Cutting across gender, race, and class while drawing from her own experiences, Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of Ontario’s Pay Equity Commission, confronts the stereotypes about women at work.

Through an exploration of history, culture and workplace practices, Commissioner Ward demonstrated how gender “norms” were constructed and how they persist today. This insightful talk digs deeper into the meaning of “women’s worth” and the tools needed to question the status quo to define our relationships with work, family, and our communities.

Attendees developed a fresh perspective on the complexity of today’s social norms, explored the implications of reducing the gender wage gap and the value of all women, and were empowered to advance all women across their organization.

Business leaders, including Commissioner Ward, gathered to have a roundtable discussion on the progress of gender inclusion and parity in the workplace, particularly women in STEM and how to attract and retain diverse talent.  After decades of mixed results, there is a growing awareness of the need to move beyond the basics and take bold steps to effect change. What actions and ideas will finally close the gender gap?

Canada’s tech sector and industries such as financial services and manufacturing are striving to attract and retain more women in fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics, engineering and IT. Men are four times as likely as women to work in the tech sector, according to a 2019 report by Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The stat is concerning given the rapid pace of digital and technology-related job growth due in part to the pandemic. This Idea Exchange will bring women in technology and STEM together to share their views and insights for a more representative workforce.

Women have been undervalued in the workplace for almost a century and a half. On this edition of the Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham podcast, we are recognizing tomorrow’s International Women’s Day with the incredible Kadie Ward, MBA to discuss gender inequality in the workplace.

This episode is packed with some amazing insights into how women have been undervalued in work over the years, why legislation is essential in closing the gender wage gap, how gender diversity, equity, and inclusion create economic prosperity, and so much more!

Commissioner Ward also shared some tools for how to make a difference in these issues and tells us how we can play a role in her vision for an inclusive Canada.

To hear all this and more, tune in now! Available at your preferred podcast platform now or visit the link: https://hubs.la/Q01FBWFD0.

C​ommissioner Ward attended the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)​​ to discuss bringing women and other marginalized groups into technology. Adding diverse voices to this growing sector results in more creative solutions and has greater potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality.

Commissioner Ward was excited to join Sara Bentham and Dior Sarr to speak with Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) on the barriers facing working women and the importance of closing the gender wage gap.​ ​

Commissioner Ward was excited to participate in the Globe & Mail’s Women’s Collective Idea Exchange session BIPOC Women at Work – Overcoming barriers to advancement. Women typically experience a longer and more circuitous rise to the C-suite than men, but these challenges are significantly amplified for Black women, Indigenous women and other women of colour. The session aimed to reflect on how organizations can increase BIPOC representation across leadership levels.​

Commissioner Ward was pleased to join the Brazil Canada Chamber of Commerce for an important discussion on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Where it starts, a fireside chat to discuss pay equity and other inclusive practices in the workplace. ​