Vancouver (February 24, 2021) – Across northern and western Canada, Crowe MacKay LLP came together to raise awareness about bullying of adolescents and adults by wearing pink in support of Pink Shirt Day on February 24.
Did you know:
- 19% of women and 13% of men reported that they had experienced harassment in their workplace. Workplace harassment includes verbal abuse, humiliating behaviour, threats to persons, physical violence, and unwanted sexual attention or sexual harassment.*
- The most common type of workplace harassment was verbal abuse—13% of women and 10% of men reported having experienced it in the past year.*
- About 47% of men and 34% of women who had been harassed by a supervisor or manager had a weak sense of belonging to their current organization, compared with 16% of both women and men who said they had not been harassed at work in the past year.*
At Crowe MacKay, we believe that creating a respectful workplace is not just about having the policies, procedures, and training available to all our staff, but the continuance of promoting a culture where the diversity of people and ideas belong.
Crowe MacKay is committed to ensuring employees can complete their duties in a safe environment, without fear of bullying, harassment, or violence. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated at Crowe MacKay. Leadership is committed to creating a culture that is fair and where employees are respected, which is reflected in the firm’s core values: We Care. We Share. We Invest. We Grow. In living these core values, employees are empowered and equipped to share the responsibility to ensure that Crowe MacKay’s workplace remains safe and welcoming.
An inclusive workplace is everyone’s responsibility.
Chief Operations Officer and Partner, Bill Gill, has grown his career with Crowe MacKay, starting as a student and now serving as a leader not only within the firm, but in the industry. Over 20 years later, he still credits his career path and success with Crowe MacKay to the firm’s people emphasizing that kindness does make a difference.
“The partners and team members work together on every level. When it came time to celebrate our culture during events like Diwali and Vaisakhi, we made time for each other to get to know the differences, what it meant to us, and why we celebrated the events.”
The idea of respect is rooted in the belief that everyone is innately valuable. Respect shows consideration of others and esteems differences. When individuals respect each other, they safeguard the dignity of their co-workers. Employees in a respectful environment feel safe and valued. Respect includes tolerance but encompasses more than restraint and putting up with certain individuals or behaviours. Respect entails welcoming differences and understanding that they contribute to a vibrant workplace. We also realize that individuals may be striving to improve and change certain behaviours and that this takes time. Our ability to tolerate some of the growing pains is a way of offering support to co-workers.
At Crowe MacKay, all employees are required to complete our respectful workplace training to foster a respectful working environment for all staff and promote a healthy culture of communication around topics such as bullying, harassment, and violence. In addition to this, there is an enhanced Managers training on the topic in support of our Firm’s Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Violence policies.
Alena Christie, Crowe MacKay’s Human Resources Leader, says the firm “strives every day to foster an inclusive environment where our diverse culture can thrive.” She continues to emphasize Crowe MacKay’s dedication to creating a space for employees to come together, embrace their differences, and truly feel like they belong.
“We are always learning, growing, and evolving in this area and are encouraged by the steps we continue to take to make Crowe MacKay's culture something we can be proud of now and in the future.”
Providing annual training to employees is a priority of Crowe MacKay’s and encompasses a variety of topics that address bullying and harassment and shifting mindsets. An example of this is the unconscious bias training provided “teaching us how to have a conscious culture where values guide behavior and conscious leadership and empowers employees to reach their highest potential.” Says Alena.
Crowe MacKay not only embraces the diversity of employees but encourages individuals to share their stories and cultures to create a firm of belonging, truly living the core values of We Care. We Share. We Invest. We Grow.
“Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.”
- Jacqueline Woodson
*Statistics from a 2018 study released by Insights on Canadian Society in partnership with Statistics Canada’s Centre for Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion, using data from the General Social Survey on Canadians at Work and Home.
About Crowe MacKay LLP
Serving northern and western Canada for over 50 years, Crowe MacKay LLP is one of the leading accounting and advisory firms in the country. With a team of 400 across eight offices, we are a vibrant team of trusted advisors. We believe strong relationships are the cornerstone to success and strive to create innovative solutions for our clients in both private and public sectors. We have a passion for quality in the services we deliver to our community and clients from a wide range of industries. A firm focused on people first, Crowe MacKay’s corporate culture is built on maximizing potential for clients and staff. Our belief is that we are truly our best when we invest in our people and communities. Committed to showing we care about the people we serve through our work and actions, we strive to make a difference in the regions we serve.
Crowe MacKay is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to creating a diverse environment.
About Crowe Global
Ranked the eighth largest accounting network in the world, Crowe Global has over 200 independent accounting and advisory firms in 130 countries. For over 100 years, Crowe has made smart decisions for multinational clients working across borders. Our leaders work with governments, regulatory bodies, and industry groups to shape the future of the profession worldwide. Their exceptional knowledge of business, local laws, and customs provide lasting value to clients undertaking international projects. At Crowe, the professionals all share one commitment, to deliver excellence.