2022 Employer Council of Champions Summit and Awards
Inclusive Leadership in a Time of Change
May 26, 2022 ~ Virtual via Zoom
On May 26, 2022, the 15th Annual Employers’ Summit engaged senior executives, civic leaders, human resources professionals and stakeholders from private, public and non-profit sectors in a discussion on the theme “Inclusive Leadership in a Time of Change.” Speakers and experts shared their insights and experiences about how their workplaces and businesses were addressing the challenges and opportunities of fostering inclusive workplaces during the pandemic. Two local employers were recognized with the 2022 Employer Excellence Awards.
Keynote Address – Inclusive Leadership-Leading by Example
In a heartfelt and inspirational address, Mohamad Fakih, Award–winning entrepreneur, CEO and President of Paramount Fine Foods, made a powerful case for what he termed ‘kind capitalism’ and centering employee well-being. Drawing from his experience as a leader and business owner during a challenging period at the unset of the pandemic, Mr. Fakih spoke about how inclusive leadership can inspire and motivate teams for greater collaboration and innovation to achieve business outcomes.
“If share holders want to make money, they need to put their employees first.” Mohamad Fakih
Panel Discussion – Building Inclusive Workplaces
In a candid exchange of ideas, a panel of Human Resources experts from diverse sectors and organizations discussed how to foster inclusion and belonging in the workplace. They highlighted challenges and where improvements need to be made in workplace cultural practices and shared practical strategies and tips on how organizations and leaders can enhance their diversity and inclusion practices to create a sense of belonging among their employees.
“Culture is build on small meaningful moments in addition to the big strategies we all need to have.” Keira Torkko, Chief People Officer, Assent
2022 Employer Excellence Award Recipients
Local employers, Giatec Scientific and Iversoft were recognized for the second consecutive year with the 2022 Employer Excellence Awards for their inclusive practices in the recruitment, onboarding and retention of skilled immigrants in their workplaces. Watch their videos
Read about their success stories.
Get Involved!
To learn about how you can participate in the Employer Summit, contact Lorena Costa, Manager, Employer Engagement: lcosta@hireimmigrantsottawa.ca or 613.228.6715
Past Summits and Expert Presentations
2021: Brave New Future: How Businesses can Re-build for a More Inclusive Future
2020: The Future of Work and Immigration
2019: Building Influence for Change
2018: Standing Up for Inclusion – Bold Leadership to Unlock the Potential of Diversity
2017: Celebrating 10 years of Employer Engagement for Immigrant Employment
2016: Going Beyond Our Best Intentions: Unconscious Bias. Inclusive Leadership. Leveraging Diversity
2015: Skills to Jobs: Ottawa’s Human Capital Requirements in the Knowledge Economy
2014: Leveraging Immigrant Talent to Grow and Diversify Ottawa’s Economy
2013: Diversity Works! Energize, Engage, and Excel with Ottawa’s Global Talent
2012: Diverse Talent: Taking It to the Top
2011: Diverse Talent Is the New Competitive Edge: Attract, Develop, and Retain
2010: Leadership, Collaboration and Innovation: The Key to Addressing Ottawa’s Talent Needs