The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) started its supplier diversity program because it was the right thing to do – and quickly realized it also made good business sense. “At RBC, diversity is a core value. From our employees to our clients, leveraging our similarities and our differences leads to more creative ideas and innovative solutions. And our supplier base is no different,” explains Charles Varvarikos, Head, Facilities Sourcing at RBC. “We operate in a diverse market, and it only makes sense to support companies that are owned and operated by diverse suppliers. Adding new suppliers creates more competition which leads to more competitive ideas and pricing.”

Supplier diversity is not a new idea. In the U.S., it’s been in practice for 45 years. Here in Canada, diverse procurement has been growing steadily over the last decade. Yet, when asked, most Canadian organizations say they can’t find minority suppliers and don’t know how to certify them when they do. Happily, one organization does both.

The 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games are being hosted in one of the most diverse regions of North America—Toronto. Which is why TO2015, the Organizing Committee established to plan, manage, and deliver the games, announced the creation of the first-ever Diversity Policy for a Pan Am/Parapan Am competition. “Diversity is reflected in both our employee and supplier base because we know it’s going to be reflected in our customer base,” says Bill Zakarow, Director, Procurement, TO2015.

Unless a hospital works to meet the needs of all its communities, it will be irrelevant, says the former chair of Women’s College Hospital (WCH), Michele Landsberg, “No public institution can thrive unless it attracts and helps every part of the population.”

A world leader in women’s healthcare, WCH had to create an entirely new infrastructure, purpose and mission when it de-amalgamated from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2006. The board of WCH wanted diversity and equity to be built right into the DNA of the new organization. WCH calls its “commitment to optimal health outcomes for diverse women and their families” its Equity Vision – “While ‘diversity’ is a celebration of all that we are, ‘equity’ is our call to action,” explains former Equity Champion Hazelle Palmer. The Equity Vision incorporates the principles of human rights, anti-racism and anti-oppression, and applies to the entire hospital organization, including patients and staff. And it explicitly mandates the resources necessary to achieve its goals.

Harbourfront Centre is one of the most widely attended arts and culture centres in Canada, attracting more than 12 ½ million visits annually to its events and activities. The non-profit recognizes that culture is a powerful way to connect its diverse stakeholders: audiences, users, artists, employees, volunteers, board and committee members.