Blog

Ascend Together · Empowering the world with fair and equal opportunity Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is a significant focus for companies around the world and talent acquisition plays a big role in helping achieve DE&I. In this month’s podcast episode, Jahanzaib Ansari, Co-Founder and CEO, Knockri, speaks about how his company works with Fortune...

Ascend Canada sat down with Subi Subramani, Senior Consultant, Finance & Performance, Deloitte, to discuss her journey as a queer Pan-Asian individual in Calgary, the challenges she has faced, and the opportunities for stronger representation and allyship.

Ascend Together · Ascend Together for Trans Inclusion “Using the right pronouns is not about being nice, it's about keeping people alive,” says @Dani Gomez-Ortega in our latest podcast episode. Dani, who is transgender and uses the pronouns she/her, talks to us about her own personal journey, and how we can equip our workplaces to...

Credit for photo is Robert Voets | CBS. Erika Casupanan is the first Canadian and first female in seven seasons to win Survivor, the popular reality show. Born in the Philippines, she immigrated with her family to Canada and grew up in Niagara Falls. After winning the million-dollar prize on Survivor, she has been vocal...

By Brendon Buckler The Ascend CIO (Chief Inclusion Officer) Forum, recently gathered Canada’s top executives, alongside special guest Dave Wilkin, Co-Founder and CEO of Ten Thousand Coffees (10KC), for a lively discussion on the importance of networks and mentorship in advancing the careers of diverse talent and corporate DEI goals. The CIO Forum members discussed...

TORONTO, [May 9, 2022] Ascend Canada congratulates recipients of the Ascend Canada Leadership Awards, which honours individuals who exemplify personal and professional dedication, and who have contributed value to the community. The recipients will be presented with their awards at a virtual awards gala on May 19th. “In the face of the global pandemic, this...

By Zainish Hussain The Ascend CIO (Chief Inclusion Officer) Forum, a group of Diversity & Inclusion leaders, recently gathered to discuss the ongoing critical importance of care and concern to bond colleagues as workplaces begin to emerge from the pandemic. In a conversation guided by Vandana Juneja, Executive Director, Canada, at Catalyst, the CIO Forum...

By Janita Hung A few weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity to listen to Malala Yousafzai at an International Women’s Day event. Malala is a passionate activist for female education and also the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Not surprising, but I left the session feeling more inspired than I could have imagined. As...

By Manjit Singh 2022 is a special year for Ascend Canada; it’s our tenth anniversary. It’s amazing to see what we have accomplished over the past decade. Ascend Canada has grown to over 4,000 members and over 30 sponsors. Through our conferences, galas, events, mentoring sessions and coffee chats, we have expanded the organization’s impact...

Creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization or business is essential for attracting talent and ensuring a vibrant and innovative work culture, yet collecting employee identity data is an often underappreciated step in creating a measurable and meaningful Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) strategy, according to a new whitepaper by Ascend Canada. For an organization,...