DEI Policy

Introduction

At Goodman Steel, we believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people, ideas, and experiences. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture that values and celebrates the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of every individual. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is not just a policy; it’s a fundamental aspect of how we operate and thrive as an organization.

We recognize that a diverse workforce brings together a wide range of insights and viewpoints, enabling us to innovate, adapt, and excel in an ever-evolving business landscape. We are dedicated to creating an environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best. This means embracing differences, whether they are related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, or any other dimension of diversity.

Thank you for being a part of our shared mission to create a workplace that embraces the power of diversity, upholds the principles of equity, and nurtures a culture of inclusion.

Treaty 4 Land Recognition Statement

We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional lands of the Treaty 4 First Nations. These lands are the ancestral territory of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota nations. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories. We commit to working towards reconciliation, understanding, and cooperation as we strive to build a more inclusive and equitable future for all who share these lands.

Commitment to Diversity

We best serves our clients when we foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We value–and our clients benefit from having–the perspectives of staff with different backgrounds and experiences. Goodman Steel promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion through participating in local initiatives, encouraging its members to participate in and support affinity groups, and implementing internal policies and practices aimed at ensuring that each individual has an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their background and identity.

Indigenous and Métis Inclusion

At Goodman Steel, we recognize the profound significance of Saskatchewan’s Indigenous and Métis communities within the cultural, historical, and economic tapestry of our region. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that not only acknowledges but actively values and supports Indigenous and Métis individuals, their cultures, and their contributions.

This commitment to Indigenous and Métis inclusion is not a one-time effort; it is an ongoing journey. We will regularly assess our progress, consult with Indigenous and Métis stakeholders, and adapt our practices and policies to ensure that we are continually improving our inclusivity and cultural sensitivity.

We will seek opportunities to include Indigenous and Métis voices and perspectives in our decision-making processes, including advisory boards and committees.

Equitable Hiring and Procurement Practices for Indigenous and Métis Peoples

We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community, which includes actively seeking out and promoting Indigenous and Métis talent.

In our hiring practices, we will strive to eliminate biases and barriers that may disproportionately affect Indigenous and Métis candidates. We commit to providing equitable opportunities for career advancement and professional development for all our employees.

We will actively seek out Indigenous and Métis-owned businesses and suppliers as partners in our projects and procurement processes.

Investment in Indigenous and Métis Communities

We believe in the importance of giving back to the communities that have welcomed us, and we are committed to investing in the well-being and prosperity of Indigenous and Métis communities in Southern Saskatchewan. As a tangible commitment, Goodman Steel will allocate a minimum of 1% of the invoice value from major projects to support community development initiatives in collaboration with Indigenous and Métis organizations.

Recruitment & Hiring

Our company performs better when it considers the perspectives of individuals with different backgrounds and fosters an overall culture that is equitable and inclusive, which includes providing reasonable accommodations as needed. We recruit diverse candidates by seeking out diverse applicant slates from a variety of sources. We retain diverse candidates by fostering a culture of equity and inclusiveness. To that end, when a position becomes available, we utilize the following practices for recruiting diverse candidates, in addition to commonly used channels:

Notifying both internal and external recruiters that we are seeking a diverse applicant pool and advertising positions through local and national affinity groups;
Striving to have at least 20% of the applicant pool come from First Nations and Métis backgrounds. If this objective is not met during the initial round of applications, making a more directed effort to achieve this percentage;
Including diverse interviewers on our interview panels;
Including references to Goodman Steel’s diversity policies in the materials it uses to advertise the position.

Retention & Workplace Inclusiveness

Our company understands that to build an equitable, inclusive, diverse workplace, we must put forth measures that facilitate the retention of employees with diverse backgrounds. To that end, our company promises to:

Actively encourage the wellbeing and mindfulness of our employees, including diverse employees, whose particular experiences may warrant the provision of individualized support. This commitment includes providing reasonable accommodations as needed.
Practice cultural awareness and sensitivity with a particular emphasis on supporting local indigenous communities. We provide ongoing cultural awareness and sensitivity initiatives to help employees of all backgrounds understand each other and work together efficiently and effectively.

Inclusion & Belonging Principles

We believe that by investing in an inclusive culture, we will attract the best and brightest talent, leading to more innovative solutions for our valued customers. Building and sustaining an inclusive and diverse culture is essential for business success, and it is the right thing to do.

We believe in an inclusive work environment where employees are welcomed, valued, respected, and heard.
We believe that employees will be provided a safe work environment.
We believe that diversity brings strength.
We believe in equality of opportunity free from discrimination.
We believe in hiring and promoting the most qualified candidate.
We believe in employee development at all levels of the organization.
We believe in the power of belonging as an integral component in achieving diversity & inclusion and business success.

Commitment to Continued Progress on Diversity & Inclusion

We will create and maintain environments, platforms, and forums where our people feel comfortable reaching out to their colleagues to gain greater awareness of each other’s experiences and perspectives.

We will implement and expand unconscious bias education: Experts tell us that we all have unconscious biases — that is human nature. Unconscious bias education enables individuals to begin recognizing, acknowledging, and therefore minimizing any potential blind spots he or she might have, but wasn’t aware of previously. We will commit to rolling out and/or expanding unconscious bias education within our companies in the form that best fits our specific culture and business. By helping our employees recognize and minimize their blind spots, we aim to facilitate more open and honest conversations.

We will create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with our company leadership. We will work with our governing bodies through the development and evaluation of concrete, strategic action plans to prioritize and drive accountability around diversity and inclusion.

We will create a workplace environment that reflects a healthy disposition toward difference, by:

Providing ongoing and relevant training to client-facing staff on how to exhibit and encourage behaviour that exemplifies our values of civility and respect;
Establishing and promoting workplace culture expectations that all employees and visiting guests are made aware of and make commitments to follow;
Motivating and empowering employees to take responsibility for their actions and to help positively influence the behaviour and civility of their fellow employees;
Sharing and implementing methods on how to best create a culture of accountability and respect when it comes to issues of diversity and inclusivity.

Professional Development & Advancement

Demonstrated Commitment to Growth & Success

Goodman Steel provides a viable path for all associates to progress through the ranks of our company, potentially achieving positions of leadership. In addition to objective criteria, we consider work quality, efficiency, client base, client satisfaction, positive workplace attitude, and services to the company and community in making decisions regarding management or leadership candidacy.

Performance Reviews

Any performance reviews will be completed in a manner that is constructive, collaborative, and fair. If needed, the company shall make available to its associates tools to improve their performance such as individualized performance improvement plans, business development workshops, career coaches, and speakers.