Our people
Our employees are our most valuable resource.
We understand to meet today’s workforce expectation of a superior employee experience, where everyone feels included and belongs, means enabling everyone to contribute to their full potential. Arming our employees with the tools they need to flourish enhances resiliency and our collective ability to meet the demands of our clients and communities.
Why Calian CARES
Our employees are our most valuable resource. We understand to meet today’s workforce expectation of a superior employee experience, where everyone feels included and belongs, means enabling everyone to contribute to their full potential. Arming our employees with the tools they need to flourish enhances resiliency and our collective ability to meet the demands of our clients and communities.
How we manage this topic
We foster an environment of mutual respect, free from discrimination, violence or harassment through defined labour guidelines, policies and everyday cultural work practices. We offer competitive wages, benefits and recognition programs.
Our collaborative culture is demonstrated through flexible working hours and vacations. Every employee recertifies annually to ensure we are living our company policies and values. Employee assistance plans and our health and wellness policy and committees, protect our employees and provide a safe and healthy workplace.
UN SDG alignment
Performance to date
Creating baseline metrics and establishing KPIs to measure success
- 45% total female representation (3rd year of participation in The Prosperity Project)
- Leadership positions include 63% men and 37% women
- Average employee tenure is 6.5 years
- 36% of employees have been with Calian 5+ years
- 23% of workforce is under 30 years old
Employee health & safety
- Hired health, safety and wellness manager
- Launched revitalized health, safety and wellness program
Investing in leadership development and enhancing employee experience
- Launched new leadership development program (LDP) with 29 Calian leaders participating in a six-month, 100+ hours per employee curriculum designed to establish a consistent skillset and provide learners with access to management development learning curriculum and personalized, individualized 1:1 coaching from a certified Integral Master Coach™.
Employee programs
- Launched retirement savings program with Calian 3% match to employee contributions
- Launched six employee resource groups (ERGs) in 2023 with over 275 members
- Annually support $12,000 in scholarships for children of employees pursuing post-secondary education
Priorities going forward
- Measurable impact on DEIB initiatives (employee satisfaction, retention, performance)
- Drive consistency in employee compensation practices with a unified pay philosophy and job levelling
- Growth of ERGs to expand platforms for employees to foster communities of belonging
- Increase DEIB training and educational courses for employees who want to continue expanding their knowledge past mandatory training
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB)
Why Calian CARES
DEIB is an ethical imperative, and critical to attracting great people, driving innovation and providing under-represented populations with job opportunities. We are fostering an environment in which employees can bring their whole selves to work, allowing them to maximize their potential, by nurturing a culture where everyone is valued for their differences.
How we manage this topic
Calian is committed to nurturing an environment and culture of belonging. We are an equal-opportunity employer throughout the employee lifecycle. To drive the change and build programs necessary for us to progress in this space, in 2022 we created a new role centred on DEIB, reporting directly to the CHRO. Our initial focus has been on creating baseline metrics and establishing KPIs to measure our success. In 2023, we introduced 6 new employee resource groups (ERG) with over 275 members that continue to grow.
UN SDG alignment
Performance to date
Gender equality and DEIB themes in succession planning/recruitment initiatives
- DEIB included as priority element in the company’s three-year strategic plan
- Launched six employee resource groups (ERGs) with over 10% of eligible employees as members
- Ensured gender-balanced cohort through 50% female representation in leadership development program
- Reviewed recruiting process for senior leadership roles by ensuring we pursued passive candidates, encouraging applications from people of different genders, backgrounds and ethnicities, and worked to neutralize our job posting language, reducing instances where qualified candidates self-select out of our funnel
Employee health & safety
- Continued multi-year roll-out of Calian human resources information system (HRIS) SuccessFactors
- Continued improvement in data collection from acquisitions to be incorporated in our updated HRIS systems
Priorities going forward
- Continue investment in human resources information systems (HRIS) to enhance reporting capabilities and better measure progress of our DEIB initiatives.
- Continue to focus on gender equality, as well as overall DEIB themes in our succession planning and recruitment initiatives.
- Increase DEIB training and educational courses for employees who want to continue expanding their knowledge past mandatory training.
