Overcoming systemic barriers is critical to creating an inclusive work environment. Systemic barriers are policies or practices that result in the marginalization of specific groups of people and thus limit access to talent and ideas costing Canada in potential innovation. Individuals from these groups receive unequal access to or are excluded from participation in employment, services or programs, which ultimately perpetuates their marginalization and underrepresentation. Underrepresented groups can include, but are not limited to: women; Indigenous, racialized or 2SLGBTQI+ people; persons with disabilities; and, early-career researchers.
CFI expects that proposals submitted to this competition will identify the systemic barriers to participation of underrepresented groups, as relevant to their research domain, and will demonstrate concrete, evidence-supported practices that will help overcome these barriers and create an inclusive work environment.
It is insufficient to rely exclusively on institutional guidelines and policies. There is a large body of peer reviewed literature to support effective and impactful best practices for implementing EDI into your work environment. You should develop and apply your own plans for your team, provide supporting references, and have mechanisms to demonstrate if they are working. Your plans must consider recruitment and how to support members of underrepresented groups once they have been hired.
Examples of concrete practices to create an inclusive work environment include, but are not limited to:
• Appropriate institutional financial support for EDI actions
• Equitable and inclusive access practices (e.g., independent access committee)
• Focus on cultural humility and establishment of an environment of constructive cultural learning
• Implementation of gender equity and equality programs (e.g., NSERC Dimensions)
• Inclusion of early-career researchers within the leadership and advisory bodies
• Inclusive recruitment and hiring practices
• Individuals with clearly identified responsibilities to support underrepresented groups, with attention to issues related to “minority tax”
• Plans to re-assess EDI activities regularly
• Robust and safe feedback mechanisms
• Targeted financial support for underrepresented groups (e.g., reduced cost to access infrastructure)
• Team culture statements.