Best Practices and tools
We formulate personalized recommendations based on equity assessments and a curated collection of over 400 resources. We maintain a comprehensive database of industry best practices and examples, tailoring guidelines to an organization’s needs. We are able to couple these best practices with other deliverables like strategy development and equity audits to provide a fulsome analysis of:
- Strengths in your organization
- Gaps and opportunities for change
- Examples from other organizations for inspiration
- Guidance your organization can rely on long-term
DI developed a Program Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Self-Assessment Tool (“Tool”) for ISED Canada. The development of the tool was based on comprehensive ecosystem research, the development of population-specific entrepreneur profiles, curation of data collection challenges and best practices and optimization of community engagement practices for equity assessments as well as a review and analysis of ecosystem tools and resources for advancing economic inclusion. The Tool underwent internal and external feedback and consultations and it was tested using three ISED programs. The final version of the Tool was tailored to organizational needs and refined with usability and impact in mind.
DI developed the Empowering Change: A Comprehensive EDI Strategy 2024-2030 including developing a best practice document and equity tool. The best practices resource document provides opportunities, actions, and practices from relevant organizations and agencies that are comparable to the City of Mississauga. The examples and recommendations provided outline ecosystem best practices that the City can incorporate into their practices, policies, and protocols to ensure equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression is incorporated throughout. This document formed the basis of an equity tool that provides a systematic way of embedding EDI within all processes.
The What Works Toolkit provides best practices and actionable strategies to business owners, leaders and individuals that are based on existing research for the recruitment, mentoring, promotion and retention of diverse staff. It also includes anti-racism and anti-harassment activities, and examples of successful diversity plans. The toolkit was created in partnership with KPMG in Canada and is hosted online by the Diversity Institute.
DI examined the experiences of individuals working in the music industry and identified enablers, barriers, and challenges to success in the music industry. The results of this study identified equity and representation challenges in the Canadian music industry and assisted in creating a best practices toolkit that industry participants, like Music Canada, can use to conduct their own diversity assessments and implement needed reforms.
