DiverseCity

A new batch of diverse leaders gets ready to make a difference

markus — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:38:07 +0000

Toronto, February 18, 2010. This evening, DiverseCity Fellows will announce the 27 rising leaders selected to participate in the 2010 DiverseCity Fellows program. These rising city-builders will take part in a one-year leadership program that aims to harness the potential of diverse promising leaders so that they can address the challenges that lie ahead for the greater Toronto region.

What: Meet the DiverseCity Fellows

Highlights:

Remarks by DiverseCity Co-Chairs, Ratna Omidvar, President, Maytree & John Tory, Chair, Toronto City Summit Alliance
Announcement of the 2010 DiverseCity Fellows
Presentations of the 2009 DiverseCity Fellows action projects

When:

Thursday, February 18, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Remarks will begin at 7:25 p.m.

Where: 918 Bathurst St., Toronto (north of Bloor St.)

Representing the public, private, and non-profit sectors, this year’s Fellows were selected for their broad range of contributions to their communities and their potential to become the next wave of civic leaders.

“I want to use my private sector experience, personal passion, and concern for the community to make real change that benefits those less fortunate,” explains Jasmine Tehara, Associate Vice-President, Wealth Management, TD Bank Financial Group and 2010 DiverseCity Fellow.

By providing Fellows from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds with opportunities to build new networks and develop leadership skills, the program will equip them with a stronger voice in making the region a better place to live, work, and play.

“My vision for the Toronto region is one where citizens are aware that we share responsibility for the social and economic growth of our community. And therefore just voting is not enough,” says another 2010 DiverseCity Fellow, Fabio Crespin, who moved with his family to Canada from Brazil three years ago and currently works at Woodgreen Community Services.

The 27 Fellows work in a wide range of fields, including environment, arts, human resources, law, and health. They speak 18 languages and have experience living and working in over 20 countries.

John Tory, Co-Chair of DiverseCity and Chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance, says, “I believe firmly that when we can broaden the horizons of our leadership landscape, our city will benefit from the knowledge, culture, ideas, and expertise of our diverse population.”

For the full list of the 27 Fellows, please visit www.diversecitytoronto.ca/diversecity-fellow.

About DiverseCity Fellows: DiverseCity Fellows is part of DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project and is one of eight initiatives designed to diversify the Toronto region’s leadership landscape. DiverseCity is a joint initiative of the Toronto City Summit Alliance and Maytree. To learn more, visit www.diversecitytoronto.ca.

Media Contact:
Cindy Tan, Project Officer, Toronto City Summit Alliance
T: (416) 309-4480×501, C: (416) 937-3958
email: cindy.tan@torontocitysummit.ca

TD Bank Financial Group

markus — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:02:18 +0000

How TD Bank Financial Group uses group mentoring to ensure diversity.

Group mentoring is a key development and career enhancement strategy employed by TD to ensure that there is opportunity for upward mobility for visible minority employees and other key groups, such as senior women. Through up to eight sessions annually that bring VPs and AVPs together with staff in pre-executive positions, leadership development is supported through networking, the sharing of personal stories about career progression, and open discussions regarding the challenges and opportunities of visible minorities.

“Their stories were truly inspiring, yet full of practical advice that we could apply to our own careers,” comments one promising leader on the benefits of learning from the experience of her senior colleagues.

Mentees are identified in part through development plans that are owned by the employees with the support of management. According to Beth Grudzinski, VP Corporate Diversity, these are “living, breathing documents that evolve over the course of the year” and support the organization’s commitment to focusing on “the pipeline” when it comes to building a more diverse leadership.

The bank recognizes that facilitating internal networks is an effective way to eliminate barriers for employees to rise up within the ranks. Ensuring diversity in their external candidate lists is another. When both of these are put into practice, the results speak for themselves. Over a three year period, they saw a 67% increase in visible minorities at the VP level and up.

John Tory joins DiverseCity

markus — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:24:04 +0000

Well-known radio host and city builder John Tory recently accepted the role of co-chair of DiverseCity, joining Ratna Omidvar who founded the initiative with the late David Pecaut.

“I was very touched and honoured when David asked me to take on this role. I had the privilege of co-founding the Toronto City Summit Alliance with David Pecaut. In the years that followed, David was the driving force behind so many powerful city-building projects. DiverseCity is among those that have had a measurable impact on the lives of all Torontonians. I look forward to continuing David’s legacy and ensuring that Toronto’s diversity is an asset we continue to display proudly. I believe firmly that when we can broaden the horizons of our leadership landscape, our city will benefit from the knowledge, culture, ideas and expertise of our diverse population.”

