DEI Workplace Policy

Purpose

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is the responsibility of every person at Salter Pilon. We emphasize our responsibilities to maintain a safe and inclusive culture with the following guiding principles that aim to elevate every individuals’ performance for a collective accomplishment.

• We are diverse and value our differences: If we increase our leverage diversity, we can prosper with new innovation and growth.
• We are dedicated and committed to a culture of inclusion and belonging: The sky is the limit when people feel they belong, and if we keep elevating and evolving this inclusive atmosphere we will flourish together.
• We are active community partners: It is important to align our internal DEI mechanisms with our external commitments to and in the community.

Statement & Principles

Salter Pilon is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion by providing an environment that values and understands diversity in society and is aligned with our Accessibility and Health & Safety Policies.

 

Roles and Accountabilities

We should all be leaders that play a critical role in improving diversity and promoting an inclusive culture. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Leading by example and being a role model for doing the right thing
• Understanding the value of a diverse team/workforce and, in the context of recruitment, working relationships (internal and external), considering a diverse slate of both internal and external candidates against role requirements
• Creating a psychologically safe space by encouraging ideas, questions, critiques and concerns, and providing space for those to be heard
• Fostering an environment where everyone feels that they belong, and feels motivated and enabled to do their best
• Mitigating unconscious bias in employment decisions and talent practices, including performance and development assessments, compensation and hiring

 

Gender Equality

Salter Pilon strives to be an employer of choice and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for staff of all genders and gender identities. We are committed to increasing the representation of women in senior roles and in all practice areas. We are committed to succession planning and the in identification of high potential women for our leadership appointments.

 

First Nations and Indigenous: First Peoples

Salter Pilon is committed to supporting First Nations and Indigenous communities in the key areas of relationships, respect and opportunities. We aim to provide equitable employment and career development opportunities for First Nations people.

 

Inclusive Practices for People with a Disability

Salter Pilon supports the inclusion and involvement of people with disabilities in the architectural design and construction field. Our firm sets goals to foster positive and informed attitudes and behaviour towards people with disabilities.

Disability, in relation to a person, means:

• total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions; or
• total or partial loss of a part of the body; or
• the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness; or
• the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or 4 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body; or
• a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction; or
• a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour;
• and includes a disability that:
  • presently exists; or
  • previously existed but no longer exists; or
  • may exist in the future; or
  • is imputed to a person.
• Inclusion of sexually and gender diverse people

Salter Pilon is committed to the inclusion and support of diverse sexualities and gender identities by fostering positive, informed and inclusive attitudes and behaviour towards all within a safe environment.

 

People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

We value the perspectives and contributions of staff, clients and subconsultants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and seek to reflect the diversity of the community that we serve in the composition of our own community, building design, and in our approach to engagement, research, learning and working.

 

Reporting Violations

Salter Pilon encourages Persons subject to this Policy to report in good faith, even anonymously, any act or omission by anyone at our Firm, in relations with it or on its behalf, which constitutes or may constitute a violation, an inducement or a suspicion to violate the principles contained in this Policy. An employee can discuss any concerns with the immediate supervisor or file a notice or compliant to the Office Manager. Salter Pilon ensures that employees will not be dismissed, demoted, suspended, threatened, bullied, or discriminated in the workplace because they lodged a good faith notice.