- Recruitment initiatives to seek candidates with more diverse backgrounds.
Indigenous engagement
Why Calian CARES
In alignment with Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Call to Action 92, we believe engagement is a sustained relationship between groups working towards shared goals and in the importance of building relationships based on rights, respect, cooperation and partnership. We have worked hard to develop relationships with over 35 Indigenous communities across Canada through service delivery and supplier engagement. Our clients, including the Canadian government, are asking businesses to do more: for example, the 2021 announcement of the Indigenous Benefits Plan (IBP) supports a five per cent federal Indigenous procurement objective for federal contracts.
How we manage this topic
In 2019, Calian established an Indigenous strategy working group, which included ongoing community engagement. With input from Indigenous organizations and individuals, we developed our Indigenous Engagement policy, including a framework and overarching guidelines, to establish meaningful relationships. The policy is based on three pillars that focus on listening to, learning from and leveraging capacity in Indigenous communities, by engaging Indigenous partners, seeking joint opportunities and providing the highest quality services to Indigenous clients.
We deliver a broad range of health, emergency management and resilience services in direct partnership with communities, and provincial and territorial authorities. Our approach puts the community at the centre of our engagement. We bring our best practices and knowledge to integrate traditional knowledge and preferences to support resilience.
Beyond health and emergency management, we provide data security services for electronic health records and e-health management for Indigenous communities. Additionally, our nuclear team partners with Indigenous-owned companies to deliver environmental management services, including risk assessments and environmental evaluations for small modular reactors (SMRs).
UN SDG alignment
Performance to date
Improving data gathering to set baselines to drive improvement
- Continued efforts to develop more comprehensive DEIB tracking and
reporting processes, including Indigenous employment data
- Materiality assessment identified Indigenous participants and their priorities
Increasing Indigenous employees and suppliers
- Joined Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) Supply Change
- Partnership with Indigenous-owned firm to execute Indigenous workforce development feasibility study, with support of all operating segments
- Indigenous supplier list developed and shared
Including reconciliation training in onboarding materials for Canadian employees
- Updated Indigenous reconciliation training in employee onboarding package to be launched in 2024
Improve understanding of Indigenous priorities and perspectives
- Launched Indigenous engagement resource platform for employees
- Volunteers participated in National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
- Indigenous working group met every two to three weeks with representation from all operating segments
- Completed Indigenous-led research project with the University of Manitoba on use of land-based knowledge in emergency management practices
Recognition for Indigenous engagement
- VP, ESG & Industrial Development joined Indigenous Works Board of Directors.
- Awarded Indigenous Works Employer of Choice certification with a positive score of 89% (or 161/180).
- Developing CCAB Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) certification for
submission in 2024
Priorities going forward
- Continued focus on improving data gathering to set baseline metrics and drive improvement
- Complete Indigenous workforce development feasibility study
- Establishment of joint ventures and partnerships with Indigenous suppliers
- Continued Indigenous engagement training led by Indigenous stakeholders where possible
- Successful submission of CCAB PAR program
Community resilience
Why Calian CARES
Our solutions address some of today’s most complex issues facing communities around the world. Calian brings a unique perspective on the complexities of supporting resilient communities, businesses and individuals and as such, we break down barriers to resilience: shortage of skilled resources, access to technology, reliable communication infrastructure and access to healthcare.
Beyond the health challenges the world has experienced in the past two years, climate change is continually increasing the severity and frequency of various threats. Supporting resilient communities and businesses, including our own, means security of operations, supply chain and access to basic resources (clean water, power, healthcare).
How we manage this topic
To bring our best to our clients and the communities with whom we work, our operating segments often collaborate to bring all parts of Calian to meet a client or community requirement:
- Health delivery and solutions
- Learning and skills development
- Emergency management
- IT and cyber solutions
- Advanced technologies
Through community giving, sponsorships and event participation we support several underserved communities, including veterans (and their families), the LGBTQ community, women, visible minorities, individuals with disabilities, and those impacted by natural and man-made disasters.
