Friends and I were talking about the “bad old days” recently.  The days when one of my early managers – after asking a senior woman lawyer to get him coffee—could grumble, “It’s so confusing. The secretaries look like lawyers, and the lawyers look like secretaries.”  The days before employment equity standards and a broad understanding of the value of a diverse workplace. 

Changes in policy and celebration of diversity in the workplace came about because leaders —in business, in politics, and in the community—stepped up and changed things. 

That kind of leadership continues to be crucial to the advancement of women in business.

Recently I met a young mother of three who had withdrawn from a competition where she was clearly the most qualified candidate because the more senior position would not accommodate her flexible schedule.  At that point, the CEO intervened.  Based on her proven record of success, she got the promotion, and kept the flexible schedule she needed to fulfill her family obligations.

That CEO was willing to change some of the rigid rules and expectations in order to get the best person for the job.  In doing so, she made it clear to other women that this firm was one that valued talent and performance,  one where their aspirations could be achieved. 

Yes, we’ve made strides toward a more equal workplace.  Women and minorities have legal recourse against overt discrimination.

But women are also finding leaders with the vision to  recognize that company policies create barriers for the advancement of talented and capable women—and the courage to change those policies.

Recently, sorting through a box of high school mementos, I found notes for my 12th grade debate: be it resolved that women earn the same as men.  

My 17-year-old self would never have guessed that almost 30 years later, my work and career would focus on creating a world where women have equal opportunities in the workplace. 

Finding that report reminded me of the advice I received from one of my first mentors: look for work that you’re passionate about, work for an organization that you are proud to be part of and with people you respect and can learn from. 

As a mentor, what would I say to that young woman? 

I would tell her that she was embarking on a journey that would be driven by her passion to make change in the world.

I would tell her to never be afraid to ask for help or for a new challenge.  That having the confidence to take risks would lead to career opportunities in government, consulting and nonprofit sectors. That she would grow stronger from facing her challenges head on.

I would tell her that the greatest satisfaction she’d experience in life and work would come from the times when she was true to herself and the things that mattered most to her at that very moment.    

And finally, I’d tell her that she would have the great fortune of building a support system of friends, family and mentors who would offer the encouragement and wise counsel that she needed to achieve her dreams.

Someone once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Today, Catalyst Canada celebrates three remarkable leaders who have made a difference in the lives and careers of countless women in Canadian business. TD’s Ed Clark, Ontario Power Generation’s Colleen Sidford, and Scotiabank’s Sylvia Chrominska share a common trait (aside from their personal success!). Each has made it their mission to champion women in their organizations, their industries, and their communities.  

And for each of them, the reward comes not in personal recognition, but in seeing others become and achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. 

There are few of us who can’t point to a time when our lives were changed by someone who offered advice, or an opportunity, or shoulders to stand on.  Certainly, if there’s one thing I hear consistently from women who have risen to the top of their fields in Canada, it’s that they didn’t make it on their own.  They benefitted from mentors and champions who stepped in, often at critical moments, and set their careers on a new path. 

And that’s why we’ve created the Catalyst Canada Honours – to recognize champions of women in business and to mark Catalyst Canada’s tenth anniversary. It’s our hope that in recognizing these champions, we will inspire others to step forward and create real change that will benefit both women and organizations.  

The Catalyst Canada Honours began about a year ago, with a conversation I had with a woman who attended Catalyst’s first Canadian event.  She was surprised that the event was hosted by a CEO.  Today, no one would be surprised to hear a business leader in Canada talking about the importance of women to the bottom line.  Over the last ten years, the conversation has shifted.  Diversity—with women at its core— has become a strategic imperative for Canadian businesses.     

And it started with a leader, who stood up and did something unexpected. 

While today is primarily about Ed, Colleen and Sylvia, it’s also about all of the other leaders— today and tomorrow—changing workplaces and changing lives.  Thank you for what you do.  We are truly inspired.

This past Canada Day, I attended a Citizenship Ceremony welcoming new Canadians from more than 20 countries.  I was reminded again of my good fortune to be born in a country that is chosen by thousands of immigrants every year for its promise of opportunity, equality and community.

Of course, behind the smiling and tearful faces lie individual stories of courage, struggle and hard work.  Stories like Catalyst’s own Alicia Sullivan.  After reading about our ground-breaking research  on the career advancement experiences of visible minorities in Canada, Alicia wrote me a thought-provoking letter which said, essentially, “This is my life.”

Her Master’s degree had not earned her a job in this country that was equal to her skills or potential.  Almost four years later, she is an integral part of the Catalyst Canada team and has earned her Canadian citizenship.  She is fulfilling the dreams that she brought with her to Canada and is contributing to our national aspirations for economic strength and social equity. 

As Canadians, we celebrate diversity. Demographic projections suggest that by 2017, more than 20% of Canadians will be visible minorities.  Yet, stories like Alicia’s echo what Catalyst research has found – while our workplaces are increasingly diverse, they are not always inclusive.   Visible minorities face barriers to their advancement: few role models and mentors, stereotyping, and exclusion from informal networks.   

