According to a survey by globe and mailOnly 10% of Canadian companies that have participated in the BlackNorth initiative to combat systemic racism have made significant progress over the past two years.
The BlackNorth Initiative is dedicated to ending systemic anti-Black racism, focusing on several aspects such as: B. the labor market. The movement was launched after the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer.
In this five-year plan, companies had to face the challenge of hiring black people and making sure they filled important positions.
So far, however, only 10% of the 481 companies in the country that have joined this movement have made significant progress in terms of the number of employees, black executives and administrators.
Brooke Graham, head of diversity and inclusion at laboratory services company LifeLabs, said it was “disappointing” that 70% of companies polled by The Globe and Mail chose not to respond and make their data public.
“Signing the BlackNorth pledge is a step in the right direction, but it matters to people that black people in this country can actually see companies delivering on their promises,” she said.
For his part, Carl James, Professor of Education at York University and Jean Augustin Research Chair in Equality and Inclusion, reminded that the problem is not limited to numbers.
“It’s not just about how many black people you hire,” he said. One has to ask: What practices have there been in these companies over the years that may not have taken into account the diversity of the population? Are institutions ready to welcome more blacks into the labor market? Can they get down to business or do they have to conform to an existing culture?”