“My name is Molara and I am the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the GTAA. The team’s main focus is to empower and develop a diverse workforce that reflects the communities around us as we continue to build the Airport of the Future. Ultimately, our goal is to educate employees and leaders on how to recognize, accommodate and appreciate individual differences, and to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded into the fabric of the GTAA with diverse representation at all levels. Fostering a safe, innovative, respectful and inclusive work environment where all employees can make a meaningful contribution is part of this important work.
“I am a people person, so being able to engage with employees at all levels and within all departments makes each day at the GTAA exciting. It is incredibly rewarding to have employees share their stories with me in an environment where they feel they can be their authentic selves and where their voices are heard and respected. To me, there is nothing more important than learning about the lived experiences of our equity-deserving groups and allies to better understand how I can create a positive impact.
“There is always work to do in DEI as we continue to evolve and learn. We are at the stage where I would say most people understand why diversity matters in the workplace; different experiences, perspectives, competencies and views create more innovation, productivity and creativity. As we continue our journey, it is important to understand that diversity does not exist without inclusion. Ensuring that we are consistently inclusive involves acknowledging and checking our biases, and that can be challenging.
“The organization has set ambitious and achievable DEI goals and our employees and leaders are taking the steps to turn our DEI strategy into action. Toronto Pearson is the hub through which we connect people to different cultures and places. We work in an industry that continues to put people first by embedding DEI into our everyday practices and processes. DEI is a marathon, not a sprint, and it is encouraging to see both our short- and long-term goals come to fruition. Though I am a relatively new employee, I have already seen how engaged and dedicated GTAAers are to modeling inclusive behaviours.”
- Molara, Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Greater Toronto Airports Authority