UN SDG alignment
Performance to date
Engaging in opportunities for operating segment collaboration to address community resilience
- Health and Learning commitment to support the Canadian Pandemic
Hub in collaboration with University of Ottawa and McMaster University
- All four business units engaged in Indigenous workforce feasibility study and strategy
Aligning corporate giving and innovation investments with ESG priority areas
- Community investment model approved by board for roll-out in 2024, including formal review process aligned to ESG priority areas and target communities
Focusing on projects that support community resilience, particularly for underserved populations
- Over 4,268 military family members referred to a family physician
through the Military Family Doctor Network (MFDN)
- Over 6,000 psychological assessments performed to ensure the suitability of public safety personnel to perform their duties in a safe and effective manner
- Over 2M patients supported by the Calian health team
- Support to multiple clinical trials focused on research on better treatment for patients
- Delivered simulation exercises for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), preparing them to support civilian authorities in emergency management as part of a domestic disaster response
- Developed West Coast Evacuation Plan for five Vancouver Island communities: Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, Toquaht Nation, Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Uchucklesaht Tribe Government and Ucluelet First Nation.
- Supported RCMP Roxham Road Immigration Centre by delivering 24/7 health services for asylum seekers
Continue leveraging our expertise and products to improve access to remote healthcare
- Engaged with Canadian Space Agency Health Beyond initiative
looking at shaping the future of remote care
Priorities going forward
- Community investment strategy roll-out
- Projects that support community resilience, particularly for underserved populations
- Continue leveraging our expertise and products to improve access to remote healthcare
Innovation
Advancing STEM
Why Calian CARES
Solving complex problems is our passion. We engineer innovative, creative solutions to difficult, complex challenges that affect us all. To protect the planet, people and our business, it is important to continually innovate new solutions and products. Like many businesses, we recognize the shortage of skilled STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) resources. We are committed to supporting the next generation of students and innovators.
How we manage this topic
Internally, we continuously invest in development of new products to support customers.
Externally, we invested in several university research projects including at Dalhousie University, University of Manitoba and University of Guelph. To support youth and students seeking STEM education and careers, we regularly participate in student engineering and computer science competitions, sponsor STEM-related conferences, participate in career fairs, support science camps, award scholarships, and hire students and interns.
The Innovation Council
In 2022, we established an Innovation Council that meets regularly to provide:
- Pan-Calian innovation mechanism for inspiring idea creation
- Forum for employees engaged in the innovation agenda
- Insight and informed decision-making, regarding innovation/collaboration-oriented platforms, processes, principles and practices
- Culture to drive innovation initiatives and platform adoption
- Support for innovation getting to market
Canadian Institute for Military and Veterans Health Research
Since 2015, we have partnered with the Canadian Institute for Military and Veterans Health Research (CIMVHR) on various research and development projects. This includes funding for expansion of military markers in the repository of data on chronic diseases, knowledge translation, development of military family and veteran health reference guides and, currently, a project on pharmacogenetic testing focused on veterans.
UN SDG alignment
Performance to date
Integrating our student hiring and co-op programs with our talent management programs
- Continuing to explore more robust student hiring programs through outreach to university and college programs
- Resource assigned in talent programs team to explore a corporate student hiring program
Ongoing support of STEM initiatives and events with universities and colleges
- Event participation at University of Saskatchewan, such as computer science research fest, technical advisement and support to the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team (USST) on their CubeSat projects
- Dalhousie University: two research papers published, “A Systematic Review of Data Exhaust in IoT Devices” and “Preliminary Results on Exploring Data Exhaust of Consumer Internet of Things Devices”
- University of Manitoba: one research project completed, Integrating Local Knowledge and Emergency Preparedness
- Lawson Research: Pharmacogenetic DNA testing project submitted for clinical research trial ethics board review
Expanding our cybersecurity university research investments
- Supported Dalhousie University application to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to create a new cybersecurity program curriculum to develop 190 highly qualified workforce-ready graduates
Priorities going forward
- Student hiring and co-op programs through collaboration with colleges and universities
- Ongoing support of STEM initiatives and events with universities and colleges
- Continued expansion of our cybersecurity university research collaborations
Terri Dougall
Vice President, ESG & Industrial Development
Calian Headquarters – Ottawa
770 Palladium Dr (4th floor),
Ottawa, ON K2V 1C8
Global innovation for connected, safe & healthy lives
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