Our people
Sustainability is a key driver of employee engagement.
We believe that by continuously reinforcing our commitment towards the health and safety of our employees, by providing a work environment that is inclusive and by embracing diversity, we can truly operate our business more successfully.
employees
women
Diversity and inclusion
Governance and leadership
Defining quantifiable objectives to develop diversity and inclusion and ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
Learning and development
Empowering leaders and employees through engaging training on diversity and inclusion and best practice sharing.
HR policies and practices
Ensure HR practices and policies encourage a diversity and inclusion culture and reflect our diverse workforce.
Raising awareness and communication
Communicate proactively on diversity and inclusion and provide employees with forums to express themselves.
Community
Develop our diversity and inclusion committee and ambassadors and engage in community events and advocacy.
Elevating training and awareness on D&I
We also aim to deliver conferences and learning opportunities to employees. For example, in 2021 two conferences were offered to VIA Rail employees - one on the history and heritage of First Nations, and one on the essential ingredients to creating an inclusive culture.
Proactive safety culture
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Comply with laws and regulations
Comply with applicable health, safety and environmental laws and regulations, and when possible, go beyond these obligations taking into consideration stakeholder perspectives.
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Eliminate hazards
Eliminate hazards at the source and reduce occupational and railway health & safety risks, while preventing pollution, using resources sustainably, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and protecting our heritage, biodiversity and ecosystems.
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Implement a HSE management system
Implement an efficient and effective health, safety and environmental management system aligned with industry standards, anchored by clearly defined objectives and targets, and a strong focus on continuous improvement.
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Consult and engage
Consult and engage our employees and employee representatives to share perspectives, work together and learn from each other through teamwork and leadership.
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Protect from retaliation or discrimination
Provide access to reporting mechanisms that protect against retaliation or discrimination when reporting hazards, unsafe conditions, near misses and actual incidents.
Our safety management system
Our Safety Management System (SMS) provides the framework to implement our Safety Policy, as well as our Health and Safety at Work and Environment Policy, and to deliver on our safety action plan. It includes the procedures, processes and responsibilities for safe railway operations in accordance with the SMS regulations under the Railway Safety Act put into effect by Transport Canada, the international ISO 45001 safety management standard, as well as industry best practices.
Our Environmental Management System for three of our maintenance centres follows ISO 14001 standard to ensure standard framework for tracking, evaluating and communicating.