John Tory is a Canadian business leader, community activist and broadcaster and former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and former Member of Provincial Parliament. Mr. Tory was elected leader of the Ontario PC Party in 2004, and was elected MPP for the riding of Dufferin Peel Wellington Grey in 2005. The early years of his career were spent practicing law in Toronto and working for Ontario Premier Bill Davis. When he returned to practice law, he accepted invitations to join the boards of several prominent Canadian companies, including Rogers Communications Inc. He later joined the Rogers Group of Companies, first as President and CEO of Rogers Media and then as President and CEO of Rogers Cable. Mr. Tory has served as campaign chair for several charitable organizations including Metro Toronto United Way and St. Michael’s Hospital. He is a founding board member and the new chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance.

Awards recognize two GTA-based organizations

markus — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:00:25 +0000

Toronto, ON, February 4, 2010 – At an awards ceremony on Thursday night, DiverseCity onBoard recognized United Way Toronto and Women’s College Hospital for embracing diversity in board governance and making it a priority to seek out board members from diverse backgrounds.

This year’s winners of the third annual Diversity in Governance Awards stand as models. Their deliberate strategies have enriched their own boards, and their example is changing the face of leadership across the GTA.

“Good practice in board governance includes finding the right people to lead,” explained Ratna Omidvar, President of Maytree and co-chair of DiverseCity. “In a city region as diverse as ours, this involves embracing the full spectrum of skills, experiences and connections available. Capitalizing on our immense talent pool is an imperative for today’s nonprofit and public boards.”

Research conducted by The Conference Board of Canada in the fall of 2008 linked diverse leadership to greater financial and organizational performance and enhanced innovation and creativity, among other outcomes.

“We are honoured to be recognized for our long-standing work in the area of diversity and equity,” said Marilyn Emery, President and CEO, Women’s College Hospital. “This award is shared with all our board members and staff – past and present – whose diverse representation underscores our abiding commitment to equity for our patients, our workforce and our partners.”

“This recognition by DiverseCity onBoard means the world to United Way,” said Frances Lankin, President and CEO, United Way Toronto. “We’re working very hard to become an inclusive and culturally fluent organization – at all levels. Our goal is for diversity and inclusion to become an integral part of who we are and what we do. While we’re proud of how far we’ve come, this award further strengthens our commitment to be as diverse and inclusive as the communities we serve.”

Read Women’s College Hospital’s diversity story.

Read United Way Toronto’s diversity story.

DiverseCity onBoard is part of DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project, a joint initiative of Maytree and the Toronto City Summit Alliance. The project aims to transform the leadership landscape across the GTA. DiverseCity onBoard connects qualified candidates from Aboriginal, visible minority and under-represented immigrant communities to agencies, boards and commissions in the public and nonprofit sectors. Since 2005, Diversity onBoard has made 323 appointments to public and nonprofit boards from its roster of more than 1,100 candidates.

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ABOUT MAYTREE: Established in 1982, Maytree is a private foundation that promotes equity and prosperity through its policy insights, grants and programs. The foundation has gained recognition for its expertise in developing, testing and implementing programs and policy solutions related to immigration, integration and diversity. http://www.maytree.com/.

ABOUT UNITED WAY TORONTO: Established in 1956, United Way Toronto is a charity working to advance the common good and create opportunities for a better life for everyone in our city. Working in partnership with others, we mobilize people and resources to address the root causes of social problems and to change community conditions for the better. United Way supports agencies that provide services to strengthen individuals, families, and communities. www.unitedwaytoronto.com.

ABOUT WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL: For the past 100 years, Women’s College Hospital has been dedicated to groundbreaking advances in women’s health. Women’s College Hospital collaborated in the invention of the Pap test, opened Ontario’s first regional Sexual Assault Care Centre and was the first hospital in the province to use mammography. Today, Women’s College Hospital is Ontario’s first and only ambulatory care centre and is a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto focused on state-of-the-art care, research and education in women’s health. www.womenscollegehospital.ca.

Media contacts:

Maytree: Markus Stadelmann-Elder, Communications Manager, p: 416-944-2627 x 284, c: 416-271-5654, mselder@maytree.com

United Way Toronto: Caitlin Stidwill, Communications Officer, p: 416-777-1444 ext. 396, c: 416-525-5632, cstidwill@uwgt.org

Women’s College Hospital: Jodi Salem, Media & Internal Relations, Strategic Communications, p: 416-323-6400 ext. 4054, jodi.salem@wchospital.ca

Two organizations that have met the diversity challenge

roberto — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:06:53 +0000

Meet this year’s leading public and nonprofit organizations that are changing the face of our region’s leadership by creating inclusive boards of governance.

