SFU renews partnership with Pride at Work Canada to foster workplace inclusion

Free resources are available for all staff and faculty

After a one-year pilot, Simon Fraser University has renewed its regional partnership with Pride at Work Canada, an organization that empowers employers to create inclusive workplaces for employees of all gender expressions, gender identities and sexual orientations.

Through the partnership, staff and faculty can access a variety of resources, including a free webinar series focused on different aspects of LGBTQ2+ workplace inclusion. The webinars can be accessed via the Pride at Work webinar portal. SFU employees are also encouraged to take LGBT 101, an introductory course created by Pride at Work to build an inclusive culture.

“We want our campuses to be welcoming places for everyone to gather, work, and learn,” says Joy Johnson, SFU’s vice-president research and international, and chair of the executive sub-committee on equity, diversity and inclusion. “This partnership is a step toward creating an environment where our LGBTQ2+ students, staff and faculty are respected and valued by their colleagues and classmates.”

Staff and faculty will learn about the distinctions between sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and how to use that knowledge to make SFU a more inclusive place in which to work and study.

“Often, our colleagues with diverse identities bear the brunt of educating their co-workers,” says Rosie Dhaliwal, a specialist on equity, diversity, and inclusion in human resources. “To create more inclusive workplaces, it’s important for each of us to take responsibility for our learning and remove the burden from our colleagues.”

The Pride at Work partnership was established in a collaboration between SFU Human Resources and Faculty Relations and stems from feedback received during the It’s Time to Listen, Talk and Reflect community conversations, held in 2018 as part of the university’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiative.

The results of SFU’s first Diversity Meter have further emphasized the need for this partnership. According to the survey, while the LGBTQ2+ community is fairly well-represented among staff and faculty, more needs to be done to ensure that community members feel included and appreciated at the university.  

“Those of us who are members of the LGBTQ2+ community are an essential part of SFU and should be able to work and study here without fear of discrimination,” says Johnson. “We’re excited to continue working with the thought leaders at Pride at Work Canada as we further our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion work at SFU.”

For more information about Pride at Work, visit their website.

For more information about Diversity Meter and other equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives at SFU, visit the EDI website.