Having a voice at work: Ecofitt’s approach to inclusion & diversity
George T. Parker
Alberta Regional Director - Ecofitt
For George Parker, while the idea of being recognized for producing the best product or having the most efficient business is great, those types of awards pale in comparison to being acknowledged for the voice a company gives to its team. Parker is the regional director for conservation programs at Ecofitt, the recipient company of the first TD Diversity and Inclusion Award presented by Pride in Business at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Week Awards in late 2019.
Rather than accepting the award on behalf of Ecofitt’s Calgary office at last year’s awards ceremony, Parker was instead in the hospital to welcome his daughter into the world. “We put a lot of time into really creating an environment that is trusting and respectful, where people have a voice,” says Parker. “To be acknowledged for that, especially when it’s the first time this award has been given, was huge.”
Ecofitt, which was founded in 2005, is a manufacturer and wholesale supplier of conservation products. Their services are focused primarily on lighting and water measures but also include project management services to assist utilities and government clients with energy conservation programs. Parker was involved in launching Ecofitt’s Calgary office in 2017. Parker credits the success of the company’s short time in Calgary on the diversity of his team and the various perspectives and insights each person is able to bring to a project.
“Having a diverse team that is also included in decision making processes, planning, and implementation of our programs makes for a stronger performance,” he says. “We service a wide range of customers, so being able to include members of various communities is a much more effective way of engaging with our customers.” He says that by giving the Ecofitt workforce a voice, it encourages people to invest in their work and take pride in the company they work for.
While the build of the Calgary office happened quite organically, according to Parker, he says inclusivity and diversity are deeply engrained in the company’s values. And, while he thinks there is always more work to be done in championing inclusion and diversity within the company, he says the actions of the Calgary office communicate these values. “We try to attend as many events from different communities in Calgary as possible,” he says. “Obviously with the current state of the world, everything is a little different, but one of our priorities is actively participating in the community.”
He says as a small company, it’s easy to take a step back and take stock of diversity within different levels of Ecofitt, but it’s still a process the company engages in actively. For companies that are hoping to step up their commitment to these values, Parker cites this type of internal assessment as the first step and says that its important to focus on more than just the overall diversity level of a company. “You should be looking in even more detail at the diversity at every level of the company. If you’re noting trends you think need to be addressed, do some soul searching on why that may be.”
When building the Calgary team, Parker was in a situation where he was able to build everything from scratch, and so he recognizes that it can take time to create buy-in from a company’s decision makers but says that it will all be worth it. “Absolutely, in terms of business productivity, it will pay off at the end of the day,” he says. “But ultimately it’s worth it for everybody’s happiness.”
Calgary Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Week Awards have been reimagined for 2020 as Calgary’s Resilient Business Awards. On September 24, 2020, The Chamber will recognize six Calgary businesses that have shown strength and resiliency during COVID-19. The second annual TD Diversity and Inclusion Award presented by Pride In Business will be awarded to another amazing local business. Learn more about this year’s awards here.
Pride In Business Community Spotlight, in partnership with TD.
By Fraser Tripp
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