Fanshawe College selected as hub for national diversity initiative

New hub will assist 50 – 30 Challenge participants pursue greater diversity on boards and leadership teams 
 
(London, Ontario) – Fanshawe College has been selected as a Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) 50 – 30 Challenge Hub. The 50 – 30 Challenge is an initiative between the Government of Canada, Canadian businesses and diversity organizations, encouraging participants to increase representation of diverse groups within their workplaces. Fanshawe is one of four regional hubs located in colleges across the country.

“We are dedicated to fostering working and learning spaces where everyone experiences a sense of belonging,” says Fanshawe College President, Peter Devlin. “Fanshawe is immensely proud to serve as one of CICan’s regional hubs for the 50 – 30 Challenge.”

The Challenge asks organizations to set two goals: 50 per cent of their boards or senior management teams identifying as women or non-binary; and 30 per cent of their boards or senior management teams identifying as other equity-deserving groups (Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities or members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community).  

Nearly 2,000 Canadian businesses and organizations have signed up for the 50 – 30 Challenge. The Hub will serve as a resource centre for challenge participants, offering training, mentoring and coaching services to organizations seeking to advance the goals of the 50 – 30 Challenge. 

“As a College, we are undertaking our own journey toward more diverse, equitable and inclusive campuses and the College is itself a signatory of the 50 – 30 Challenge,” says Joseph Pazzano, Fanshawe’s director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. “Building a sense of community around equity work is vitally important to our success and we are thrilled to be able to partner with organizations and businesses that are also on their own diversity journeys.”     

Fanshawe will soon open a physical space at its London Campus where challenge participants can meet with Hub advisors in person or remotely. The College plans to offer workshops, webinars, outreach events and other educational initiatives to equip organizations with the knowledge and tools necessary to diversify their teams. These services will be available to all registered participants of the 50 – 30 Challenge. 

“We are so pleased that Fanshawe College will be joining us in this important initiative, both as a challenge signatory and now as one of CICan's 50 – 30 Challenge Hubs,” says Denise Amyot, president and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada. “As one of four hubs, Fanshawe College’s passion and dedication to equity, diversity and inclusion will support more businesses and organizations across the country through their EDI journeys. Congratulations!”

Challenge participants can connect with Fanshawe by emailing 5030@fanshawec.ca. To learn more about the 50 – 30 Challenge, please visit the Government of Canada’s website.