Russel Metals

Beverley Downer

Inclusive Care Advocate

Embedding mental health support into our safety program—like offering stress management tools and access to employee assistance programs—has shown employees that their emotional well-being matters as much as physical safety. It helps them feel seen and supported as whole individuals.

Leadership training has also been key. Emphasizing emotional intelligence, inclusive decision-making, and unconscious bias awareness empowers our leaders to model the behaviors that shape culture from the top down.

We’ve also found success in recognizing cultural heritage months, religious holidays, and global observances. When people feel their identities are acknowledged and celebrated, they feel valued for their work and who they are.

Driving Measurable Impact Through IDEA: Structure, Policy, and Accountability

There are several IDEA strategies we’ve led that had a measurable impact, where we took an approach that focused on structure, policy, and accountability:

• Established an IDEA Committee: We created a cross-functional committee to help guide our IDEA strategies and ensure diverse voices are represented in shaping initiatives. The committee brings new perspectives to programs, including creative ways to promote heritage month celebrations.

• Reviewed Policies for Equity and Inclusion: We conducted a thorough review of existing policies and practices to uncover gaps and unintentional biases. This led to more inclusive updates in parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and accommodation processes.

• Regular Equity Reviews of Job Structures: We consistently review job grades and pay bands to ensure fairness and equity. This has helped us identify and address pay discrepancies, improve internal mobility, and provide team consistency. As we transition all component companies to a unified HR platform, we can apply these same standards company-wide, supporting pay equity and transparency.

“When employees feel seen, heard, and valued for who they are, inclusion becomes more than a policy. It becomes a shared culture that drives performance and belonging”

• Collect DEI Demographic Data: We’ve started collecting anonymous demographic data to assess key touchpoints like hiring and promotions. This gives us a clearer picture of workforce composition and helps identify potential barriers. It also allows us to track our initiatives’ effectiveness over time.

These strategies reinforce that IDEA isn’t a one-time effort. It’s a continuous commitment to making our workplace more inclusive, equitable, and accountable.

Embedding DEI Across the Organization: Communication, Visibility, and Celebration

We prioritize communication to ensure employees are informed and engaged with our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) initiatives. A key element of this approach is visible leadership support. For example, our CEO highlights the importance of IDEA—especially its connection to our health and safety priorities—during employee presentations. This helps set the tone from the top and reinforces our organization-wide commitment to building an inclusive and safe workplace for all.

We also celebrate a variety of heritage months throughout the year, providing meaningful opportunities to recognize, honor, and learn from the diverse backgrounds and lived experiences within our workforce.

In addition, we highlight our IDEA efforts on social media, showcasing initiatives, employee participation, and our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive culture.

Making IDEA Everyone’s Job: Normalize It in Daily Decisions

Cultivating a culture where Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) is viewed as a collective responsibility starts with leadership alignment and consistent messaging. When senior leaders talk about IDEA in everyday business conversations, it reinforces that inclusion isn’t separate from the organization’s core mission—it’s central to it.

Some other initiatives organizations should consider when cultivating a culture where IDEA is seen as a collective responsibility include:

1. Collect and Leverage IDEA Data: Regularly gather demographic and inclusion-related data to better understand workforce composition, identify equity gaps, and track progress over time. Data-driven insights support informed decision-making and sustained improvement.

2. Recognize the Connection Between IDEA and Health & Safety: Foster an environment where psychological safety, belonging, and respect are prioritized—not just in IDEA strategies but also in mental health and safety efforts.

3. Create Shared Ownership Through Committees: IDEA committees give employees outside of HR meaningful ways to contribute and shape initiatives, reinforcing shared accountability.

4. Normalize IDEA in Daily Practices: Embedding IDEA into team meetings, hiring, feedback, and innovation sessions makes inclusion part of everyday operations, not a standalone effort.

Shifting the culture requires a mindset change: IDEA isn’t just HR’s responsibility. It’s core to how we treat people, build teams, and succeed. When inclusion becomes part of how we think and work, it’s no longer an initiative—it’s who we are. And that’s how we create a workplace where everyone can thrive, contribute, and belong.