Statement from the WCC Board of Directors

Further to our statement July 3, 2020 the Whitby Chamber of Commerce (WCC) Board of Directors would like to provide its membership and the business community an update regarding our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities. Similar to many organizations across North America, we are focused on educating ourselves and taking proactive, deliberate and manageable steps to ensure we are constantly improving the inclusive culture at the WCC. We are proud to provide this update on some of the recent steps we have taken.

1. The WCC Board of Directors and staff were trained in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on July 13; additional training for all 80+ volunteers is in development.
2. As per the announcement on June 17, a Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee was formed and the inaugural meeting took place on August 14.
3. As per the announcement on June 17, the WCC Board of Directors is also fully engaged in the development of a formal Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
4. Further to the 3rd party review of an incident at a volunteer-led event in June, the Board of Directors has accepted the assessment from the reviewer and is actively working to implement all four recommendations to ensure an improved experience and process for all events moving forward.

We continue to believe it is important for us to listen, reflect and move forward together in a meaningful way. For us now, this means being intentionally inclusive and ensuring we employ an equitable lens when collaborating within Whitby’s diverse community.