McMaster recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers
Clockwise from top left: Associate Professor Meredith Vanstone teaches students in a classroom, Custodian Gustavo Brand from Facility Services, McMaster staff members at a staff appreciation barbecue, and Katherine Hesson-Bolton, Manager Talent Partnerships and Employer Relations in the Student Success Centre.
For the sixth consecutive year, McMaster has proudly ranked as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, an annual recognition of organizations with exceptional workplace diversity and inclusion programs.
This comes on the heels of the university being named one of Hamilton-Niagara’s Top Employers in 2024.
“We’re honoured to receive this recognition, as it’s truly a reflection of the strong team and community at McMaster,” says Wanda McKenna, Associate-Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
“Equity, diversity and inclusion is a collective responsibility and though we’ve made great strides, there is still more to be done to continue to advance inclusive excellence.”
The university recently launched an updated employment equity census to better understand its workforce composition, measure progress and inform its continuous efforts. To support this initiative, and amplify diverse voices, employees also shared their perspective and experiences on various topics relating to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace in an online video series.
“One thing that I’ve noticed over my time with the university is how it has diversified its hiring and recruitment,” explains Katherine Hesson-Bolton, Manager Talent Partnerships and Employer Relations for the Student Success Centre.
“That’s exciting to see, not just from my role, but also my own identities and intersectionality.”
Hesson-Bolton is one of 347 individuals trained as employment equity facilitators within their department, supporting inclusion in the workplace. She/they shared more on their experiences in the Globe and Mail as part of the announcement.
“One does not need to sacrifice talent or excellence to pursue goals of inclusion and diversity,” says Barrington Walker, vice-provost, equity and inclusion.
“Thinking critically about what sorts of lenses you want people to bring to the work that they do is important, as is thinking about the role of lived experience.”
McMaster is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community in which every member is accepted, supported, safe, valued, and respected for their contributions to the shared purpose of the university.
The university offers its employees a range of competitive benefits and perks, including comprehensive health and dental coverage, employment equity training and workshops, flexible work arrangements, retirement plans, tuition assistance and bursary program, leadership courses, and more.
Click here for more on McMaster’s top employer awards.
Click here to learn more about what it’s like to work at McMaster.
To determine the 2024 Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Mediacorp editors reviewed diversity and inclusiveness initiatives at many employers that took part in this year’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. The short-listed candidates’ programs were compared to others in their field, before being named as finalists.
