Diversity, equity & inclusion
At MLT Aikins, the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are fundamental, fostering a collaborative culture where everyone, including women, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodiverse individuals and persons with disabilities, can thrive.
By embracing these principles, we cultivate a workspace that not only respects differences but actively encourages the sharing of diverse perspectives. This commitment enhances our ability to deliver excellent and innovative legal solutions, ensuring that all team members can bring their authentic selves to our high-performing team.
DEI mission statement
“Cultivating an environment that celebrates and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion to attract and retain the best talent, drive innovation and better serve our clients.”
Commitment to DEI
At MLT Aikins, we understand the crucial role that DEI plays in the success of our operations throughout Western Canada. Our dedication to advancing DEI across all facets of our firm ensures that we reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve and enriches our own team environment.
Key benefits of DEI in our firm
Enhanced decision-making and innovation
By fostering an inclusive workplace, we improve our collective decision-making and problem-solving capabilities. We believe that diversity of thought drives innovation, benefitting our team members and clients.
Expectations of diversity
Our clients expect and deserve to have their legal matters handled by diverse teams that bring a wide range of perspectives and excellence. By meeting these expectations, we not only enrich our service offering but also reinforce our responsibility to excellence in legal practice.
Attracting and retaining top talent
The foundation of our success is our people. Creating a culture where everyone feels safe, valued and empowered is key to a high-performing team.
Reflecting our communities
As a leading firm across Western Canada, it is crucial that our team mirrors the diverse population we serve. This alignment helps us effectively address the needs of our clients today and prepares us for the future demands of an evolving society.
Leadership in industry transformation
The legal industry may be traditionally resistant to change, but we are dedicated to being agents for transformation. We lead by example through honest and respectful conversations, continual curiosity and proactive initiatives.
Initiatives
We are dedicated to fostering inclusive work settings that respect the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities. We strive to identify and eliminate barriers that may impede access to our services, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to obtain, use and benefit from our offerings equally.
Physical disabilities
Ensuring our physical locations and work environments are accessible to everyone is an important initiative of MLT Aikins. Our ongoing efforts include improving accessibility and addressing physical barriers within our spaces, as well as tailoring our policies and practices to uphold the dignity and independence of those with disabilities. We also provide personalized accommodation plans and work to dispel misconceptions and systemic ableism through education and the promotion of empathy and respect.
Invisible disabilities
Invisible disabilities such as chronic pain, mental illness, ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, among others, are uniquely experienced by each individual. We are dedicated to understanding these personal experiences and providing suitable accommodations through individualized plans. Recognizing the challenges in disclosing invisible disabilities, we focus on educating our team to create a workplace where empathy and respect are paramount.
Part of fostering our diverse and inclusive culture means offering all team members the option to include gender pronouns in their email signatures and web profiles. This practice supports our duty to respect, safety and acceptance, helping to prevent misgendering and promote awareness of all gender identities.
We know it’s important to remain objective and credible in our DEI efforts. We regularly survey our firm’s diversity stats with the help of Global Learning, a third-party consultant, that tracks and monitors our DEI goals.
DEI Advisory Committee
Our DEI Advisory Committee, featuring a cross-section of lawyers, staff and the managing partner, spearheads the firm’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace. The committee works to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere through training, events and avenues for conversation, while providing guidance and recommendations to the firm’s executive board and management on DEI best practices.
The committee is guided by a regularly reviewed roadmap which seeks to:
- Eliminate unintentional barriers to diversity, equity and inclusion
- Educate and train on unconscious bias and DEI within the firm
- Celebrate and create awareness of DEI within the firm and communicate our commitment to it, both internally and externally
DEI in action
The DEI Advisory Committee has established a baseline of educational activities through events for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Pride at Work and International Women’s Day. We’re also engaged through our Red Dress Day campaign, Pride parades across Western Canada and offering firm-wide unconscious bias training.
These events are dedicated to understanding and addressing the persistent inequalities in our society. We aim to move beyond symbolic gestures, fostering a genuine culture of reconciliation. We continue to explore crucial issues, share valuable resources and offer significant educational opportunities. MLT Aikins is dedicated to being a part of meaningful change, where every interaction and learning experience contributes to a fairer future.
Truth and reconciliation
MLT Aikins supports the work of reconciliation though meaningful action and education.
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