Venn Innovation Collision Day
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way residents live, work and play in Canadian communities. More importantly, the months since the onset of the pandemic have also put a spotlight on longstanding social issues, particularly with respect to racism and achieving equality, opportunity and fairness for Indigenous communities, black Canadians and other visible minorities, including the growing number of international newcomers choosing to come to Atlantic Canada. From cultural appreciation to ensuring all residents have full access to service delivery and adequate housing and can integrate and contribute fully to our communities and economy, these issues are and will remain of fundamental importance to Atlantic Canada’s future, and a key challenge to getting our economies back up and running. The problem - for 25+ years, while there have been some notable successes, most diversity & inclusion initiatives have driven next to no change. From one-and-done unconscious bias trainings, to the sharing of personal stories to diverse hiring panels, these strategies have allowed organizations to signal their dedication to change without fully comprehending the realities of both social and systemic oppression. How are these approaches scaleable or measurable? We measure everything of value in our organizations because we need to know that our efforts are […]