Scotiabank, BC & Yukon Region, signaled its ongoing commitment to achieve gender parity in the workplace by virtually signing the Minerva BC Diversity Pledge.
Jointly signed by outgoing Regional Senior Vice President Lesly Tayles and incoming Regional Senior Vice President Stephen Gaskin, this pledge supports the advancement of women into leadership positions. Coinciding with national Gender Equality Week, Scotiabank joins over 30 organizations from around BC that have pledged to help support and empower women as leaders in their respective organizations.
In 2015, Minerva BC, a registered charity, released the Face of Leadership™ BC Score Card, a report measuring gender diversity amongst the largest companies in the province. The program has since expanded with additional initiatives designed to help narrow the gender gap, including the Minerva BC Diversity Pledge, an Inclusive Leadership Forum and Executive for a Day, where emerging leaders have a unique opportunity to spend a day with a CEO or senior leader.
“Over the years we have introduced a broad range of initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion at Scotiabank, says Lesly Tayles. “I’m proud of the partnerships we’ve built with organizations like Minerva BC that support women and girls to reach their full potential.”
“On behalf of the BC & Yukon Region, I am extremely proud to sign the Minerva BC Diversity Pledge,” said Stephen Gaskin. “I am committed to carrying forward the good work Lesly has done, and to continue seeking ways to advance equity and inclusion at Scotiabank and in the broader community.”
“For 20 years Minerva has worked to advance leadership opportunities for women,” says Tina Strehlke, CEO of Minerva BC. “Despite our best efforts, women still experience significant gender gaps in the workplace. We need business leaders like Stephen and Lesly, who are serious about breaking down implicit biases and replacing them with attitudes and systems that are supportive to women’s achievement. This is especially critical as women continue to lose ground in the labour market because of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Scotiabank champions women, LGBT+ and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in their career paths. To date, women account for more than 39% of the senior leadership roles in Canada. In 2018 Scotiabank launched the Scotiabank Women Initiative™, a comprehensive program that helps women take their businesses to the next level with access to capital, mentorship, and education.
The Face of Leadership™ Pledge signals a firm commitment from top-level leaders to advance gender diversity in their organizations. Minerva BC and Scotiabank invite and encourage other organizations in British Columbia to take this Pledge to help businesses thrive and our communities to grow stronger.
Learn more at The Face of Leadership
