Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Tridel embraces diversity while reinforcing inclusion. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong, is physically and psychologically safe, and can reach their full potential. We believe everyone benefits when we welcome and value different thoughts, ideas, experiences, and identities.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Tridel

As a community builder for over 90 years, we take our work and responsibility seriously. We are a values-based organization that embraces the obligation to translate our influence as a market leader into positive action.

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey began internally with a focus on our employees and culture. We’ve since extended our efforts to influence change beyond our workplace, to both our industry and the communities where we do business.

The First Community We Build is Our Own

Our Built for Respect mandate ensures DEI is engrained into everything we do at Tridel. Our workplace culture is built on integrity, respect and professionalism and our workforce resembles the wonderfully diverse communities where we build.

Built for Respect is our commitment to proactively supporting anti-racism and anti-discrimination practices in our workplace, communities, and industry.

Built for Respect drives us to foster positive health and well-being in a workplace that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, progressive, and safe from any form of hate – bullying, abuse, harassment, or discrimination, otherwise known as ‘BAHD’ behaviours. Anyone who enters our workforce or does business with us knows they belong, are welcomed and valued.

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Journey

At Tridel, we have thoughtfully mapped our journey to help us achieve our priorities and goals. We began by providing a safe space for employees to discuss lived experiences, learn and exchange ideas. This formally evolved into our DEI Accountability Network which includes 14 employees at various levels in the organization, across 16 departments. This group is a powerful forum to enact change by advancing our Built for Respect commitment and actioning our plan to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.

Create & Expand Policies Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our practices and policies are written to ensure fairness and equity for all employees, as well as set expectations for zero tolerance surrounding matters relating to direct or indirect acts of racism, bullying, abuse, harassment, or other acts of violence and aggression. This helps us promote and uphold appropriate standards of conduct and encourage inclusive behaviours.

Building Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our goal is to embed DEI into our organizational culture through training and education to increase awareness and diversify perspectives. This includes empowering employees to identify, report and prevent acts of racism or discrimination; reviewing recruitment and career development practices to ensure we are building diverse employee and leadership teams; and working with a third-party DEI expert to identify our current benchmark level and recommend priorities for growth.

Monitor & Evaluate

We commit to reporting on our progress and regular monitoring of our organizational systems for barriers, and to continuously adjust policies and practices as needed to align with our DEI vision.

Continue the Conversation

Our efforts will not be a one-and-done approach. We have committed resources to create real change that generates long-lasting, sustained positive impact. Further, through community outreach and external connections, we are expanding our efforts to increase awareness about how we are addressing DEI in the construction industry, in partnership with other developers, builders and industry associations.

Create & Expand Policies Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our practices and policies are written to ensure fairness and equity for all employees, as well as set expectations for zero tolerance surrounding matters relating to direct or indirect acts of racism, bullying, abuse, harassment, or other acts of violence and aggression. This helps us promote and uphold appropriate standards of conduct and encourage inclusive behaviours.

Building Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our goal is to embed DEI into our organizational culture through training and education to increase awareness and diversify perspectives. This includes empowering employees to identify, report and prevent acts of racism or discrimination; reviewing recruitment and career development practices to ensure we are building diverse employee and leadership teams; and working with a third-party DEI expert to identify our current benchmark level and recommend priorities for growth.

Monitor & Evaluate

We commit to reporting on our progress and regular monitoring of our organizational systems for barriers, and to continuously adjust policies and practices as needed to align with our DEI vision.

Continue the Conversation

Our efforts will not be a one-and-done approach. We have committed resources to create real change that generates long-lasting, sustained positive impact. Further, through community outreach and external connections, we are expanding our efforts to increase awareness about how we are addressing DEI in the construction industry, in partnership with other developers, builders and industry associations.

Beyond our Workplace

As community builders in a diverse city, we’re fortunate to generate long-lasting, positive impacts for our communities. We believe that talent is universal but understand that opportunity often is not.

Students at George Brown College BOLT Event

Our Commitment in Community

As the developer partner in three Toronto Community Housing revitalization communities, we offer equitable, outcome-based community economic development opportunities that support the socio-economic integration of vulnerable populations, many of whom are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) or from marginalized groups, by advancing community programs, resident-led business, and leadership opportunities. Our Community Economic Development team works directly with youth from priority neighbourhoods to match them with appropriate opportunities.

Tridel Community Worx

This platform was created to serve and support underrepresented groups, providing opportunity and access to training, education, and employment opportunities.

Visit Tridel Community Worx

Building Opportunities for Life Today (BOLT) Foundation

Tridel is the founding and principal sponsor of the BOLT Foundation. Their mission is to connect under-resourced youth to education and careers in construction.

Visit the BOLT Foundation

The Ripple Effect

We are a part of The Ripple Effect Circle, a powerful action-oriented coalition consisting of member organizations from multiple sectors (private, public, non-profit) to create lasting, positive change for communities most impacted by systemic racism.

Learn More

Built to Lead

It is the beginning of our shared commitment to end discrimination through awareness, education, discussion, and honest evaluation. It marks the first step towards the creation of real change throughout the home building and construction industry.

Partnering with Our Industry

We partner with our trades, consultants, customers, and industry associations to help drive change that positively impacts society as a whole.

In 2020, we kicked off our Built for Respect campaign in partnership with Ellis Don, the Labourers’ International Union of North America- Local 183 (LiUNA183), Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCO) and Building Industry & Land Development Association (BILD) to tackle and ideally eliminate racism within the construction industry. It is the beginning of our shared commitment to end discrimination through awareness, education, discussion, and honest evaluation. It marks the first step towards the creation of real change throughout the home building and construction industry.

We have dedicated leaders and employees to serve on the newly formed anti-racism action teams, including BILD’s first People & Culture Committee and RESCON’s Construction Against Racism Everywhere (CARE) Anti-Racism Roundtable. These provide a forum for leading industry associations to collectively address the immediate challenges of racism in the construction industry while fostering DEI of all underrepresented groups within our workforce.

We have signed and publicly published our commitment to take concrete action to promote and live by the principles of DEI with the City of Toronto’s Declaration and BILD’s Leader Pledge.

If You See Something, Say Something

Built for Respect is about creating places free of racism and BAHD (Bullying, Abuse, Harassment, Discrimination) behaviours. Any act that puts someone at risk physically, psychologically, or otherwise, should be reported immediately.

If you are an employee or worker at any one of our workplaces (on-site, head office, etc.), and see BAHD behaviours, fill out the incident form with as much detail as possible so that the best action can be taken. There will be a confidential response from a member of our People & Culture team to follow.