On Thursday, February 4, DiverseCity onBoard will recognize the winners of the third annual Diversity in Governance Awards – United Way Toronto (nonprofit board category) and Women’s College Hospital (public board category).

This year’s winners are recognized for being well ahead of the curve in embracing diversity at the highest levels of their organizations. They exemplify good practices in building and benefiting from racially and ethnically diverse boards of governance. The two organizations understand that since the GTA is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world, organizations and institutions should reflect the people they serve.

What:
2009 Diversity in Governance Awards

Who:
• Ratna Omidvar, President, Maytree; Co-Chair, DiverseCity
• Alan Broadbent, Chairman & CEO, Avana Capital Corp.; Chairman, Maytree
• Frances Lankin, President and CEO, United Way Toronto
• Alnasir Samji, President of the Board of Trustees, United Way Toronto
• Marilyn Emery, President and CEO, Women’s College Hospital
• Michele Landsberg, Board Member, Women’s College Hospital

When:
Thursday, February 4, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Awards ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m.

Where:
Currie Hall, Canada’s National Ballet School
105 Maitland Street, Toronto

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Media contacts:

Maytree: Markus Stadelmann-Elder, Communications Manager, p: 416-944-2627 x 284, c: 416-271-5654, mselder@maytree.com

United Way Toronto: Caitlin Stidwill, Communications Officer, p: 416-777-1444 ext. 396, c: 416-525-5632, cstidwill@uwgt.org

Women’s College Hospital: Jodi Salem, Media & Internal Relations, Strategic Communications, p: 416-323-6400 ext. 4054, jodi.salem@wchospital.ca

Remembering David Pecaut

markus — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:32:56 +0000

This week we lost a great Torontonian and a great Canadian. Many are calling him the best mayor Toronto never had. His accomplishments are many, his range of interests and depth of engagement in these were outstanding. He made an art and a science out of problem-solving in a uniquely collective manner. He never took no for an answer; there was no problem that he could not imagine some way out of.

But I think his greatest accomplishments were those that brought him into contact with people on the margins. He understood intuitively and completely that Toronto would never prosper if its newest residents did not have a share in that prosperity. He also understood that a city region as diverse as Toronto needed to go beyond celebrating diversity by making it part and parcel of our DNA.

David started to ask the important and difficult questions about why visible minorities were so prevalent on our streets but so absent from places of power and privilege. Not satisfied with understanding the problems, he imagined solutions and so co-created DiverseCity with Maytree. In typical David fashion he urged us toward concrete action and results and helped us craft these ideas for change.

And so DiverseCity boldly put out its mission – to bring diversity to the leadership landscape of the city region by bringing new faces and ideas to the board room, on election ballots, in the media and in city building. We reached high and aspired to a goal of 1,000 new diverse leaders engaged in enhancing the city region’s cultural, economic, institutional and social infrastructure.

We are only one and a half years into our mandate but already we know that success is within our grasp. DiverseCity has enabled people to have a voice, to have access to new avenues of power and privilege, to enjoy new networks and to action their leadership ideas. As Jehad Aliweiwi said, David Pecaut has helped us to “not only add new chairs and faces to the table, but to rearrange the furniture.”

It seems like yesterday when David took the floor at a Canadian Club lunch to launch DiverseCity to the business world in January 2009. He urged us to imagine a city where our diversity became our calling card to success. David has left us an enormous legacy and I, along with others, will work to ensure that his legacy continues to resonate.

David was my co-conspirator and co-chair at DiverseCity. I will miss him more than words can express.

Ratna Omidvar

Scotiabank

markus — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:11:21 +0000

According to Scotiabank’s Vice President of Leadership Naomi Shaw, sustainable revenue growth and leadership are two key goals for the bank. “You can’t have one without the other,” she states emphatically. As Canada’s most international bank, operating in more than 50 countries, having a diverse leadership is about reflecting the customers and communities it serves. Over half of its employees are from outside Canada and more than 20% of their Canadian employees are visible minorities. At the leadership level, 12% are visible minorities. And this has not happened by chance.

The bank has taken deliberate steps to change the face of its leadership. Measures have been put in place to imbed a culture of diversity within the organization and to address what she refers to as “unconscious biases” that may pose obstacles to the hiring and upward mobility of diverse people including visible minority leaders.

Simultaneously, the bank encourages the principles of diversity through cross-pollination within the leadership ranks. Through what it calls “cross-cultural leadership” executives are evaluated on this basis with cross-functional moves, a common occurrence at the leadership level. Through this practice, respect for a range of ideas and perspectives becomes integral.

