Sponsorship/Mentoring

Sponsors are advocates in positions of authority who use their influence intentionally to help others advance, while mentors provide advice, feedback, and coaching. Both are important to advancement as employees navigate the workplace and earn opportunities for growth.

  • Catalyzing
    Owning Advancement

    Following the release of Sponsoring Women to Success, I invited all three co-authors to share some of their most interesting—and important—findings about sponsorship. In August, we heard from Heather Foust-Cummings, who discussed how sponsorship offers a unique “triple win.” Today, Jennif...

    October 6, 2011 by Jennifer Kohler

  • 2010 Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion

    As Group Head, Global Human Resources and Communications, at Scotiabank, Sylvia Chrominska has been instrumental in championing a diversity and inclusion strategy that has shaped Scotiabank’s ability to attract and retain employees with varied skills, abilities, experiences, and backgrounds. The...

  • 2010 Business Leader Champion

    During her five years as Vice President, Treasurer, Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG), Colleen Sidford has been a champion for women’s advancement both within OPG and in the community. She meets with the managers and directors at OPG to discuss gender biases and how supervisors can encourage...

  • 2010 Company/Firm Leader Champion

    In his eight years as President and Chief Executive Officer of TD Bank Financial Group, W. Edmund Clark has successfully created a cultural shift within the bank to make it a more inclusive employer of choice. Having established diversity as a strategic business priority, Mr. Clark seeks to...

  • 2011 Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion

    In his four years as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Michael Bach has championed diversity at KPMG, both within Canada and on a global level. He authored the business case for dedicated resources for diversity and inclusion at KPMG and created his role as Director of Diversity at...

  • 2011 Business Leader Champion

    As Regional President of the Greater Toronto Region at RBC for the past five years, Jennifer Tory has worked tirelessly to advance women and visible minorities both in the bank and her community. As a committed mentor and advocate, Ms. Tory actively sponsors women into executive roles at the...

  • 2011 Company/Firm Leader Champion

    As the first woman elected Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group and the first woman to lead a Top 10 financial institution in Canada, Monique F. Leroux has taken giant steps to increase diversity at Canada’s largest financial cooperative group. Throughout her accomplished...

  • 2012 Human Resources/Diversity Leader

    In 2008, Deloitte Canada appointed Jane Allen as its first Chief Diversity Officer, becoming one of the first organizations in the country to put the spotlight on diversity and inclusion. Working in collaboration with the firm’s National Diversity Council and senior leadership, Ms. Allen is...

  • 2012 Company/Firm Leader Champion

    Shortly after  Gordon M. Nixon’s  appointment as  President and Chief Executive Officer of RBC 11 years ago, he established the Diversity Leadership Council (DLC), which is responsible for overseeing the bank’s diversity and inclusion strategy, key goals and results, and he has chaired the...

  • 2012 Business Leader Champion


    For over 20 years, Anne-Marie Hubert’s primary objective has been attracting, developing, and helping people achieve their full potential, which she believes  is fundamental to the success of a business and the economy. As Managing Partner, Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, she is well-known...