About the Black Engagement and Advancement Team
The Black Engagement and Advancement Team was established in January 2021, under the Human Resources Services Branch, to identify and implement tangible and sustainable solutions to change the existing landscape for all Black employees at ESDC.
What we do
The team will focus on areas such as :
- Outreach, recruitment, retention and career advancement to increase representation and reduce attrition;
- Engagement and partnerships with key stakeholders to discuss community related challenges, opportunities, and co-develop solutions;
- Maintaining virtual safe spaces to encourage collaboration, share tools, resources and lived experiences; and
- Providing tools and resources to allies to build awareness, intercultural competencies and empathy to foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
Our Mantra - Ubuntu - I am because We are
Our work is guided by the concept of Ubuntu, a philosophy that we adopted from our African ancestors. At its root, Ubuntu can be translated as “human kindness,” but its meaning is much larger in scope. In the Zulu language, Ubuntu translates to "a person can only be a person through others". Our hope in adopting this philosophy is to harness the collective unity and group solidarity to foster a sense of belonging for all.