Policy on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Protak Consulting Group Inc. is proud to foster a workplace environment that is welcoming, accommodating, inclusive, and receptive to our employees’ and clients’ unique needs. All internal members of the Protak team are provided with training and are expected to work within our established guidelines for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace.

• Protak employs a small, diverse team of employees for daily operations. Our internal staffing strategy includes a focus on hiring those less represented in the workforce, offering equal opportunity to all gender identities, ethnicities, abilities, ages, and walks of life. We value experience and diversity. 
• Protak has provided all employees with enhanced technology supporting accessibility for sight, hearing, and physical impairments. We also provide a flexible working schedule in order to accommodate the needs of our employees.
• In terms of the 100+ consultants that work with us, our goal is always to hire the right person for the job, based on their relevant experience, education, certifications, and their ability to connect with the client team. Our consultant rates are based on education and experience, and would never be contingent on gender. A female project manager will command the same per diem as their male counterpart with the same amount of experience and qualifications.
• We are an equal opportunity employer, considering candidates from all walks of life, race and religion, with the essential qualifications, from anywhere in the world. We act as advocates on behalf of our resources when proposing their services to our government clients. Sometimes this includes ensuring that our candidates have equivalency certificates to support their educational credentials obtained overseas. Other times it includes ensuring that our employees have the ability to work from their home office, or from an accessible location on site, in order to accommodate physical challenges.
• Protak has developed and adheres to a policy supporting equity, inclusivity and accessibility for all in the workplace. We advocate for our consultants to ensure that they are being evaluated based on their skills and experience, rather than their gender, race, lifestyle or physical ability. If one of our in-house team members or consultants has special needs in order to carry out their work, we aim to support them in having their needs met, i.e. special accommodations for wheelchairs, etc.
• Members of Protak’s in-house team are required to complete anti-racism training as part of their onboarding process. In this way we can be assured that we are all interacting with our consultants in the same respectful manner.
• Our in-house team has received unconscious bias training through GBA+. (https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/gbaplus-course-cours-acsplus/eng/mod00/mod00_01_01.html) and the following, which takes into consideration bias in peer review, an integral part of our business: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/lms/e/bias/
• Protak strives to provide an accessible workplace for all employees, both internal and contract
• Consultants with accessibility issues or concerns will be accommodated as we advocate for them with our clients, ensuring an accessible work environment (accessible offices, equipment)
• A strong work/life balance is key to worker safety, health and satisfaction as well as productivity. We support this balance at Protak by ensuring our employees have ample time off to pursue other interests, to rest and to keep personal commitments – even if it is in the middle of a typical workday.

Accessibility

• Our communications are developed and adapted with accessibility in mind; we provide options for virtual meetings so that clients can meet with consultants online rather than just on the phone
• Our proposals are vetted through an accessibility checker to ensure legibility and clarity for those with visual challenges