MEDIA RELEASE: CanWCC invites Chambers of Commerce to participate in DEI Working Group

–  MEDIA RELEASE – 

[TORONTO, CANADA, August 8, 2023] – The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) announces the launch of a Chambers Working Group, involving 11 chambers across Canada.

The Chamber Working Group (CWG)  is hosted and led by CanWCC. The goal of the CWG is to collaborate in creating internal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and organizational updates, using Radar Media’s DEI Mobilization Map. Participating chamber representatives have agreed that implementing DEI policies and initiatives are important to their organization’s future, and are willing to do the work toward that end. The Working Group is a collaborative venue to ask questions, brainstorm answers, share challenges and find solutions. 

The CWG meets monthly via zoom, and is scheduled for completion by November 2023. The kick-off meeting was held on July 26, 2023, with the first working meeting scheduled for August 23, 2023. The Chamber Working Group warmly invites other Canadian Chambers to join them by signing up to participate.

“I’m pleased so many chambers have recognized that we need to do better when it comes to inclusivity. The 2022 Report Card ‘How Inclusive are Canada’s Chambers of Commerce?’ results were a wake-up call. That’s why we prioritized building and executing our DEI Plan.” said Nancy Wilson, Founder & CEO of CanWCC.
She continued, “The Chamber Working Group was the vision of Catherine Chan, our Vice President Operations & Governance. She wanted to lean into the spirit of allyship by including other chambers in our journey, more widely impacting the lives of those who experience systemic discrimination. We are so fortunate that Radar Media and Venture for Canada students did the discovery work for us with their DEI Mobilization Map.”

CanWCC’s DEI work is a WAGE-funded project.

Participating chambers include: Black Manitoban’s Chamber of Commerce, Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brent, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, Guelph Chamber of Commerce, London Chamber of Commerce, Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce, Mission Chamber of Commerce, Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce, Timmins Chamber of Commerce

About CanWCC:

The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) is a nationally incorporated, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocacy, advancement, and connection for and on behalf of its members. CanWCC’s membership consists of diverse women-identified entrepreneurs and organizations that are at least 50% woman(en)-owned and led.

Media Contact:

Catherine Chan, Vice President Operations & Governance

media@canwcc.ca

https://canwcc.ca/chamber-working-group