At Blueprint, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are core to who we are and essential to driving meaningful social change. As a mission-driven nonprofit, we recognize the historical and present-day contexts and systems that intersect with our work, including harmful legacies of biased data and research. We are committed to ensuring that our work benefits everyone in Canada, especially those who have been—and continue to be—marginalized.
We are working to embed DEI into every aspect of our work—within our culture, policies, and partnerships. Our vision is to create a Blueprint where DEI values guide our efforts both internally and externally, empowering our team, partners, and the communities we serve.
Blueprint has two bodies who are formally tasked with leading DEI initiatives. The DEI Committee is an employee-led group dedicated to fostering an environment where all voices are heard, valued, and empowered. The Committee plays a crucial role in driving initiatives and cultivating daily practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across Blueprint. The DEI Governance Council is a group of leaders and key stakeholders who provide strategic oversight and ensure DEI principles are consistently applied across all levels of the organization. Together, the DEI Committee and the Governance Council work to formally embed DEI into Blueprint’s operational and strategic decisions.
Our DEI journey began with a baseline assessment in 2021, and today, the DEI Governance Council and DEI Committee collaborate on initiatives that shape Blueprint’s ongoing progress. Some of our key initiatives include:
We invite you to join us in building a more inclusive and equitable future for all. Learn more about our initiatives, or partner with us on our mission to create lasting change. With the active efforts of the DEI Committee and the guidance of the DEI Governance Council, we are committed to making DEI an integral part of everything we do.
In 2021, Blueprint hired an external consulting firm to conduct a baseline assessment of DEI within the organization, guide on the establishment of a DEI committee, and design a meaningful organization-wide DEI strategic framework and action plan.
Coming out of this work, Blueprint established its DEI Committee in 2022.
To further support Blueprint in its DEI commitments, in 2023, Blueprint’s Board of Directors requested that Blueprint develop a governance framework to guide its DEI strategy. This resulted in the formation of the DEI Governance Council, an internal forum of leaders and key stakeholders from across the organization with the mandate to provide strategic oversight and guidance for DEI priorities at Blueprint and to address opportunities and challenges related to DEI and the attainment of Blueprint’s mission.
As a result of collaboration between these two bodies, Blueprint’s DEI Action Plan was developed, that sets the stage for our continuing work in this area.
Diversity is the presence of “difference” within a given setting. It refers to the differences in the identities and lived experiences of people including gender identity or expression, sexual identity, race, ethnicity, ancestry, place of origin, political beliefs, religion, marital status, family status, physical disability, mental disability, age, and socio-economic conditions, as examples.
Equity is an approach that ensures everyone is fairly supported in their personal and professional development. Equity recognizes that advantages and barriers exist, and that, as a result, we don’t all start from the same place. Equity is a process that begins by acknowledging that unequal starting place and making a commitment to correct and address the imbalance through our actions, policies, programs and systems.
Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which people feel like they can bring their authentic selves to work and participate fully. It means everyone feels valued and respected for their unique identities. Inclusion relates to the quality of the human experience.
DEI Governance Council (the “Council”) is an internal forum of leaders and key stakeholders from across the organization with the mandate to provide strategic oversight and guidance for DEI priorities at Blueprint and to address opportunities and challenges related to DEI and the attainment of Blueprint’s mission. Current Members: Ian Chan (Executive representative), Emily Colpitts and Lauren Mina (Leadership representatives), Christiana Oladeselu (People & Culture), Rusty Patriquin (Secretary), and Galen Voysey and Zainab Yusuf (DEI Committee Co-Chairs).
DEI Committee (the “Committee”) is a staff led advisory group for issues and initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Committee aims to develop and promote strategies and best practices within the scope of racial, social, sexual, and gender diversity, as well as many other systems of marginalization. Current Members: Galen Voysey (Co-Chair), Zainab Yusuf (Co-Chair), Anoushka Chandarana, Emma Elbourne-Weinstock, Heather MacArthur, and Miles Kenyon.
