Mandate Letter

Welcome Message from Troy Crosby, Assistant Deputy Minister

Be the change you wish to see in our organization. Our Diversity and Inclusion Mandate Letter aims to bring together all the leaders and members of the Materiel Group to advance diversity, inclusion and equity within the workplace. We strive to be a leading example in the Federal Public Service for taking action on diversity, inclusion and belonging. This Letter accompanies the existing Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion, the 2020-21 Deputy Minister Commitments on Diversity and Inclusion, the 2021 Minister of National Defence Mandate Letter, and the Diversity and Inclusion Areas of Focus for the Public Service, published by the President of the Treasure Board to align with the Government’s Speech from the Throne and recent mandate letters.

Diversity and inclusion work takes commitment. It takes the responsibility to work together, to improve ourselves, and to focus on the people side of business. It takes accountability to recognize and learn from our mistakes. We are all made up of multiple layers that no box can contain, and our workplace must reflect this. To have a diverse and inclusive organization, we must commit to learning about and from our leaders’ and members’ layers and applying their knowledge and experiences to advance the Federal Public Service. A non-diverse workplace means everyone shares the same background, mindset and biases. With the strength of diversity, we can break down those biases, develop creative problem-solving techniques and build a stronger, more inclusive organization.

To do our best work for Canadians, we must first feel physically and psychologically safe at work. One person committed to equity, fairness and psychological safety can elevate the Federal Public service. Imagine what can happen if more people commit to the same. This Mandate Letter is our pledge to the Materiel Group and the advancement of our Defence Team and the Federal Public Service. We pledge to adhere to the commitments outlined in the Letter and update it as we create and grow together.

Director Generals, Directors, Managers, Team Leads, and all Members can sign the mandate letter and execute the commitments, sign it and be provided with the Companion Guide of ideas to enhance individual accountability and remove systemic barriers in our organizations so all individuals can thrive and contribute to the Federal Public Service. We will never be perfect, and that’s alright. Still, together we will make strides to unlearn the unconscious biases that hold us back and build a support system of psychological safety. Inclusion means everyone, always.

5 Commitments - 5 Responsibilities to Diversity and Inclusion

1. Building a respectful, accessible, diverse, psychologically safer, and inclusive workspace	We are calling on all the leaders of Materiel Group to come together to establish psychological safety in our organization. The goal is to create an environment where employees are not only included, fully engaged, and encouraged to collaborate, but also where they feel respected, confident and motivated. Leaders must engage team members and prioritize psychological safety alongside operational objectives. Creating healthy and supportive spaces that will foster intercultural competence and tolerance, and uplifting each other are fundamental to psychological safety, preventing and stopping cases and instances of unacceptable conduct. Preventive measures include: hosting open discussions with our teams to inform on harassment in the workplace and advise on possible strategies to address it; participating in learning opportunities such as Ask Me Anything, Town Halls and Jam Sessions, and learning about the resources available to all members; raising awareness about the existence of unconscious bias; and, promoting access to centrally curated resources and processes in support of diversity and inclusion.
2. Partnering to build resilient, sustainable communities	We will create and maintain workplaces, events, and workgroups that support work on diversity and inclusion. Based on values of open-mindedness, compassion, equity, and fairness, these spaces will encourage members to contribute their best efforts and ideas and share their diverse backgrounds, authentic selves, and talents. These spaces will inspire colleagues to take meaningful actions towards evolving our workplaces and our communities to be connected, adaptable, resilient, and sustainable.
3. Expanding Unconscious and Conscious Bias Education.	We will support ongoing learning opportunities and expand knowledge materials on unconscious and conscious biases and objective staffing processes. We will continue to strongly encourage leaders and members to attend learning opportunities such as listening circles, Jam Sessions, and monthly Ask Me Anything events. Events such as these introduce us to different backgrounds and experiences and allow us to walk in another person's shoes. They serve as a step towards creating a psychologically safer workplace and preventative measures against unacceptable conduct. In a diverse, inclusive, and psychologically safe environment, leaders and members make better decisions for our organization and do their best work for Canadians.
4.Share Best and Previously Ineffective Practices	We will share best and ineffective practices through ongoing dialogue within teams using a library of resources, including the #AMAChallenge, Cascade conversations, Jam Sessions, and bi-weekly L1 Working Group Meetings on Diversity and Inclusion. We will welcome feedback from colleagues to update and improve the library of resources. We will share what has worked and what has not, which will help attain equity and fairness, and evolve our organizations' future. Sharing our best and previously ineffective practices is vital for ongoing annual updates to the Mandate Letter.
5. Commitment to Working Together on the Diversity and Inclusion Plan	Our commitment to working together begins with fulfilling the commitments contained in the Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan. We commit to using the Companion Guide attached to this Mandate Letter and adding relevant actions at Annual Performance Reviews. We're making daily commitments to consciously create an inclusive workplace and using resources and tools to address unconscious and conscious biases. By leaders and members working together on the Commitments, our organization will illustrate diversity and inclusion's power in decision-making and in encouraging Federal Public Servants to contribute their best efforts and ideas.