Our Commitment
SickKids Foundation is committed to fighting for the health and well-being of children. We are committed to developing an inclusive Foundation that celebrates individuality and respects and embraces diversity. We strive to make our Foundation and hospital colleagues, donor and volunteer community, and every member of the general public feel acknowledged, valued and respected.
We believe anyone involved with SickKids – a place of hope and healing – must feel safe. Any forms of racism or comments or actions promoting hate or violence will not be tolerated and will be investigated as per our Code of Conduct and policies.
THE GENEROUS SPIRIT
To demonstrate our dedication to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), we are making the following commitment statement public:
We lead with humanity. We strive to create an inclusive culture where expressing our authentic selves is not just safe but celebrated. Where it’s a reflex to amplify the best in each other—our unique skill sets, viewpoints and experiences—because everyone has inherent value, and we understand that diversity spurs innovation, strengthens teams, and drives results. To get there, we’re taking concrete steps: applying an EDI lens to all our policies, practices and behaviours, making necessary changes to lower barriers; building skills, knowledge and awareness of diversity and inclusion across our Foundation and with external stakeholders; and fostering a safe, accessible and positive working environment. Though we are all different, we are united by the same fierce commitment to our Mission and a shared belief that we can advance faster, and be more engaged in the pursuit, if we foster a greater sense of belonging.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We have much more to learn about the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. As individual employees, we are exploring how to develop thoughtful and authentic land acknowledgements. We are each at different stages of this journey.
SickKids Foundation acknowledges that we are on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENTS
BlackNorth Initiative
The BlackNorth Initiative CEO Pledge sets a target of 3.5% for representation from the Black community on Boards. SickKids Foundation set a goal of 8.5%, however, as it was more appropriate given the regional representation of Black Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area, where we operate.
Board
The Board embraces our Foundation’s commitment to EDI and actively seeks candidates from all diverse communities. To provide an impetus for change, the Board has established these goals:
- Achieve gender parity by 2028;
- Ensure at least 40% of the Board is comprised of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of colour, from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or with physical or mental disabilities by 2031.
As the Foundation has signed the BlackNorth Initiative CEO Pledge, we have also set a target of 8.5% representation from the Black community on our Board (as noted above).
Building a Culture of EDI
The Foundation is a mission-driven, high-performing organization that strives to provide a welcoming, supportive, transparent and positive work environment. We are a team that likes to work hard and have fun. To further enhance this culture, in 2018, we committed to actively promoting diversity and inclusion within our Foundation. That same year, we created the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which has since evolved to the EDI Committee.
Fundraising to Support EDI
The Hospital for Sick Children’s (SickKids) EDI Strategy will build a foundation to advance equitable inclusion of diverse people and communities across care, research and education initiatives at the hospital so that everyone can feel acknowledged, valued and respected.
To support these efforts, SickKids Foundation includes EDI as one of our fundraising priorities to ensure the hospital can retain and hire formally trained EDI professionals to guide this transformative work.
Contact us to learn more about supporting our EDI fundraising efforts.
SHARE YOUR STORY
We aim to amplify voices from diverse communities. Join our league of over 300 patients and families who have chosen to become Patient Ambassadors at SickKids. It’s a great way to move from defence to offense in the fight for healthier children. We are always looking for current patients to tell their stories in various ways, including in print, online, on TV and radio media, as well as through speaking at public and media events. You can learn more about our Patient Ambassador program toward the bottom of this page.
