In addition to attending diversity-related events and workshops, all employees can participate in training to better understand how to put “conscious inclusion” into practice. We also partner with Pride at Work Canada, and the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion (CCDI), giving our people unlimited access to 2SLGBTQ+ learning and to CCDI’s webinars and knowledge community.
At the IESO, we understand that embedding equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into our processes and practices isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s essential to our success. That’s why we were proud to be named a 2023 CCDI Awardee for Diversity and Inclusion, and recognized for our commitment to building a more inclusive workplace.
Our Corporate Indigenous Policy promotes inclusion by recognizing and addressing the unique challenges of Indigenous youths, communities and businesses. In 2023, we awarded $12.1 million to fund 93 projects that will increase Indigenous participation in the sector, and support community capacity- and skills building, and held our seventh annual First Nations symposium. Learn more.
Genuine Caring – We create an environment of fairness, trust, respect and belonging
“For me, genuine caring is the mark of authentic leadership, and it’s likely the most important value that I try to model every single day. It builds long-lasting trust, true engagement and a feeling of “having a family” at work. As such, coaching, mentoring and supporting personal growth can become seamless and natural day-to-day activities, not to mention the positive vibe that one can feel just by walking around the office.”
Sorana Ionescu, MBA, Director, Smart Metering, Information & Technology Services
Expertise with humility – We value diverse experiences and perspectives
“It’s really amazing to work at an organization where so many people are experts in their field, but remain humble and are willing to go out of their way to help others without even being asked. At the IESO, the depth of expertise in every function means that conversations among colleagues feature different viewpoints, making it easier to understand the same issue from multiple perspectives and to see how what we do ultimately benefits everyone else in the province.”
Dalia Hussein, P.Eng., PhD, Engineer, Operational Assessments
Collaboration and teamwork – We believe in the power of working together
“Teamwork and collaboration permeate most IESO initiatives, whether bringing together the diverse expertise of internal teams to support project goals, or taking the perspectives and needs of stakeholders into account. In Legal, I have the pleasure of working on numerous multidisciplinary teams to support various initiatives and it’s always a supportive environment where open discussion is encouraged, everyone’s views are respected and considered, and we all learn from each other.”
Aaron Kucharczuk, M.Sc., JD, Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate/Commercial Law Group
Commitment and accountability – We take our mandate and responsibilities seriously and hold ourselves accountable
“Ensuring the province has access to reliable electricity when and where it is needed means being accountable for the comprehensive planning and analysis that will lay the groundwork for a strong energy future for decades to come. In planning for the system, we are committed to engaging and working together with stakeholders and communities to take a holistic view of all perspectives in an environment that is continually evolving.”
Bonnie Chan, P.Eng., Senior Manager, Resource and Plan Assessments
Purposeful engagement – We are thoughtful about who we engage with and how
“Engaging with industry stakeholders and Ontario communities is a core business driver at the IESO. Faced with tremendous change over the past few years, we found new and innovative ways to remain engaged with the growing diversity of sector participants. Amid this evolution, I remain optimistic about the IESO’s ability to maintain strong stakeholder and community relations and use the important input from those participants to make informed and balanced decisions that support the delivery of reliable and cost-effective power across the province.”
Jason Grbavac, Senior Advisor, Stakeholder Engagement
Openness to change – We have the courage to challenge the status quo and the curiosity to try new things.
“ We are at the precipice of the most significant transition in the electricity sector – ever. Between preparing to meet future decarbonization targets, electrification of heating, transportation and industrial processes, and enabling resources, Ontario’s electricity sector is evolving at an unprecedented rate. Openness to change and mustering the courage to challenge the status quo must be the status quo.”
Elyas Ahmed, Senior Engineer, Advanced Technology Research, Innovation, Research & Development