From Reform to Results: Employer Perspectives on Removing Systemic Barriers

Many organizations have moved beyond conversations about inclusion and are implementing institutional reforms to address systemic barriers within their workplaces. But what changes are actually making a difference? How are organizations measuring impact? What challenges arise during implementation?

This interactive discussion brings together employers and organizational decision-makers to share practical experiences, lessons learned, and insights from the reforms they have introduced across areas such as recruitment, advancement, workplace policies, and leadership accountability.

Participants will explore:

• Institutional reforms designed to remove systemic barriers
• Strategies for implementation and change management
• Challenges encountered and lessons learned
• Approaches to measuring outcomes and impact
• How organizations are sustaining progress over time

Agenda

• 1:00 – 1:15pm – Welcome and Introductions – Opening remarks, introduction to the session, and overview of objectives
• 1:15 – 1:55pm – Session 1: Company Perspectives – Companies share their experiences implementing reforms to address systemic barriers, including best practices, challenges, lessons learned, and measurable impact.
• 1:55 – 2:10pm – Networking, discussions, break
• 2:10 – 2:55pm – Session 2: Organization Perspectives – Organizations will share will share the systemic barriers they are working to address, the approaches they have taken, early results and impact, emerging opportunities, and success stories from their work.
• 2:55 – 3:10pm – Networking, discussions, break
• 3:10pm – 4:00pm – Roundtable Discussions – Participants engage in small-group discussions focused on institutional reforms, implementation challenges, measuring impact, and sustaining progress..
• 4:00 – 4:30pm – Networking – Participants have an opportunity to connect with peers and continue sharing experiences, ideas, and best practices.

This session is intended for employers, executives, organizational leaders, and decision-makers responsible for implementing organizational policies, systems, and workplace reforms. It is designed as a peer-learning discussion focused on practical implementation and measurable outcomes.

This project has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada