VAUGHAN, ONT. — The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is taking steps to fight racism and raising awareness of the positive impact embracing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) can have on construction companies.
RESCON has completed two online BuildForce Canada courses aimed at helping individuals, industry leaders and managers understand systemic racism and embrace practices that create a more inclusive workplace, states a release.
RESCON, through the Anti-Racism Roundtable, which was formed in 2020, is now a distributor of the courses and is encouraging construction site supervisors, project managers and onsite personnel to take the training.
The courses are Introduction to Understanding Systemic Racism and Working in a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace. Each course consists of about nine lessons for a total of three hours of self-paced instruction per module. Interactive elements, scenarios, videos and quizzes are used in the lessons to reinforce learning. Participants receive a certificate upon completion of each module.
“These courses will help employers prioritize awareness, education, and the creation of a culture of safety, not just from physical hazards and violence, but also psychological hazards including racism and harassment,” said RESCON vice-president Andrew Pariser in a statement.
“Having a more diverse and inclusive workforce is the right thing to do, but it can also have a significant impact on the bottom line of companies,” added RESCON president Richard Lyall. “Research has shown that companies with higher levels of ethnic and cultural diversity are more likely to see above-average profits. It makes perfect business sense to have more inclusive hiring practices.”
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