“Learning from experience is the most impactful,” Shaw says. “Even our most senior leaders ‘walk the talk’ and embrace learning from experience for themselves and their teams,” she adds. Since they introduced this approach in 2000, cross-functional moves have risen from 7% of leaders to 36%.

With DiverseCity’s Counts report revealing that just 4% of business leaders are visible minorities, Scotiabank is performing exceptionally well. But Shaw is clear that this is not yet good enough. “We can and we must do better.”

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United Way of Toronto

markus — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:06:32 +0000

“It’s not just about the numbers,” says the United Way of Toronto’s Frances Lankin. While this may be true, when it comes to reaching its diversity targets, the agency’s numeric results are worth noting.When she joined the organization in 2001, only 25% of 44 members comprised visible minorities. Today, that percentage has moved up to 48% while simultaneously decreasing the size of the board to 23 members, resulting in a more efficient and effective governance structure overall.

Lankin understood that it has never been about the end target. “There are so many talented people when you reach out,” she says. And she refers to the process of diversifying their leadership as a journey: “a journey that is never over.” She didn’t stop with the top level of the organization. The senior executive team has also evolved to realize this potential. “There were seven white people in 2001,” she says. Today, out of ten members of the team, five are visible minorities.

The United Way is not just tracking the numbers these days. They’re tracking experiences. Lankin explains that it isn’t about mere representation but about getting the best out of their leaders. How can they contribute more? is the question she asks today. She also acknowledges that the organization itself has to change in order to receive what a diversity of perspectives and experiences has to offer. “You need to be open to embrace new ideas. We’re all stronger if we can tap into the diversity amongst us.”

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The City of Toronto

markus — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:02:52 +0000

According to City Councillor Adam Vaughan diversity is the city that we are today. It’s what we encounter every day. “Diversity is not something you need to embrace,” he says. “Diversity is something that will embrace you.” While this may indeed be true, in his role as Chair of the Civic Appointments Committee, Vaughan has a firm hold on the value and necessity of having a leadership that reflects the demographic reality of Canada’s most diverse metropolis.

Following the 2006 election, the City took deliberate steps to address the under-representation of visible minorities on Toronto agencies, boards and commission. They created a new civic appointments process to do so and revamped their outreach and marketing strategies. Ad campaigns targeting ethnic and cultural newspapers were launched, a new database of diverse organizations was developed, presentations were made at specialized conferences, and a new brochure was created on diversity in public appointments for their website.

Recognizing that some of their pre-existing practices may have posed obstacles, they moved away from compulsory information sessions for prospective board members and adopted an online application.

The results? Applications increased from 515 to 1316 and the number of visible minority applications increased from 8% to 30%. Visible minority representation on boards increased from 21% in 2003/04 to 31% in 2007/08.

Vaughan speaks to the value of diverse leadership in referencing the success of one group, the Police Services Board: “It’s brought incredible amounts of education to the board, leading to better policing.”

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Tatum Wilson

markus — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:18:53 +0000

For Tatum Wilson, leadership is not a solo sport. He credits other leaders with playing an important role in supporting his efforts. “I’m a big fan of having mentors and being able to rely on them,” he says.

He grew up watching his father coach hockey, motivating and inspiring young players with a range of abilities. “He got the best out of people,” says Wilson. “He showed me that regardless of your skills, everyone has a contribution. Everyone has value on the team.”

When working for the experiential youth education program, Canada World Youth, Wilson was selected to lead 18 young people (nine Canadian and nine African) in volunteer efforts both in Guelph, Ontario and in Tanzania. Having never traveled in a developing country and with no knowledge of the language and culture, he reached out to others for advice and inspiration. “The expectations on my leadership were really high,” he explains.

Wilson recalls two youth participants in the program, one from Tanzania, one from Kenya, whom he placed at an HIV/AIDS organization on their volunteer tour in Guelph. They were apprehensive.

“We’re not comfortable,” they told Wilson. “This is a big problem at home.”

With Wilson’s support and encouragement the two stuck with it, ultimately choosing to work in the field when they returned home. Since then they have gone on to develop their own HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Tanzania.

”They stepped out of their comfort zones,” says Wilson.

Taking risks is a large part of what he considers at the core of strong leadership. While Wilson acknowledges that self-doubt has at times been an obstacle, he has never been afraid to ask others for help.

“Capitalize on the leaders you have around you,” he says. “Take inspiration and direct advice from them.”

Tatum Wilson is one of 28 inaugural DiverseCity Fellows, working across sectors and cultures to develop city-building initiatives.

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