EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
JT : At PwC Canada , we are committed to making a meaningful difference in our communities . My involvement with CivicAction exemplifies our strategy at PwC Canada , which allows me to connect with and be a part of a truly spectacular community of difference makers . For nearly 20 years , CivicAction has mobilised business and community leaders from across every sector to create solutions to the biggest challenges impacting the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area . As part of their work each year , CivicAction chooses 25 DiverseCity Fellows – talented change makers from diverse communities who represent the next generation of business and social leadership – and matches them with senior executive mentors to help them amplify their leadership capabilities , grow their network , and sponsor them for new opportunities to help them embolden their change making abilities .
Q . HOW WELL DO YOU BELIEVE THE CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTS BIPOC WOMEN ?
» VK : Canada ’ s corporate environment is focused on finding the best talent , empowering expertise , and creating a productive environment to leverage innovative , strong results … in theory . But the truth is there is no one-size-fitsall approach , and this is why we simply do not see equitable representation of diverse talent in executive leadership positions . Strong , capable employees are persistently overlooked , and their talent is not sufficiently supported , fostered , or leveraged due to conscious and unconscious bias . Competent individuals often find themselves and their capabilities inadequate .
Despite the 2023 emphasis on authenticity , career success still hinges on fitting the executive mould . Progress is shaky , with recent DEI backlash and political divides threatening the critical in-roads made to achieve a truly merit-based and unbiased corporate environment in service of recognising and rewarding expertise and inclusive leadership . What we really need to see is EVERY leader incorporating and leading with a DEI lens into their respective portfolios , and this leadership competency being tied to performance , advancement , and compensation measures to really move the needle .
ECG : I ’ ve seen an abundance of programmes , resource groups , committees – essentially opt-ins and work done on the side of peoples ’ desks in various corporate settings . Much of the
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