Not too long ago, I was driving my son to school like any other typical weekday. At the time, I had so much in mind, but all those thoughts suddenly dissipated when my son called out to me, “Mommy Mommy is this true? Is what they said on the radio true?” Curious to see what he was referring to, I asked, “What is it?” He responded with, “That women make less money than men for doing the same job.”
“Unfortunately, it is in most cases…” My 8-year-old son, completely baffled by the idea, began reflecting on how unfair that was. “Who is fixing this?” he asked.
Interestingly enough, companies that have the will to start valuing fairness, equity and integrity are the actors making a difference and actively playing a role to rectify this issue.
One of the reasons I decided to join Tecsys as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in September 2022 was because of the values upheld by our CEO, Peter Brereton, who understands that a diverse team brings a broader array of perspectives and experiences to the table. This, in turn, leads to more informed decision-making and better business performance. Tecsys came across as, and in fact is, a company committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity that firmly believes these values should be reflected in its leadership team.
The idea of having diverse leadership teams is not new. In fact, a report by Boston Consulting Group (2018) found that companies with more diverse management teams had higher innovation revenue and better overall financial performance, and this is one of many reports that highlight the positive impact of diversity on a company’s performance.
With that lens, it is my distinct pleasure to share that our company has been included on The Globe and Mail’s 2023 Women Lead Here list.
For the 2023 ranking, Report on Business conducted a journalistic analysis of approximately 500 large publicly-traded Canadian companies based on revenue, evaluating the ratio of female-identifying to male-identifying executives in the top three tiers of executive leadership. In total, 90 companies earned the 2023 Women Lead Here seal, with a combined average of 46% of executive roles held by female-identifying individuals, and we are honoured to be among them.
While we celebrate this achievement, we also recognize that there is still more work to do. As we grow, we will continue to build programs to create an inclusive climate where everyone can fully participate in the success of our business and where each colleague is valued for their skills, experiences and perspectives.
Our inclusion in The Globe and Mail’s Women Lead Here is more than a recognition of our executive makeup; it is a testament to what we have achieved as a Canadian organization focused on building a great business.
I am grateful to be part of this growing organization and excited about the future.