performance of our organization.

Communication of results

At the NRC, transparency is a priority. We share our efforts and our progress openly with our employees and the public alike. Our Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy describes our goals and objectives to our employees. Externally, we show accountability by reporting on key performance metrics. These include our annual EE report and the annual progress report on our Accessibility Plan. These reports offer a comprehensive overview of our achievements, challenges, and future plans.

Feedback mechanisms

We actively ask for feedback from employees and members of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) through regular consultations on EDI-related topics and initiatives. The NRC Council also established an EDI working group to provide advice and guidance to support our organization in making meaningful progress in advancing EDI. The Council works closely with senior leaders to identify and recommend actions that will help to increase representation of designated EE groups, and improve the engagement and retention of a diverse workforce.

Consequential accountability

Question 4

How is your organization using performance management and/or talent management processes to establish accountability for results?

  • Quantitative goals are part of performance management agreements. 
  • Qualitative objectives are in performance management agreements.
  • A lack of progress towards representation and inclusion goals results in consequences.

Please provide details about how performance management and/or talent management processes are being used to establish accountability for results.

The NRC includes Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) metrics in our formal performance agreements for executives. Executives are expected to do the following:

  • Learn about and adopt inclusive and accessible practices, both internally and in collaboration with external stakeholders.
  • Prioritize EDI in workforce planning activities, such as succession planning and identifying high-potential talent.
  • Actively develop diverse talent by providing career development opportunities, mentorship, and essential resources for success.
  • Promote the importance and value of the self-identification process to employees.
  • Meet the NRC hiring goals in their area of responsibility:
    • 50% of new hires from outside the organization will be qualified candidates who identify as Indigenous Peoples, Racialized persons or Persons with disabilities. This measure is focused on Employment Equity (EE) groups for which the NRC has the greatest representation gaps. Implementing this goal, which was introduced in early 2022, has led to a significant increase in representation in these groups. Indigenous representation has increased from 61% of Labour Market Availability (LMA) in fiscal year (FY) 2021-2022 to 74% in FY 2023-2024. Similarly, Persons with disabilities now represent 66% of LMA, up from 45% in FY 2021-2022. Additionally, Racialized representation has risen from 94% of LMA in FY 2021-2022 to 110% in FY 2023-2024.
    • Ensure hiring managers use various strategies when recruiting. They indicate in their job advertisements that they will consider EE groups first. With the help of the Inclusive hiring toolkit, they review applications from EE candidates first, and interview or assess them before considering other candidates. They ensure they have diverse selection panels. They use pre-qualified lists and recruitment programs that prioritize designated groups.

In the annual merit review process for executives, progress toward EDI goals is factored into the assignment of performance ratings and eligibility for executive merit pay.

We are actively working on promoting diversity through our workforce planning and succession planning processes. We have updated our workforce planning tools to flag positions where the NRC has representation gaps. We also ask management to consider representation from designated EE groups during these workforce planning and succession planning exercises. We highlight to management that these processes present an opportunity to identify, prioritize, and monitor the development of high-potential employees from designated EE groups.

Specific, tangible actions outlined in the forward direction of the Call to Action

Question 5

Have you, as head of your organization, and/or your executive teams sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles?

  • My executive team has sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles.

Please provide details about the nature of sponsorship that you and/or your executive team have provided, along with other programs, such as mentorship or leadership development, if applicable.  

Sponsorship pilot program

The NRC started a Sponsorship pilot program in the summer of 2023 to help high potential Indigenous and racialized employees prepare for leadership roles. In this program, senior leaders are matched with employee protégés. Sponsors use their networks and experience to provide protégés with access to key contacts and developmental opportunities that might not otherwise arise. The leaders actively support and advocate for their protégés. They help create opportunities for them and contribute to their growth. Unlike mentoring, which focuses on career advice, sponsorship is all about advocacy.

I was not with the NRC when the Sponsorship pilot program was launched. However, I am committed to participating as a sponsor in future cohorts to contribute to the career advancement of equity-deserving groups.

