Diversity of leadership has a direct return on investment for organizations

CivicAction launched a multimedia campaign to focus on the need for economic inclusion for Indigenous, Black, and racialized leaders across the region

Leslie Woo

As part of #GivingTuesday, CivicAction launched Transform Leadership, a multimedia campaign featuring diverse rising leaders from across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) as they spotlight the need to build pathways to inclusive leadership across the region.

“At CivicAction, we understand that there is nothing more important to our future than empowering those who will one day lead our region. That is what this campaign is all about,” said Leslie Woo, CEO of CivicAction. Our region is among the most diverse in the world and yet equity-deserving communities face growing systemic barriers to success – especially Indigenous, Black, and racialized peoples.”

Inclusive leadership is not only the right thing to do; diversity of thought, talent, and lived experiences at the decision-making table has a direct return on investment for organizations.

According to a report by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a one per cent increase in workforce diversity can yield an average revenue growth of 2.4 per cent. And still, leadership across the GTHA is lacking diversity.

At least 85 per cent of all job positions are filled through networking and relationships, yet Black Canadians are 30 per cent less likely to be in the candidate pool.

Only 39 per cent of members on Boards of Directors across all sectors in Toronto are women.

Currently 52 per cent of Toronto’s population identifies as non-white, yet Black and racialized people only represent 15 per cent of Boards across Toronto.

Today 62 per cent of Boards of Directors and senior management teams have less than 20 per cent of racialized and Black leaders.

“At CivicAction,” Woo continued, “we are focused on diversifying voices and ensuring that positions of power and influence include a range of perspectives; ones that are representative of the diverse lived experiences of the people who call the GTHA home. We call on everyone to join us in this crucial effort.”

CivicAction’s campaign to change the face of leadership begins November 30th and will run until December 31st