AIMCo says it will continue to ensure it remains 'diverse, inclusive, innovative and motivating'
The Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) is facing criticism after it fired the only worker who was solely dedicated to forwarded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
On Tuesday, the employer told CBC that it laid off 19 employees overall.
However, some human resources experts have raised concerns that the removal of the Crown corporation’s DEI-focused role may signal a reduced commitment to workplace inclusion.
Helen Ofosu, a human resources consultant and adjunct psychology professor at Carleton University, said eliminating leadership positions focused on diversity can create uncertainty for employees.
"That's basically telling people who may be dealing with a disability, being a visibly racialized person, a religious minority — any of those people all of a sudden start to feel like, 'Hmm, what is my place here? Do I matter?'" she told CBC.
But, AIMCo said it is not turning its back on DEI.
"All AIMCo colleagues will continue to share the responsibility and accountability for ensuring AIMCo remains diverse, inclusive, innovative and motivating, in keeping with our corporate objectives and core values," said spokesperson Carolyn Quick in the CBC report.
She also noted that employee resource groups remain active.
However, Quick did not respond to questions about whether AIMCo’s board or the Alberta government had directed the reduction of DEI initiatives, according to the report.
Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner also declined to answer whether the government had instructed AIMCo to cut DEI-related roles, noting only that the Crown corporation’s mandate is to deliver “the highest returns at the lowest cost” and that the government supports the corporation in “making decisions that reduce their operating expenses,” reported CBC.
Recently in the United States, President Donald Trump put on leave all federal employees in offices focusing on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs and initiatives. He also warned that workers who fail to report workers who are in the DEI line of work will face "adverse consequences".
Workers put a high value on DEI initiatives, but opinions about DEI vary considerably along demographic and political lines, according to a report from the Pew Research Center.
While generations have different views about diversity, “too often, the loudest (anti-DEI) voices get heard,” said Julie Kratz, inclusive leadership professor at the Indiana University - Kelley School of Business, via LinkedIn.
“There is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the different generational groups and how they view DEI,” she said.
“Consider these key strategies - identify the groups, plan to engage all and measure, track and adjust.”