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Today’s forest sector is changing, and many organizations are making strides toward implementing inclusive measures to allow all people to thrive in their careers.
But there’s more work to be done.

 
 
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Currently, statistics in Canada’s
forest sector show:

  • Only 19%* are women;

  • In addition, and inclusive of women, statistics show that only 9% are visible minorities;

  • 7% are Indigenous;

  • and 12% are Immigrants

The forest sector is currently primed for growth with the emergence of new sectors and employment opportunities. A huge opportunity exists to transform the workforce. With more diverse voices at the table, gender balanced sectors are more innovative, profitable, and have better business outcomes.

Statistics show that women and men graduate at a 50-50 rate but within the first 5 years women leave due to workplace culture issues.

*Census data shows that between 2016 and 2021 the representation of women in Canada’s forest sector increased by 2 percentage points, from 17% to 19%. A small but important increment, for which Free to Grow in Forestry has contributed and made a positive impact to Canada’s forest sector.

We operate with our values first and foremost.

We aim to empower individuals to feel confident about their role in, and contribution to, a positive workplace culture. We help individuals go beyond talking about their values to truly embracing a workplace culture that weaves empathy, integrity, respect, honesty, and decency into their daily work environment.

Companies that have the most diverse minds on their executive teams are 21% more likely to experience higher than average profitability.

Research shows that organizations with an inclusive culture are:

2x as likely to exceed financial targets

3x as likely to be high-performing 

6x as likely to be innovative & agile

Source: Juliet Bourke, Which Two Heads Are Better Than One? How Diverse Teams Create Breakthrough Ideas and Make Smarter Decisions (Australian Institute of Compant Directors, 2016). Deloitte Insights.)
Doerr, P. (2018). “The Business Case for Gender Parity.”

McKinsey & Company - Diversity Matters Even More: The Case for Holistic Impact (2023)

8x as likely to achieve better business outcomes

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What are some of the barriers identified in the current workplace?

  • Persistent wage gaps 

  • Low retention rates 

  • Lack of advancement opportunities

  • Workplace culture

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#ForestryForward

Women, Indigenous peoples and new Canadians working in the forest sector have access to opportunities for ongoing learning, growth, and professional development. They also contribute positively to the communities they live and work in, which in turn, helps forests thrive.

The forest sector offers dynamic and challenging work and opportunities to grow. And inclusive actions are the key to its success.

Speak up and help move #ForestryForward.

What is a toxic work environment?

Toxic work environments make employees feel punished, rejected, guilty, defensive and humiliated. Employees find it difficult to work in this environment because of negative behaviors from management and co-workers. Common behaviors include bullying, yelling, manipulating and belittling.

Employees in a toxic work environment may be nervous to speak their minds, raise concerns or share thoughts because they are worried about being rejected or reprimanded. A toxic workplace can also lead to unethical behavior such as undermining, manipulating, lying or being deceitful.

We believe everyone should have a toxic free workplace culture. If you are looking for support to navigate your workplace culture, get in touch and/or take the effective online training course and see what you can do to make a positive impact.