Currently, 12 NRC vice-presidents and executives are each sponsoring at least 2 protégés (total of 26 protégés). As sponsors, they make sure they understand their protégés' experiences, achievements, and abilities. This helps them identify appropriate development opportunities and advocate for their protégés. Sponsors have supported their protégés in various ways, such as introducing them to key contacts, including managers and employees across the NRC, to expand their networks. They also invite their protégés to high-level meetings to give them a better understanding of how decisions are made. They provide valuable feedback and recommendations to help their protégés advance in their careers.

To date, protégés have given very positive feedback about the program and their experiences working with their sponsors. They are excited about the opportunity to work with NRC vice-presidents and executives who support them as they prepare for leadership positions.

We will keep learning from the experiences of sponsors and protégés and will use this information to improve the program. The information will also help us support equity-deserving groups in general, as they prepare to advance in their careers. When the program expands, we plan to give sponsorship opportunities to employees from other equity-deserving groups.

Mentorship

The NRC started the Mentoring@the NRC program in 2021. It is open to NRC employees at all levels, all jobs, and from all locations across the country.

We promote the program as one of the ways to support equity-deserving groups in their career development. Mentees can set their own matching criteria when searching for a mentor, and can choose which factors are important to them. This might include their developmental goals, their location, or identity factors. Mentors and mentees can choose to self-identify as being part of one or more equity-deserving groups on their profiles. The program connects mentors and mentees on a range of topics including career development, managing work-life balance, and acquiring new leadership skills. 

Question 6

Have you, as head of your organization, personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees?

  • Work is underway so that I will personally endorse at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees.

Please provide details.

The NRC Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy 2024-2027 includes an important focus on Indigenous employees, Black employees, and other racialized employees. As President, in fiscal year 2024-2025, I will personally endorse at least one recruitment campaign focused on these groups.

We have already created programs to attract skilled and diverse employees. The Persons with Disabilities Internship Program and the Indigenous Student Recruitment Program were both launched in 2023-2024. These programs provide hands-on experience and a chance to learn important skills within a research and innovation context. We advertise these programs to the public on the NRC careers website. We have also shared them through outreach partners and NRC employee networks, including platforms on social media such as LinkedIn.

With these initiatives, our goal is to make our recruitment practices more inclusive. We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of Canada and provide meaningful opportunities for underrepresented groups to contribute to the important work done at the NRC.

Question 7

Has your organization prioritized official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement?

  • Work is underway to develop an approach to prioritizing official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement.

How is your organization prioritizing official language training?

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

The NRC Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy 2024-2027 states that we will provide guidance to managers on proactive language training. We will explain how to plan and offer language training for talented employees from equity-deserving groups to improve their skills and get ready for future roles.

Workforce and succession planning

During the yearly workforce and succession planning process, management teams are specifically asked to identify high potential leaders, with a focus on employees from equity-deserving groups. They are also encouraged to consider the training needs that can help these individuals in their career development. This includes language training.

Does your organization offer access to Indigenous language training or have plans to offer access? Please provide details. 

Employees who need to learn Indigenous languages for their job may have the opportunity to receive training. Managers will decide on a case-by-case basis whether this training is necessary.

Question 8

Has your organization provided support and/or invested resources for organizational employee networks and communities?

  • Engagement with employees and employee networks in my organization’s decision-making is meaningful and regular.
  • Governance structures are in place to support employee networks and communities (e.g., champions, champions/chairs participate at management tables).
  • Material supports are provided for employee networks and communities (e.g., dedicated funding, FTE support, allowing time to engage in activities).

Please provide additional detail about how your organization engages with and supports employee networks and communities.

The NRC has a number of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that provide a sense of community and belonging for employees from equity-deserving groups. Members of ERGs can also contribute valuable feedback, drawing upon their expertise and personal insights, to inform the development of new programs and initiatives. Their active participation is important for moving forward with the Call to Action.

