The current backlash in the U.S. against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has had less of an impact on this side of the border. While some have retreated, many Canadian companies remain steadfast in their commitment to workplace DEI, including powerful corporations like Scotiabank, Procter & Gamble, D2L Corporation, Air Canada, CBC/Radio Canada, and BC Hydro. To make good on this commitment, companies must implement a written policy explaining how they incorporate DEI principles into their actual business operations, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, discipline, training, and other Human Resource (HR) functions. Here’s a template DEI policy that you can adapt for your own use based on your company’s specific needs, structure, and business operations.

Workplace DEI Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT

ABC Company recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of all individuals. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture that reflects respect, fairness, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

ABC Company has adopted a Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy to ensure equality of employment opportunity and prevent discrimination, harassment, and reprisal in accordance with federal and provincial laws, including but not limited to, to the extent applicable:

• The Canadian Charter
• The [province/territory/federal] Human Rights Act
• The Employment Equity Act
• The Accessible Canada Act
• The Canadian Multiculturalism Act.

1. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Notwithstanding the above, ABC Company’s commitment to and belief in human dignity extends beyond simple legal compliance. ABC Company is committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”), a philosophy that does not merely tolerate but embraces human differences as a powerful driver of innovation, organizational resilience, ethical strength, profitability, and long-term business success.

ABC Company’s commitment to DEI encompasses not only legally protected characteristics like race, religion, sex, and disability, but a broad range of personal differences, including experience, education, communication styles, perspectives, and background. At the same time, the Company recognizes that achieving DEI principles may require not just equal and non-discriminatory but preferential treatment, referred to as “affirmative action,” to enable historically disadvantaged minorities to overcome systemic barriers.

1. PURPOSE

Our vision is to establish and maintain a fully diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace that is truly representative of all sections of society, including but not limited to those that have been historically excluded from or under-represented in our business. The purpose of this Policy is to set out a strategy for achieving that vision by ensuring that DEI principles infuse all aspects of ABC Company operations by establishing a basic framework for:

• Implementing DEI initiatives.
• Integrating DEI principles into all stages of the employment life cycle.
• Identifying and removing systemic barriers.
• Measuring progress toward achieving DEI goals.
• Ensuring accountability for DEI initiatives and goals.

1. SENIOR LEADERSHIP DEI ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

In recognition that DEI cannot be achieved without active engagement and effective leadership at the highest levels, ABC Company senior management will:

4.1 Establish Measurable DEI Objectives

• Set clear, lawful, and measurable DEI objectives aligned with Company business goals and needs.
• Establish and track DEI progress-related metrics across recruitment, hiring, retention, advancement, and compensation.
• Review DEI metrics and overall progress at least annually.

4.2 Establish DEI Governance Structure

• Establish a DEI Committee comprised of executive and management-level employees.
• Define the Committee’s mandate, authority, and reporting obligations.
• Provide regular reporting to senior leadership and, where applicable, the ABC Company Board of Directors.

4.3 Furnish & Allocate DEI Resources

• Ensure appropriate budgeting, staffing, and resources are provided to support DEI initiatives.
• Integrate DEI metrics into strategic planning processes.

4.4 Support DEI Training & Education

Ensure that ABC Company staff receive ongoing and effective training on:

• Compliance with applicable human rights and DEI laws.
• ABC Company non-discrimination, anti-harassment, and DEI policies.
• Company DEI and affirmative action protocols.
• Bias awareness.
• Inclusive communication.
• Inclusive leadership.

4.5 Ensure DEI Accountability & Improvement

• Ensure steps are taken to verify the effectiveness of DEI training and that trainees understood it.
• Include DEI-related leadership expectations in management performance evaluations.
• Ensure corrective action is taken where conduct undermines inclusion or violates policy.
• Implement corrective actions and DEI program improvements as necessary.

1. DEI IN HIRING & RECRUITMENT

All recruitment and hiring decisions will be based on merit, qualifications, skills, and organizational needs. ABC Company will implement lawful and merit-based recruitment strategies, which may include affirmative action initiatives to broaden applicant pools and remove systemic barriers.

5.1 Job Ads & Promotional Materials

HR and other hiring and recruiting personnel will ensure that:

• ABC Company’s commitment to DEI principles is clearly expressed in job ads, recruiting materials, and on the Career and other applicable sections of its website.
• All communications, both formal and informal or verbal, with job candidates are carried out in inclusive and gender-neutral language.
• Qualifications listed in job ads and recruitment and hiring materials are bona fide occupational requirements for the position advertised or promoted.

