Diversity: includes all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. While diversity is often used in reference to ethnicity and gender, we embrace a broader definition of diversity that also includes age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and physical appearance. Our definition also includes diversity of thought: ideas, perspectives, and values.

Inclusion: is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect for all people.

Equity: is fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. Improving equity involves increasing justice and fairness within the procedures and processes of institutions or systems, as well as potentially the distribution of resources.

Because diversity counts on our campuses. We believe we can and must do more to expand, enhance and celebrate our unique differences, helping to create an environment where all students and staff feel that they belong.

Employees are encouraged to participate and make their voices heard!

• It’s easy – the Employment Equity Self-Identification Questionnaire takes about two minutes to complete.
• It’s simple – you select the option that best represents your status for each of the five equity-deserving groups.
• It’s voluntary – employees can choose to participate and choose how they want to identify for each equity-deserving group.
• It’s confidential – self-identification data is collected and stored confidentially, and only aggregate data will be reported.
• It’s impactful – your participation is vital in helping us assess RRC Polytech’s diversity and representation, which will support the development of future inclusive and equitable programs and initiatives.

You can self-identify by filling out the Employment Equity Self-Identification Questionnaire available in HRIS. The questionnaire is located under “My Portal,” and you still have to provide your College user name or College email address to access the system. Review your data, and complete or update your self-declaration.

Please note that you can update your information at any point. Your disclosure is voluntary, confidential, and an important part of shaping our work around equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

To learn more on how to self-identify please refer to the Employment Equity – Self-Identification Questionnaire HRIS Quick Guide.

Sure, you can. It is acknowledged that an individual’s self-identification and their comfort level in sharing this information may change over time. With this in mind, all employees are encouraged to update their information as they see fit. The system is prepared to save any changes once a day.

No. Employees on extended leave of absence are not expected to complete the questionnaire. They will be able to self-declare upon their return to work.

If you require an alternative self-identification format, please email diversity@rrc.ca.

RRC Polytech aspires to reflect the diversity of employees, students and the community we serve. The collected data shows us the diverse demographics of who’s at RRC Polytech and will help us better support our college community in realizing their academic, research and employment goals.

No. It is a voluntary process. However, all employees are encouraged to complete the Employment Equity Self-Identification Questionnaire. It is confidential, helps us to better understand our employee and student representation, and is an important part of shaping our work around equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Diversity language is an evolving field, and therefore, we have used terminology in this survey that is consistent with what is used by the Employment Equity Act (Canada) and Statistics Canada. The language was also shaped through consultations with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, other Canadian post-secondary institutions, and internal EDI working groups at the College. The five equity-deserving groups are:

• Women: A Woman refers to a person who internally identifies and/or publicly expresses themself as a woman. This may include cisgender and transgender individuals. Cisgender means that one’s gender identity matches one’s sex assigned at birth. Transgender means one’s gender identity differs from one’s sex assigned at birth.
• Indigenous Peoples: An Indigenous person is recognized as “one of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada” within the meaning of Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which further states that the “Aboriginal peoples of Canada includes the Indian, Inuit, and Métis peoples of Canada”. For the purposes of this survey the term First Nation will be utilized in place of Indian. For more information, visit Statistics Canada.
• Persons with disabilities: A person with a disability includes someone who has a significant, recurring or long-term physical, intellectual or learning disability, a sensory challenge, chronic illness and/or a mental health issue which may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. This also may include persons who, due to a disability, have been currently accommodated in the workplace or college life. For more information, visit the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.
• Racialized Persons: A Racialized person in Canada is someone (other than an Indigenous Person) who self-identifies as a Person of colour regardless of birthplace or citizenship (sometimes referred to as “visible minority” or racialized person in Canada’s Employment Equity Act and by Statistics Canada). For more information, visit Statistics Canada.
• Persons of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community: A person of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is someone who identifies as Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning Intersex and additional sexual orientations and gender diverse identities. For more information on the terms, visit CCDI’s Glossary of Terms.

We have referenced the Employment Equity Act (Canada) to support our commitment to creating a workplace that is fair and equitable.

