The Surrey Board of Trade's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Portfolio is a journey of government advocacy to instigate change, projects to drive results, and events that educate and prompt real change. Diversity, equity and inclusion make the entire economy more robust. Each company can pursue diversity, equity and inclusion in its workforce to create a competitive advantage. Diversity, equity and inclusion are critical to our success as a business community. They are essential for industries to attract talent and foster ingenuity and innovation. A healthy workplace should reflect its community.

APRIL IS NATIONAL AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH

April used to be known as Autism Awareness Month, but in 2021 the designation changed to Autism Acceptance Month. The Autism Society of America announced the suggested shift in terminology last year, urging the media to go along, in order to ignite change in the lives of those with autism and their families. Awareness is knowing that somebody has autism, acceptance is when you include a person with autism in your activities. Help them to develop in their community and get that sense of connection to other people. In Canada approximately 1 in 66 children and youth have autism. Let’s build an inclusive Canada where people with autism can reach their full potential.

RESOURCES

A STAFFING SOLUTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS: DISABILITY INCLUSION IN YOUR WORKPLACE

The Surrey Board of Trade, as part of our workforce and diversity, equity and inclusion portfolio, and in partnership with the Presidents Group held "A Staffing Solution for Your Business: Disability Inclusion in Your Workplace." The Surrey Board of Trade knows that advancing diversity, equity and inclusion builds a better ecosystem for tomorrow's workforce.

CREATING ACCESSIBLE WORKPLACES CERTIFICATE COURSE

The Surrey Board of Trade, in partnership with the Presidents Group, is offering access to free training to help build your skills and confidence in employing people with disabilities. The content is relevant to anyone involved in hiring or managing people. This 5-part course can be completed online at your own pace. Each module takes about 30 minutes to complete. You’ll learn the business case for inclusive workplaces, legal requirements and terminology, and common workplace barriers employers can address. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate and your company can be listed on the accessibleemployers.ca website. To register for the Creating Accessible Workplaces Certificate Course, please go to learning.accessibleemployers.ca then click on the square “Do you have an enrollment key?” and enter the following information: Enrollment Key Name: SBOTMember.

MICROSOFT IS LEADING THE WAY IN

NEURODIVERSITY HIRING

STATEMENT FROM THE NEURODIVERGENT LIBERATION COALITION

"True inclusion of neurodivergents is a verb, not a noun. Let us explain. Many think inclusion is the classroom in which a disabled child sits at school. Actual inclusion is a massive paradigm shift. Inclusion are the supports necessary to make anywhere we want or need to be possible. Inclusion is not seeing the world as the providence of non-disabled people, where disabled people are invading. We aren’t asking for any special favors; our needs aren’t special. We belong everywhere. Inclusion is also neurodivergents and disabled people leading on all policy impacting both high and lower support needs for disabled people. For too long we’ve literally been left out of all aspects of our own lives. There are far too many neurotypicals and caretakers who insist they must speak on our behalf since time immemorial. And they’ve meant well but have gotten it all wrong. We’re ready to take the wheel of our own movement, and we’ll appreciate allies, but can’t continue to be controlled. We will no longer comply or sit this one out. Inclusion is access. Inclusion is accommodations. Inclusion is collaboration. Inclusion is choices. Inclusion is nothing about us without us."

INCLUSION REVOLUTION TEDx TALKS

2021 IMPACT REPORT

The Diversity Institute has been employing a unique action-oriented, evidence-based approach for more than 20 years to better understand the barriers facing historically disadvantaged groups—women and non-binary individuals, Black people, Indigenous Peoples, other racialized groups, people with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals—and produce concrete change through our research, knowledge mobilization and innovative programming. Their first-ever Impact Report highlights how their work has advanced diversity and inclusion in leadership, entrepreneurship, and the skills, innovation, and employment ecosystem in Canada over the past five years.

EVERY CONNECTION MATTERS

INTERESTING LINKS

UPCOMING EVENT

The Employment Equity Partnership (EEP) is a public-private sector partnership on data-driven solutions to Canada's systemic racism and inequitable employment. The EEP seeks to address long-standing issues of racism and gendered inequalities by engaging public and corporate-sector employers and larger non-profits to join the EEP network and benchmark the diversity of their current workforce and co-develop pathways for engaging talent from under-represented groups. The EEP engages corporate sector employers and larger non-profits to benchmark the diversity of their current workforce and co-develop pathways for engaging talents from equity deserving groups.

SURREY BOARD OF TRADE UPCOMING EVENTS

PROGRESS PARTNERS