5.2 Job Interviews

• ABC Company will involve employees from diverse communities in the recruitment and interview processes.
• Those involved in the recruitment process will receive training on “unconscious bias,” stereotyping, use of inclusive, gender-neutral language, and how to handle requests for reasonable accommodations.
• Job interviews will be structured interviews that use standardized job-related questions phrased in inclusive and gender-neutral language.

5.3 DEI Outreach & Collaboration (Optional)

Where appropriate and lawful, ABC Company may seek to achieve its DEI goals by:

• Partnering with educational institutions and community organizations.
• Participating in diverse career fairs.
• Offering internship or apprenticeship programs to broaden access.

1. DEI IN RETENTION

In recognition that recruitment and hiring are just the starting point, ABC Company will take the following measures to ensure that DEI principles are practiced in retention by ensuring that all Company employees receive equitable treatment and access to development.

6.1 Performance Monitoring

ABC Company will develop and communicate clear and objective job-related performance criteria for all positions. Employees will receive performance reviews based on those criteria at regularly scheduled intervals or more frequently on an as-needed basis. Supervisors and managers who conduct performance reviews will receive mandatory training on how to:

• Apply job-related performance criteria consistently and fairly.
• Avoid stereotyping, overt, and unconscious bias that can affect performance review.
• Document performance reviews.

6.2 Mentoring & Development

ABC Company employees will have equal access to mentorship and leadership development opportunities. Senior managers may offer employees from historically under-represented minorities special mentorship opportunities to the extent they deem it necessary to overcome systemic barriers.

6.3 Employee Feedback & Climate Monitoring

ABC Company will conduct regular surveys of employees, supervisors, and managers to get their views of the effectiveness of our DEI efforts, and information about any discrimination or harassment at the Company that they have experienced or witnessed. HR will also conduct structured exit interviews of departing personnel and ask whether any overt or subtle forms of discrimination played a role in their decision to leave. Data from surveys and exit interviews will be periodically reviewed to identify trends and potential systemic issues that must be addressed.

6.4 Reasonable Accommodation

ABC Company will review all requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with human rights, and other applicable laws. Accommodation requests will be handled confidentially, respectfully, and in accordance with the individualized assessment process protocols contained in the ABC Company Reasonable Accommodations Process.

1. DEI IN PROMOTION & ADVANCEMENT

ABC Company will implement one or more of the following strategies to incorporate DEI principles into its promotion and advancement practices:

7.1 Transparency

ABC Company will develop objective performance criteria that clearly define the qualifications and competencies required for advancement as well as time frames for advancement and promotion. Such criteria will be communicated to all employees and discussed during performance review.

7.2 Decision-Making Integrity

Supervisors and managers involved in advancement and promotion decisions will consider the above objective, job-related performance criteria as documented in performance review, and other performance records. Decision-makers will receive mandatory training on human rights non-discrimination requirements, DEI principles, and avoiding stereotyping and bias, conscious and unconscious that may affect their advancement decisions.

7.3 Ensuring Diversity in Promotion Decisions

ABC Company may consider diversity and affirmative action among the many factors in leadership development and succession planning, provided that all decisions remain consistent with applicable human rights laws and merit principles.

1. DEI IN COMPENSATION

ABC Company will promote equity in compensation practices by:

• Conducting periodic compensation reviews.
• Analyzing pay data for disparities on the basis of sex or other personal characteristics not related to job performance.
• Addressing unexplained wage gaps.
• Ensuring compensation decisions are based on job-related factors such as skill, experience, responsibility, and performance.

Where applicable, compensation reviews will align with [province or federal] pay equity legislation and regulations.

1. DEI DATA COLLECTION & PRIVACY

Where lawful and appropriate, ABC Company may collect aggregate demographic data to assess workforce composition and identify systemic barriers. Participation in self-identification initiatives will be voluntary unless otherwise required by law. All personal information will be collected, used, disclosed, and safeguarded in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

1. NON-RETALIATION

No ABC Company employee will be subject to reprisal of any kind for:

• Raising a DEI-related concern or complaint.
• Participating in a DEI-related investigation or proceeding.
• Requesting reasonable accommodations.
• Reporting discrimination, harassment, or DEI-related wrongdoing by another person(s) or department(s) at ABC Company, provided that such report is made in good faith and with the sincere belief that it is true.

1. DEI POLICY REVIEW

ABC Company will review this Policy at least annually and, as necessary, in response to legislative changes, internal complaints, the findings of DEI surveys, trends analysis and reports, exit interviews, or other indications that the current Policy is not effective and/or in need of correction and improvement.