Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at JBH

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“Embed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into all we do at Joseph Brant Hospital” is a key priority of our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan; one that we believe strongly will help us achieve a thriving culture of belonging where our people and patients feel safe, respected and can flourish.

 Central to this important work is JBH’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Table (DEIAT). The Action Table draws on the personal experiences and engagement of our employees, physicians, volunteers, leadership, patients, and members of our community. Members of DEIAT have been instrumental in informing and developing resources and policies, as well as, our new DEI Strategic Framework that will guide us as we continue to work to embed DEI in all aspects of the organization.

 We are pleased to share the personal stories and reflections of members of JBH’s DEI Action Table with you:

Nayab Tahir joined DEIAT in July 2023 and currently works as a Revenue Analyst at JBH.

“I joined JBH’s DEIAT in order to ensure that people facing barriers to inclusion have their voices heard and needs represented within a platform that influences positive decision making. I wanted to contribute to cultivating an environment where every person feels safe and respected because when people feel valued and supported, they are able to do their best work.”

Nayab’s own personal life experiences brought to light the sociocultural, systemic, and attitudinal barriers growing up in Canada as a visible minority.

“I have sometimes felt the need to minimize parts of my identity in order to make others feel more comfortable. That is why I am dedicated to minimizing such barriers to inclusion or gaps in cultural sensitivity – I will advocate for those that are unable to advocate for themselves, so that others do not feel the need to minimize parts of themselves in order to cope.”

Recently, DIEAT began reviewing the definitions of key terms used throughout the world of DEI to create a glossary of terms. Nayab expressed this project as a turning point in the connection between members because they were able to share their lived experiences with respect and vulnerability.

“As I shared my own experiences, the room went quiet and the sense of emotion was palpable. I felt seen, heard, respected and valued. As a team, we were brave enough to hold up a mirror, look in the mirror together, and then persist despite the discomfort, in order to recognize that there are areas for improvement.”

She believes that it is crucial for the hospital to continue prioritize DEI work to ensure fair treatment, equal access to opportunities, and representation of diverse perspectives within JBH’s workforce and communities.

“We must continue to create safe spaces in which we are open to listening, learning and unlearning. I am confident that if our CARE values continue to be our guiding principles, then through Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, we will continue to effectively work to advance DEI at Joseph Brant Hospital.”

 Melanie Tarin-Lalloo joined DEIAT in March/April 2023. 

“I joined DEIAT because I wanted to help develop meaningful initiatives that speak directly to the organizations Core Values. Building a supportive environment that allows everyone to be their authentic selves tends to bring employees together. The benefits of supporting strong DEI standards helps to make employees feel safe, respected and connected, which ultimately leads to a happier and fully engaged work-force.”

She believes that creating equal opportunities for all individuals within the workplace cultivates greater ideas for research and innovation, which benefits the organization as a whole.

“Research supports the premise that 

adopting inclusive strategies empowers everyone. We see greater benefit and a more positive impact on loyalty, performance and profitability. Ultimately implementing strong DEI policies drives better results.”

DEIAT is currently working on building and improving the DEI framework to support a workplace that actively seeks to rectify systemic inequities and upholds JBH’s Values, Mission, and Vision.

“We are focused on being transparent when having those tough and complex discussions that fall at the intersections of race, class, sexuality, gender, identify forms, social differences and unconscious bias. We are committed to being honest, creating awareness, building relationships, understanding, having empathy and standing up with both courage and compassion.”

Melanie states that the impact of this is project is “self-reflection, challenging my beliefs and ethics, questioning how flexible I am to change.”

In the future, she encourages JBH to continue to push boundaries and not fall into the “status-quo” when prioritizing DEI efforts and their impact.

“Steadily working towards creating a sense of belonging and building trust is paramount, we must continue to do so honestly.  We must be willing to listen. We must continue to build loyalty and be supportive. We must foster a willingness to grow and change. We are fortunate to have a Senior Leadership Team who is devoted to ensuring that our DEI goals are established and developed thru visible commitment and actionable ideas.”