Commitment to Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) in the Electricity Industry in Canada

The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) is very pleased to share publicly that the Board of Directors have approved an Industry-wide collective commitment to accelerating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) in the electricity industry. CEA’s Board of Directors is aware that this is the first collective step in a long journey but they also recognize the industry must be deliberate about advancing ED&I in our workplaces. It is fundamentally necessary to support the rapid transformation of the industry as well as meet the evolving societal expectations.

“As the national industry association representing the interests of the full electricity value chain, CEA is committed to working collaboratively with members to further advance ED&I objectives and meet the needs of the future,” noted Francis Bradley, President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association.

“Accelerating our efforts to create equitable, diverse and inclusive workforces will not only position member companies for future success, but will also facilitate greater acceptance of new ideas, respect for different perspectives and a sense of employee belonging within their work environments.”

The Canadian electricity sector, like many other economic sectors in Canada, is working diligently to advance ED&I. While the industry is making progress on attracting, retaining and promoting diverse employees, there are still opportunities to improve. As part of continuous improvement, CEA members are working together to advance these issues through a variety of methods including sharing of best practices and assessing progress against global standards.

“I am very proud of this commitment that strives for greater workplace inclusion and talent recruitment, succession, and retention without any forms of discrimination and bias,” stated Channa S. Perera, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Best Practices at CEA. “Our collective efforts will not only make it easier to attract and retain employees, but also help drive employee satisfaction, well-being, psychologically safety and productivity.”

Under this commitment, CEA will work with member companies to advance the following key elements:

1. Promote Inclusive Work Cultures: identify comprehensive strategies to promote inclusive work cultures, including the fostering of psychologically safe work environments for employees.
2. Focus on Talent and Equal Opportunity: cultivate the sharing of best practices related to the employee lifecycle to foster a workforce which supports equal opportunity, and identification and elimination of systemic barriers such as racism, discriminatory biases and practices.
3. Promote Community Engagement: facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information on community engagement efforts and raise public awareness of industry activities related to ED&I.
4. Support Education and Awareness: assist members with internal and external education by facilitating access to educational materials, experts, and other learning platforms.
5. Promote Sustainable Procurement: work with members to help identify strategies to incorporate ED&I concepts into procurement and supplier decisions.

CEA and its member companies are committed to working with our stakeholders to accelerate Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the electricity industry. While we have made great strides on this issue over the years, we know we have much to accomplish in the years ahead.