Red River College recognized as national leader for diversity in the workplace

Winnipeg, MB – Today, Red River College (RRC) is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the fourth year in a row. RRC joins 70 other organizations across the country highlighted as employers that stand out through their efforts to create diverse and inclusive workplace.

“We often spend the majority of our waking hours at our places of work, that’s why creating an environment that is open, welcoming, and safe for all our staff and students is a priority for the College,” said Melanie Gudmundson, Chief Human Resource Officer. “Equity and inclusion are embedded in our practices and demonstrated throughout the College – it’s part of the fabric that makes up our College community. We’re honoured to be recognized with this distinction once again.”

There are a number of programs and initiatives that encourage diversity and inclusivity that the College was recognized for this year, including RRC’s Indigenous workshop series’ developed and delivered  by the College’s Elders in Residence; LGBTT* initiative; Healthy Minds, Healthy College Initiative; Girls Exploring Trades and Technology (GETT) Camp Program; and a workforce audit to determine representation of designated group members in the RRC workforce.

New and noteworthy achievements this year include the addition of Rebecca Chartrand, Executive Director of Indigenous Strategy to the College’s leadership team. This new role is responsible for leading and developing RRC’s Indigenous strategic framework that will guide the College to a bold, inclusive new future, creating new pathways to support Indigenous achievement and student success.

The College created a new online Gender & Sexual Diversity Awareness Course – the first of its kind in Canada – which provides 24/7 access to awareness building courses and training to all staff and students.

RRC also completed an Inclusive Campus Climate Review that gave members of the College community a voice in shaping and developing an inclusive and supportive workplace for everyone at RRC.

As the College continues to make improvements in the area of diversity and inclusivity, a new Inclusion Coordinator position has been created. This new position will be responsible for leading the College’s ongoing commitment to inclusion with a focus on Indigenous recruitment and retention strategies, while also coordinating RRC’s ongoing work coordinating the College’s Accessibility initiative that will enable RRC to continue to be an open, safe, and supportive environment.

“We continue to see expansions across the College with the opening of new campuses, and rapid growth and enrolment in program areas like our School of International Education,” said Gudmundson. “We must look ahead for more effective ways to integrate, expand, and enhance Diversity and Intercultural services across the College and support more staff and students than ever before.”

To read more about Red River College’s 2018 Best Diversity Employer award click here.

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