Many of these challenges are more pronounced for visible minority women.  

Diversity is both a strength and an opportunity.  And the good news is that more and more business leaders understand that there are few issues more important to Canada’s competitiveness than closing the gap between the aspirations of Canadian immigrants and their experience.   

The most successful organizations have consciously introduced talent management practices such as mentoring, employee networks and diversity training for managers.  And not because it’s a “nice to do.” 

Establishing a place where skills and opportunity come together for everyone is critical.  When inclusive workplaces ensure that Canada lives up to immigrants’ expectations, we also ensure that their talent, skill and ingenuity enrich Canada for all of us.

Traditionally, the world’s 3.4 billion women have been neither seen nor heard when  the predominantly male leaders of the wealthiest and most powerful nations meet.  But some new voices were raised in the lead-up to this year’s G20 Summit in Toronto, when 21 young women representing the G20 nations and the African Union gathered to chart a global strategy to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

I was privileged to review some of the applications for the 21 seats at the table.  After a long flight from Toronto for a business meeting in California, I got up at 4 a.m. to read amazing stories from accomplished and thoughtful young women.  Four hours later, when I left for work, I was refreshed, energized and inspired by their commitment to change the world. 

The professional summiteers could take a few lessons from these young women on establishing clear, measurable action plans.  The G(irls)20 Summit focused  on education, child and maternal health, and economic opportunity — issues that  impact women and their capacity to establish economic stability. 

For those of us fortunate enough to live in Canada, the principle of economic equality for women is supported by an enviable education system and high quality health care.  But imagine the girl who can not go to school because basic sanitation in the form of gender-segregated washrooms is non-existent. Or the child bride who becomes pregnant at 15, with serious implications for her health and that of her child.

These are the barriers to women fulfilling their economic potential.  And it is a huge potential.  In micro-financing initiatives in the developing world, and in woman-owned businesses in Canada, women have demonstrated that they understand the basics of solid investment supported by hard work. 

The young women who met in Toronto in June are part of a powerful new generation who are connected with the world and excited by the opportunities.  Participants were selected through a viral online campaign supported by Catalyst and other organizations that sparked discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas from people in 190 countries. 

That energy and commitment took over in Toronto and resulted in practical recommendations to bring 3.4 billion people —the women of the world— into the global economy. 

Perhaps more importantly, they’ve given us a guide to evaluate the actions and impact of the other G20 Summit.

I’m fortunate to have a job that allows me to live my values—and talk about them—every day. Catalyst’s Canadian members include some of our country’s most iconic businesses. Their leaders understand that strong women make for strong workplaces and healthy profits.

Catalyst is the leading non-profit organization working globally to expand opportunities for women and business.  We invite you to explore Catalyst and Catalyst Canada homepages for more information about what we do.

Catalyst CanCon is an opportunity to extend the conversation in Canada and to share some of my thoughts, experiences, and reactions to change (or lack of change) in our workplaces and our society. (And, by the way, for non Canadians, CanCon is short for Canadian content!) 

I hope you’ll use this space to agree, to argue, or to propose new ideas. Look forward to meeting you here!  –Deborah

Aren’t We Done Yet?

From time to time, a new acquaintance responds to my description of what I do with “But isn’t that an old issue?  Haven’t we solved the problem? Aren’t we done, and ready to move on to other things?”

Short answer?  No. 

Sure, intelligent, capable and talented women are leading organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors, and sitting in some of the most powerful offices in Canada.  We need to celebrate their achievements, because a generation ago they wouldn’t be there. 

But I think of Rosemary Brown’s statement that, “Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.” And the reality is that a whole lot of us haven’t “made it” — and I’m not only talking about the corporate boardroom, C-suite or Supreme Court. 

I’m talking about women who are paid less than the man at the next desk; women who are willing to take on challenging and interesting assignments, but are passed over.  The recent Catalyst report,  Pipeline’s Broken Promise, reveals that, even with the same education and career goals, women start lower on the career ladder and in salary than men, and they stay behind in both promotions and pay throughout their careers.

Years of experience tell us that achieving and maintaining a cultural shift is tough, slow work.  We can’t afford to take our eye off the ball because some of us have made it.  We have to keep working at gender equity, and not only because fairness and diversity are important principles.   Our economy can not afford to overlook and shut out 50% of the nation’s talent!

Last week, Toronto hosted the first G(irls)-20 Summit  just ahead of the G-20 economic summit.  The delegates, young women from around the world, talked about the challenges facing women, and considered practical solutions such as education and maternal and child health programs.  The world, just like Canada, needs to recognize that women represent “3.3 billion ways to change the world” — and to rebuild the world economy.

We have to keep talking about equity — to men, to women, in corporate settings, in government, and in the public square.

And, I hope we can use this space to keep that conversation going, to exchange stories, ideas and experiences that will inform, motivate and inspire change!