Teri Dennis-Davies highlights inclusive culture, sense of community at sports franchise
As owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Raptors, the Argonauts and Toronto FC, Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (MLSE) is one of the most recognisable brands in the world – welcoming over two million fans to its venues every year.
Teri Dennis-Davies, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at MLSE, sat down with HRD to talk about the company’s focus on inclusive practices, and using the power of belonging to ignite potential in their employees to deliver extraordinary experiences to fans, guests and each other.
“To drive culture change, we embarked on a public commitment to achieving full inclusion at MLSE,” she explained. “We took a strategic, business-integrated approach to ensure business planning, operational processes and HR practices were designed and executed through an inclusive lens.”
Dennis-Davies’ team also established employee advisory groups to help shape policy and approaches to emerging social issues and established a leadership framework to ensure accountability and sustainability of the work.
“What’s contributed greatly to employee engagement and organizational culture are our four Employee Inclusion Groups, who are empowered to deliver programming that strengthens a sense of community and belonging for our employees.”
Since their inception, MLSE has seen triple-digit growth in employee participation across all departments, she said.
“We’ve also implemented learning strategies such as unconscious bias training and inclusive leadership programming to build capability and strengthen relationships. This helps lay the foundation for employees to be themselves and to contribute fully to MLSE’s success.”
Having learned the HR ropes in New York City, Dennis-Davies tells HRD that she approaches her current role with a mix of curiosity, varied industry and global experience.
“My first role was at the Grand Hyatt in midtown New York, next to the renowned Grand Central Station. I found the work to be incredibly demanding, which challenged me to learn quickly all that I could about the business, HR policies, practices, and state and federal laws. It satisfied my desire for analytical work, a dynamic and interesting environment in NYC, and my curiosity about people from all over the world and their journeys in life.”
MLSE has made significant strides in its efforts to reflect the rich culture and diversity of the communities where it operates across MLSE’s employee base, she said.
“We do this through a multi-pronged approach including targeted recruitment efforts and talent management practices, mentorship, sponsorship and leadership development programs,” Dennis-Davies told HRD. “My team is responsible for designing and executing people strategies that attract and retain the best talent that includes individuals from historically underrepresented groups.”
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One example of MLSE’s integrated approach is a pilot co-op S.T.E.M program for top students. MLSE’s LaunchPad is meant to increase diversity in STEM within sports.
And these initiatives certainly are working if Glassdoor and Indeed’s employee positivity scores are anything to go by – averaging at 4.1 out of 5 stars.
“I’m incredibly proud of our inclusive culture and the sense of community we’ve built at MLSE,” added Dennis-Davies. “Our high employee satisfaction is driven by our commitment to career development, recognition, and a supportive and flexible work environment where everyone feels valued.”
The company listens to employees and strives to improve their experience, she said: “Our employees are extremely proud of our brands, and our charitable work through MLSE Foundation and MLSE LaunchPad.”
The company also prioritizes wellbeing through various initiatives. These include mental health support programs, wellness workshops, on-site massages and access to professional counselling services, Dennis-Davies said.
“We also provide resources to help our team manage stress and stay resilient… our goal is to create a supportive environment where everyone can thrive, both personally and professionally.”
These core values were amplified when Keith Pelley was named president and CEO of MLSE in January 2024. As various research shows, a change in leadership will often spark opportunities for organization to rethink their structure, strategy and strategic goals. Dennis-Davies says this change in leadership is an incredible chance for growth and fresh new ideas of what’s possible for the entire organization.
“Pelley is an accomplished industry leader who brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to MLSE,” she added. “In a short amount of time, he has introduced new growth strategies and initiatives that energize and excite employees.”
The company introduced a new Mission, Vision and Values under Keith’s leadership, Dennis-Davies said, and “bringing these important words to life each day for our employees, fans, partners and community will drive engagement and help evolve MLSE’s culture.”
