When Jeffrey Peyer joined Fidelity Canada in Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Ottawa, his education was just beginning.
“Since then, I’ve taken a steady stream of courses,” he says. The company covers the cost of his courses and adds an incentive when he completes one, but the training and education have paid off for Peyer and Fidelity alike.
From his initial role in 2010 as a bilingual client relations representative, Peyer has advanced through the company to his current position as senior product solutions analyst. He’s now one of four people on the mutual-fund product-development team who analyzes, designs and develops new investment products for the company.
Those products help Fidelity Canada to remain in the forefront of the financial services industry in Canada. With headquarters in Toronto and offices in Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver, the company relies on the adaptability of employees like Peyer to remain competitive in a continually changing investment environment.
“Our culture encourages innovation, leadership and teamwork,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice president, human resources. “Adaptability helps to keep people motivated and committed to excellence.”
Since 2020, the company’s adaptability has been tested in ways that no one expected before COVID-19. From the early days of the pandemic, when employees were instructed to work from home, the company has adapted to changing conditions without losing momentum.
In the early stages, it reimbursed employees who acquired desks, chairs, monitors and other equipment for their home offices. It equipped designated employees to conduct client webcasts from home. As it became apparent that adjustments to COVID-19 would be more permanent than anyone had initially expected, the company began renovating its offices “so the work site would be more conducive to collaboration,” says Godfrey.
As the renovations progressed, employees purchased at a discount its unneeded furniture, monitors and other equipment, then donated the proceeds to charity, while the purchases were still eligible for the reimbursement program.
“I bought the chair that I sat in every day,” says Godfrey.
For Peyer, the transition to working from home seemed almost seamless, and as his work continued, so did his studies. In June, he acquired his credential in the Fundamentals of Sustainable Accounting (FSA) from the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board, confirming his expertise in identifying, managing and analyzing material information related to sustainability as he develops sustainable mutual funds for the company.
Even before he obtained his FSA credential, Peyer had been helping Fidelity take advantage of opportunities in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, says Godfrey.
Based on ESG criteria, Peyer designs sustainable funds that invest in companies selected according to their financial prospects, how they manage various ESG issues and the impact they may have on society and the environment. With a choice of sustainable investments from Fidelity, clients can achieve their financial goals while aligning their investments with their values, the company says.
In addition to his FSA, Peyer’s credentials after 11 years with the company now include a certificate in derivatives market strategies, a designation as a Canadian Investment Manager, a fellowship in the Canadian Securities Institute and a designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Even during COVID-19, Fidelity continues to encourage employees to pursue new career objectives. “We’re still dedicated to development,” says Godfrey. “We’re just finding new ways of doing it.”