The NRC works with the ERGs in a number of ways:

  • We consult with members. We listen to their opinions and ideas and include these as we work towards creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.
  • We support the development and launch of new employee networks such as the Persons with Disabilities Network.
  • We share learning and development opportunities with the groups as they come up. We actively promote sponsorship and mentorship programs inside the NRC and across the federal public service.
  • We support ERG-led activities, such as guest-speaker events, by providing funds and actively participating in and promoting these events.

ERG feedback on the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

When we were creating our new Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy 2024-2027, we worked closely with the ERGs. Before developing the strategy, we conducted an Employment Systems Review (ESR) in late 2023. We talked to over 150 employees, including members of ERGs and the NRC's Committee on EDI. We wanted to hear their thoughts on hiring practices, employee experiences, and any obstacles they faced at work.

After we completed the draft strategy, we held meetings with ERGs, as well as with the NRC's Committee on EDI, bargaining agents, and EDI co-champions. We listened to their feedback, which was very helpful in further shaping and refining the strategy.

EDI co-champions

In May 2022, the NRC appointed senior leader co-champions who promote EDI and wellness throughout our organization. They encourage change, shape our workplace culture, and support activities and programs that create a healthy and inclusive environment for all employees.

We have an overall champion responsible for workplace EDI, official languages, and wellness programs. We also have co-champions for Indigenous Engagement, Accessibility and Disability Inclusion, Anti-Racism, 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion, Women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Official Languages, and Wellness and Mental Health. These co-champions work closely with the ERGs to make progress on their priorities.

NRC stakeholders, including the EDI co-champions, the Human Resources Branch, the Communications Branch and other corporate branches, are providing ongoing support to employee resource groups as needed.

Question 9

Has anti-racism, equity and inclusion work been embedded in your organization’s integrated business plan and/or mental health plan?

  • Anti-racism, equity and inclusion work has been embedded in the organizational plan.
  • Anti-racism, equity and inclusion work has been embedded in regional and/or branch plans.
  • Work is underway on our integrated business plan and/or mental health plan to embed anti-racism, equity and inclusion work.

Question 10

Does your organization have a calendar to avoid holding major meetings and events during significant religious, spiritual, and cultural periods?

  • Work is underway to develop this calendar at my organization.

If the calendar already exists, please provide additional details on how this calendar is communicated or promoted within your organization.  

The NRC maintains a calendar of commemorative events to foster a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. We promote the calendar and its significant dates for employees to learn about and participate in observances. We encourage senior leaders to be aware of upcoming events and share these events with their teams. In addition, we regularly feature information about these events in the weekly NRC employee newsletter and intranet to ensure widespread awareness and participation.

We are working on expanding the calendar to include additional religious, spiritual, and cultural dates. We will also provide guidance to managers and employees to avoid holding major meetings and events during significant religious and cultural periods.

Additional information about your organization’s ongoing initiatives 

Question 11

What are two or three specific barriers that you have faced in advancing work on the Call to Action?

Please provide two or three examples.

Call to Action - Including voices from diverse backgrounds in the identification of systemic racism, discrimination and barriers to inclusion, and the development and implementation of actions to address them.

Barrier - Consultation fatigue.

The NRC’s diversity is an important part of our excellence and innovation. We want to include different voices, perspectives and ideas to support inclusive innovation and build inclusive programs and policies. We consult with equity-deserving groups for this reason. Sometimes employees in these groups have said that they feel we are either asking too much of them or that there is too much consultation. We want to find a balance by including voices that need to be heard, without putting extra burden on these groups beyond their regular job responsibilities. We strive to adhere to this action without imposing additional emotional labour on equity-deserving groups.

Call to Action - Measuring progress and driving improvements in the employee workplace experience by monitoring disaggregated survey results and related operational data (for example, promotion and mobility rates, tenure) and acting on what the results are telling us.

Barrier - Enhancing Employment Equity (EE) data.

