Kwantlen Polytechnic University
IN-39: Sustainability Office Diversity Program

Upon the commencement of employment, KPU staff are required to partake in a WorkSafe BC training which covers topics related to the recognition, prevention and reporting of workplace bullying and harassment. This training module specifically covered topics on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, including gender identity and expression. Another mandatory training during this time includes the Indigenous Awareness Course which takes learners between 3-4 hours to complete. This comprehensive training aims to enhance KPU's faculty, staff, and administration's capacity to work and support Indigenous students, fellow colleagues, and the local Indigenous communities whose territories KPU's campuses are located. Beyond the initial DEI trainings for all staff at KPU, employees within the Office of Sustainability are encouraged to attend as many events, symposiums, discussions, and mini-courses as a part of their work to enhance their knowledge and understanding of DEI issues and how they interrelate to all aspects of sustainability. Current staff members have attended sessions including "Inclusive Communications Workshop", and "Slhá:lí/Woman: Film Presentation and Discussion", and "Moving from reconciliation to ReconciliACTION" to name a few. KPU is also a member organization of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. KPU employees can attend workshops for free as KPU is an "employer partner". The Office of Sustainability Employees have attended CCDI sessions such as "Measuring DEI Progress: Tools and Analytics".

In all campus-wide engagements, the Office of Sustainability nested within the Campus and Community Planning Department aims to engage with the appropriate campus members/groups related to DEI. For example, in a working group for the campus Welcome Plaza/Story Circle/Learning Gardens Landscape Architecture Project, staff include KPU's Elder, Kwantlen First Nation community members, as well as the Associate Vice President of Indigenous Leadership in the decision-making process. In addition, staff reached out to members of the Disability Inclusion Group to understand how the outcomes of the project can be made more accessible for people with disabilities, including specific designs for pathways and seating arrangements.

Another example includes the Office of Sustainability engaging with the Office of Equity & Inclusive Communities looking for expertise and suggestions on social sustainability indicators as a part of KPU's broader Sustainability Monitoring and Reporting process. This engagement also involved understanding how this process could be made more equitable and inclusive. The Office of Equity & Inclusive Communities at KPU is one of the many voices included in this process to ensure diverse voices and perspectives are at the table. KPU's Campus and Community Planning Department and its Office of Sustainability are working to ensure the presence and inclusion of equity-denied groups in campus-wide projects.

The Sustainability Specialist within KPU's Office of Sustainability (OoS) is a member of the President's Diversity and Equity Committee. They attend the monthly meetings, contribute to discussions, take notes and report back to the Campus and Community Planning Department. These reports often include actions that the Department can take to enhance DEI awareness, to partake in DEI-focused campus and community events, and to better incorporate DEI considerations into their work.

The OoS's Planning and Sustainability Support Staff is a member of KPU's Accessibility Committee. The accessibility committee is responsible for "assisting and advising the institution on identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to accessibility to fulfill the requirements under the Accessible British Columbia Act". More information on KPU's institution-wide DEI initiatives can be found below.