Employment Equity is a program that is designed to remove barriers to employment for Indigenous People, persons with disabilities, Racialized Persons, and women. Like many equity initiatives, employment equity is ongoing and works to identify and eliminate employment barriers that may exist in procedures and policies. An employment equity program attempts to achieve:

• A workforce that reflects the diversity of the available labour force
• Employment systems, policies and practices that support the equitable recruitment, retention and promotion of designated group members
• Employment systems that ensure inclusive access to employees in developing their abilities and making the best contribution possible to the workplace

Yes, please. Self-identification is about making your representation known, and the information collected is not limited to particular groups or individuals. For the best results, all individuals should complete the questionnaire. We suggest selecting the option that best represents the employee’s choice, which can be answering “No” for each of the equity-deserving groups in that situation. Policies and programs that support diversity and inclusion are developed based on the available data to benefit all employees and students. The accuracy and quality of the data are crucial to policies and programs’ effectiveness.

Yes. If you identify as being a member of more than one equity-deserving group, you should identify yourself under all of the equity-deserving groups that apply to you.

Yes. Employees are encouraged to review and update their data on a regular basis to ensure accuracy. Therefore, we invite all employees to self-identify and support the College in achieving its diverse and equity goals.

Diversity language is an evolving field. How you identify is personal, and the choices provided in the self-identification form may not fit with how you see yourself as an individual. The terminology used in the Employment Equity Self-Identification Questionnaire is consistent with what is used by the Employment Equity Act (Canada) and Statistics Canada. The language was also shaped through consultations with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, other Canadian post-secondary institutions, and internal EDI working groups at the College.

As complex as it may be to group people in this manner, we cannot assess our equity, diversity and inclusion progress without this data. It is important to note that we are asking you to consider whether you identify as part of these groups to help the College understand the diversity of its students and employees.

A person with a disability includes someone who has a significant, recurring or long-term physical, intellectual or learning disability, a sensory impairment, chronic illness and/or a mental/emotional health issue which may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Learn more ›

The information from this analysis will be used for statistical and analytical purposes. If you require an accommodation for a disability, please contact your immediate supervisor or the Supportive Employment Program at supportiveemployment@rrc.ca. If you require ASL-English interpreter or transcribing services to provide access, please complete the booking form.

Yes. All persons with disabilities, including those who have been accommodated in the workplace can identify as a person with a disability.

For the purpose of self-identification, persons of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are intended to represent individuals of diverse gender and sexual identities.

Gender identity refers to one’s internal and psychological sense of themselves as female, male, both or neither. A person’s self-concept of their gender may be the same as or different from their sex at birth (male, female or intersex). A person may also define their gender identity as being more fluid than either male or female. In other words, their gender identity may encompass parts of masculinity, femininity and/or other non-traditional gender expressions. For more information on the terms, visit the  CCDI’s Glossary of Terms.

Sexual orientation refers to how a person characterizes their emotional and sexual attraction to others. Some terms include asexual, bisexual, gay, heterosexual, lesbian, queer, and Two-Spirit. For more information on the terms, visit  the  CCDI’s Glossary of Terms.

No. The information you provide is stored securely and confidentially within our employee and student information system. Self-identification is only presented in aggregate formats and is used to develop initiatives to develop programming that is beneficial to all individuals and to remove barriers faced by equity-deserving groups.

This data will be used to set goals, develop action plans, and report on program as we live Commitment 2 of the strategic plan: Commit to Truth and Reconciliation. Pursue equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. It will also be used to inform strategies for improving the work and learning experience for all employees and students.

Yes, we are committed to ensuring your information will be kept confidential. The data you provide will be stored in a secure and confidential system and will not be used for any purpose other than aggregate reporting and data-informed decision-making. Access to this raw data will be restricted to specific individuals from Human Resource Services and the Institutional Analysis and Planning teams are involved in the reporting process. When reporting on this data, all analytics will be aggregated and stripped of identifying information. Data will be summarized in broad categories (ex., job categories, departments, academic programs, etc.), which will ensure the privacy of individuals.

No, we will ensure that information is reported at an Executive Director/Dean level. Data will be combined and summarized to ensure confidentiality.

The gathered data will be periodically compiled and analyzed at an aggregate level. This information will be used to assess representation within our employee and student populations, continue to support corporate EDI action plans, inform the development of future events, programs, and policies, and advance work on Truth and Reconciliation and Indigenous support.

For more information, please email diversity@rrc.ca.