The NRC shares EE data with senior leaders quarterly to ensure accountability and transparency. We include EDI metrics in executive performance agreements to track our efforts and to hold ourselves accountable. These metrics focus on prioritizing hiring and career development for equity-deserving groups and promoting inclusive and accessible practices. The metrics rely upon the EE data collected in our self-declaration and self-identification forms, and Labour Market Availability (LMA) information. The NRC is currently strengthening its EDI measurement capabilities including taking stock of gaps in data available to better identify barriers and inform EDI programming. This work will inform data collection and reporting methodologies. In addition, it would be helpful to have more detailed data about the labour market beyond the 4 designated groups to identify and address barriers to our policies and programs so that everyone can fully participate. As such, the NRC is looking forward to the release of the new EE self-identification form centrally, to capture accurate EE data to understand our employees’ experiences. It is anticipated that future changes to the Employment Equity Act will also further inform data. 

Question 12

Recognizing that employees often have multiple identities, what actions is your organization undertaking to support Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are also members of other communities, such as persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and religious minorities who face compounding barriers of discrimination?

Please provide details.

The NRC is working to embed inclusive and intersectional frameworks into our programs, policies and practices. Through various initiatives, we strive to dismantle systemic barriers and foster an inclusive environment where all employees are valued and can achieve success.

One of our key initiatives focuses on education and awareness. We are dedicated to providing resources and training to enhance organizational competency and inclusivity. From reading lists, toolkits, and courses, NRC employees are provided with information to learn about multiple forms of discrimination and how to address bias. Our entry point begins when an employee joins the organization. We introduce all new students and employees to EDI resources in onboarding sessions including access to employee resource groups, educational material and trainings, as well as programs and opportunities for career development.

We are actively working to ensure that our organizational culture and practices are equitable and inclusive. We are creating avenues and space for the voices of employees who face multiple factors of discrimination to be heard through our employee networks and resource groups. We created a Persons with Disabilities Employee Network to enable members to connect and share experiences, and are currently looking to broaden and expand our networks. Furthermore, to support employee wellness and to be mindful of the unique experiences of individuals, we are embedding an inclusive lens into our wellness program. This includes applying an intersectional framework to our current wellness approaches, and considering holistic health practices that go beyond western concepts of wellbeing.

Our efforts also reach into our physical spaces by making our buildings more accessible in line with the NRC Accessibility Plan, but also gender inclusive. An implementation plan is in place with short, medium and long-term objectives. Some short-term actions including re-designating gendered washrooms to inclusive, non-gendered washrooms. Currently, 82 NRC buildings across Canada have single-use washrooms. Of these single-use washrooms, 40% have inclusive signage (not gender designated) while the remainder have gender designated signage (Men or Women).

In essence, our commitment to support our employees is an ongoing process. We recognize the importance of listening to feedback, and continuously evolving our approach towards a path of inclusivity. 

Question 13

In your first year of implementing the forward direction of the Call to Action, what impact has this work had on the culture of your organization?

Please provide the two or three most important impacts. 

Opportunities for Indigenous, Black and racialized employees to develop leadership skills

The Sponsorship pilot program has helped the NRC learn how to support the leadership development of Indigenous, Black, and racialized employees. Protégés are showing enthusiasm for the program and appreciate having meaningful discussions about their professional development with an experienced NRC vice-president or executive. This is an opportunity which would not have been possible otherwise.

The Sponsorship pilot program has made a positive cultural impact. It shows that the NRC is taking concrete actions and is investing in the professional development of Indigenous, Black and racialized employees. We will continue to listen to feedback from participants and make adjustments to the program, as needed, to meet the needs of both sponsors and protégés.

Supporting and developing employee networks and communities

In response to the Call to Action, the NRC has set aside resources to support and grow employee networks and communities. These networks create a safe and supportive space for equity-deserving groups. We recently launched our NRC Persons with Disabilities Employee Network and plan to expand our other networks. By actively participating in these networks and communities, we show our dedication to a more inclusive organization for everyone.

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