02/2023
Published on Canadian HR Reporter
Written by Jim Wilson
In these challenging times, diversity in the leadership ranks of public employers is of great importance.
And while the percentage of racialized people in Toronto is over 50 per cent, only about 15 per cent of board positions are held by Indigenous, Black or racialized individuals, according to Leslie Woo, CivicAction CEO, in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.
And Black leaders hold just one per cent of senior executive boards.
Why? Recruitment for board positions often doesn’t go past the established corporate circle, she says.
“Seventy-five per cent of board recruitment comes from existing director referrals. So directors reach into their own networks, which oftentimes don’t extend into communities; there’s just a barrier.”
Giving aspiring racialized leaders an avenue to reach out to these posts may help, she says.
To that end, CivicAction has launched BoardShift, which prepares and matches racialized rising talent with nonprofit, charitable and public board opportunities. Launched in October 2022, BoardShift also provides tools and resources to support boards in adopting inclusive governance practices to equip them with the knowledge they need to welcome, amplify and empower leaders from diverse groups.