Companies that are establishing new standards for workplace inclusion are highlighted in Canada’s Best Diversity Employers 2025. Small businesses looking to cultivate a culture of equity and belonging can learn a lot from organizations like Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), the University of British Columbia (UBC), and the University of Toronto (U of T), which are recognized for their creative programs supporting Indigenous and LGBTQ+ employees.
What Makes a Best Diversity Employer?
Canada’s Best Diversity Employers competition, now in its 18th year, honours companies with outstanding workplace diversity and inclusivity initiatives. Initiatives that support five important groups—women, visible minorities, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ+ peoples—are used to evaluate employers. To establish a culture that is genuinely inclusive, judges seek out quantifiable progress, creative training, mentorship, and policies that go beyond compliance. Winners in 2025 are honoured for incorporating equity into community outreach, leadership development, benefits, and hiring practices. Their tactics provide small businesses looking to recruit and retain diverse talent and encourage creativity through inclusion with practical insights.
UBC: Inclusive Benefits and Indigenous Engagement
UBC’s comprehensive dedication to inclusiveness is why it was named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers in 2025. For small firms, three noteworthy activities are especially pertinent:
- Inclusive Family Benefits: To ensure that all employees, including LGBTQ+ and non-traditional families, receive support, UBC has implemented new family-friendly benefits that cover adoption, surrogacy, and reproductive treatments.
- Indigenous Leave: Recognizing the significance of cultural practices for workplace well-being, employees who self-identify as Indigenous may seek up to two paid days of leave for ceremonial, artistic, or spiritual events.
- Networking and Mentoring: The six-month Maximizing Impact program creates gender-diverse leadership pipelines by allocating half of its places to women. Additionally, UBC supports IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and/or People of Colour) Connections, which offers secure forums for underrepresented employees to interact and exchange stories.
The Equity & Inclusion Office at UBC supports these efforts by providing human rights advice, training, and consulting to promote an atmosphere that is fair and respectful.
University of Toronto: Equity Offices and Targeted Recruitment
Another 2025 recipient that exemplifies the strength of institutional dedication to diversity is the University of Toronto (U of T). Important tactics consist of:
- The Institutional Equity Office at U of T provides training, community outreach, and policy guidance in antiracism, cultural diversity, sexual and gender diversity, and accessibility.
- Targeted Recruitment: To draw in Indigenous, racialized, and LGBTQ+ talent, programs like the First Nations House Job Fair and a diversity-focused recruitment handbook are implemented. To guarantee representation in academic programming, faculty working groups examine recruiting and retention.
- Support for Neurodiversity and Newcomers: Understanding the importance of a wide range of viewpoints, U of T widens its diversity lens to include neurodiverse people and newcomers.
By collaborating with neighbourhood groups and developing focused outreach to marginalized communities, small businesses can imitate these strategies.
BLG: Measurable Progress and Community Engagement
For the seventh year in a row, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) has been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. Their strategy is based on:
- Measurable Outcomes: BLG ensures accountability and ongoing development by monitoring and reporting on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) progress.
- Grassroots Action Committees: Staff members are given the authority to spearhead EDI projects, encouraging a feeling of involvement and ownership throughout the company.
- Community Partnerships: By working with neighbourhood organizations and promoting more extensive social change, BLG promotes equity and inclusion outside its boundaries.
Establishing specific diversity objectives, tracking results, and supporting employee-led projects can help small firms foster a more vibrant and inclusive work environment.
Practical Takeaways for Small Businesses
Some Strategic Actions for SMEs Offered By Canada’s Best Diversity Employers :
- Review and Update Benefits: Ensure all workers, including LGBTQ+ and Indigenous employees, have access to health, family, and leave benefits.
- Establish safe areas: Create informal networks or employee resource groups so underrepresented groups can interact and work together.
- Spend money on training: Provide leadership and all employees with regular diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) training.
- Collaborate with Neighbourhood Associations: To draw in diverse talent and gain access to training materials, work with Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and emerging organizations.
- Monitor Your Progress: Even with a small team, set EDI goals and track your success yearly.
- Celebrate Diversity: Employees can observe significant days and acknowledge cultural and identity-based events.
Small firms can create a culture where each person feels appreciated and empowered to achieve by using these principles.
The 2025 Best Diversity Employers in Canada highlight the transformational potential of deliberate, well-funded diversity and inclusion initiatives. Small firms may make significant efforts to help Indigenous and LGBTQ+ employees by taking inspiration from leaders such as UBC, U of T, and BLG. The result is a more creative, robust, and hospitable workplace where everyone can succeed.
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