London Hydro's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy

• Adhere to relevant legislation with respect to pay equity (the Pay Equity Act) and equal pay for equal work (the Employment Standards Act).
• Determine compensation using an objective approach, taking into consideration contractual commitments (e.g. collective agreement for unionized employees).

• Implement strategies and tactics towards attracting a diverse pool of qualified candidates for employment opportunities.
• Provide equal treatment in employment without discrimination based on the protected grounds of the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• Hire and promote employees based on their qualifications and competencies, taking into consideration contractual commitments (e.g. collective agreement for unionized employees).

• Implement and promote strategies, programs, initiatives and tactics that promote and ensure a diverse, positive, and inclusive workplace culture and an engaged workforce.
• Create opportunities for employees to participate in the development and prioritization of corporate initiatives.
• Solicit feedback from employees to measure the efficacy of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

• Implement training programs and ensure appropriate orientation / onboarding materials and corporate resources related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Engage in outreach with community organizations (e.g. associations, institutions, suppliers and identified interest groups) in support of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Encourage external suppliers to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in their business practices.

London Hydro’s Recognition of Indigenous Businesses

London Hydro is committed to fostering a corporate culture and climate that values and supports a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.  This commitment includes removing barriers that may prevent or discourage Indigenous-owned or other businesses from participating in our procurement process.

Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure acceptable products and services are obtained from suppliers in a fair, consistent, and unbiased manner. We have a responsibility to our shareholder, customers and community to purchase high quality goods and services at the best reasonable cost, encouraging participation from any and all eligible suppliers.

Overview of London Hydro’s Procurement Process

London Hydro is a major purchaser of equipment, supplies and services and we welcome bids from qualified suppliers who meet the terms and conditions of our bidding process. Some of the types and materials and services include:

• Electrical equipment
• Light and heavy-duty vehicles and equipment
• IT hardware and software
• Various materials and services for the development and maintenance of our electrical grid and facilities, including new construction projects

Lower dollar value purchase requests are typically sent to qualified businesses on our vendor list.  Higher value purchases are generally advertised on our third-party bidding site (bidsandtenders.ca).  

How to be added to London Hydro’s Vendor List

London Hydro maintains a vendor list of businesses that have shown interest in supplying specific goods and services to meet our requirements. If your business would like to be included on London Hydro’s vendor list, please reach out to Purchasing@londonhydro.com.

Bidding Opportunities

London Hydro’s bid opportunities are available at: https://londonhydro.bidsandtenders.ca/Module/Tenders/en

Bidders can create a Bidding System Vendor account. They can then select commodity codes for goods and services, and receive email notifications for matching bid opportunities.

Diversity refers to the variety of similarities and differences among people, often called diversity dimensions, including, but not limited to: citizenship, race, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, disability, age, creed, sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, Indigenous identity, generation, culture, appearance, language and accent, mental health, education, geography, work style, work experience, job role and function, thinking style, and personality type. Representation of various diversity dimensions within organizations may vary by geography, time, or organization. {The Centre for Global Inclusion / Ontario Human Rights Commission}

Fairness, Impartiality. A distinct process of recognizing differences within groups of individuals, and using this understanding to achieve substantive equality. {Ontario Human Rights Commission}

Equity is about fairness and justice. It is about taking deliberate actions to remove systemic, group, and individual barriers and obstacles that hinder opportunities and disrupt well-being. Equity is achieved through the identification and elimination of policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages that create and reinforce unfair outcomes {The Centre for Global Inclusion}

Appreciating and using our unique differences in a way that shows respect for the individual and ultimately creates a dynamic multi-dimensional organization. {Ontario Human Rights Commission}

Inclusion is a dynamic state of feeling, belonging, and operating in which diversity is leveraged and valued to create a fair, healthy, and high-performing organization or community. An inclusive culture and environment ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities for all. It also enables individuals and groups to feel safe, respected, heard, engaged, motivated, and valued for who they are. {The Centre for Global Inclusion}

A predisposition, prejudice or generalization about a group of persons based on personal characteristics or stereotypes. {Ontario Human Rights Commission}

Unfair, unequal or different treatment that causes harm based on protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code (citizenship, race, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, disability, age, creed, sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and record of offences). {Ontario Human Rights Commission}