Like many others across the country, Rebecca Owens marked Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30 by wearing an “Every Child Matters” orange shirt to raise awareness about the continuing impact of residential schools on Indigenous peoples and their communities.
Owens, who works to empower Indigenous communities, is the co-manager of a Walmart Canada Corp. store in St. John’s, N.L., and she’s proud of her employer’s initiative to sell the shirts and donate all profits to the Orange Shirt Society, led by Phyllis Webstad, who founded Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters based on her experience of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at a residential school. But when Owens saw an opportunity for the company to do more to support Indigenous peoples, she wrote to her executive vice-president, Nabeela Ixtabalan, with a suggestion.
“I reached out to Nabeela and told her about my passion for working with the Indigenous community,” says Owens, who has been working to find a way to connect with Indigenous communities and help advance Indigenous women into leadership roles.
Now, she says, “we’re looking into partnering with an Indigenous group in Newfoundland called the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women's Network, which helps promote women in leadership positions within the Indigenous community, to help us empower Indigenous women leaders through the Women in Retail program at Walmart.”
Owens was thrilled that her views were listened to, taken seriously and acted upon. “When I wrote to management, I had no idea it would go this far – it was just to have my voice heard,” she says. “But being able to present my ideas has been incredible, and I think it’s good for our associates to be able to relate to that. If I can have a voice, so can they. At the end of the day, it’s about encouraging associates to have a voice.”
Ingrid Wilson, Walmart Canada’s senior director of culture, diversity, equity and inclusion (CDEI), says that amplifying associates’ voices is a priority for the Mississauga, Ont.-based retailer. “It starts with listening sessions to give associates a platform to talk about what’s impacting them, and then identifying what we can accomplish as an organization to serve and deliver on their needs.”
As part of her role, Wilson created a new CDEI strategy, expanding on the corporation’s previous program, Providing Opportunities for All. One of its initiatives is the CDEI Advocate Award, which recognizes associates who promote and champion CDEI within Walmart Canada and its community.
“We are addressing the different needs of our associate community, and focusing on empowering associates to increase diversity within our leadership roles,” Wilson says. “We’re also building a Transgender Inclusion program for our leaders and associates with a partner organization, Pride at Work Canada.”
In addition, Wilson is developing an Inclusive Leadership training series that Walmart hopes to extend to certain partners and suppliers. And her team is organizing two Walmart Canada Signature Open Call Vendor Forums, with a focus on inclusive products and vendors with different backgrounds, identities and experiences.
“It’s been a great learning journey that’s helped us build community partnerships and moved us forward to create better opportunities for all,” she says. “We hope our strategy will impact not just the Walmart community and our associates but everyone around us.”
