Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Re: William Osler Health System (Osler) Named one of Canada’s Best Diversity
Employers – Four Years Running!
I’m very pleased to announce that Osler has been named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the fourth year in a row. This national award recognizes employers who
have demonstrated exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.
The achievement – and the fact that it has been awarded to us for four consecutive years – is a true testament to Osler’s commitment to creating an inclusive, respectful, welcoming and accessible environment for our staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and their families. It is awarded to only 65 employers in Canada (for-profits and non-profits) and only four hospitals received the Award this year!
The announcement appeared in a special magazine published in the Globe and Mail and
is on Canada’s Best Diversity Employers website.
It has been a remarkable year at Osler in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusiveness. For example:
- Our ‘Diversity Services’ department was renamed to include ‘Equity to better reflect the full scope of services offered at our organization. Committed to fostering more inclusive work teams and patient-centered care, we also created a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Advisory Group and a Women’s
Advisory Group. - Our Diversity Advisory Council comprises over 70+ active change champions across the organization.
- Our clinical and community partnerships are growing
and a welcome value-add. - As well, we continue to improve our programs and processes through initiatives like the multi-year Health Equity Strategy to measure and support diversity and inclusiveness.
In addition, Osler participated in its first exploratory mission to the Punjab region in India last spring, where a small clinical team met with several hospitals and non-governmental
organizations to better understand how we can partner with health care providers there and create innovative programs that address specific health challenges. Planning for a second exploratory mission is currently underway and slated for later this year so we can continue to explore ways to help us achieve health equity in our own community.
We are truly grateful to Osler’s incredible team of staff, physicians, and volunteers, board of directors and community organizations and members, who all play a vital role in helping us provide innovative health care delivered with compassion. Thank you for
going that extra mile each and every day to help us create an environment that we can all be proud of.
Leslyn Thompson on behalf of Health Equity Inclusion