we're making sure there is room for everyone in forestry.
Supporting inclusion and diversity is how the Canadian forest sector can thrive.
The Free to Grow in Forestry initiative aims to achieve gender equality and meaningful inclusion of equity-deserving groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, new Canadians, global majorities, 2SLGBTQI+, people living with disabilities) at all levels from technical to executive level positions in the forest sector.
The campaign is an unprecedented collaboration that was launched as a result of the Gender Equity in Canada’s Forest Sector National Action Plan Initiative, spearheaded by the Canadian Institute of Forestry and the Centre for Social Intelligence, with strategic guidance from the National Steering Committee of forest sector leaders.
Our sector plays an important role in Canada’s economy, employing hundreds of thousands of people each year and supporting many communities from coast to coast. While we’ve made some progress in advancing gender equality, there’s more work to be done.
Equity is crucial to the advancement of a thriving and resilient forest sector. As we continue to grow and change, we all have a role to play in making our sector a place where everyone has the support they need to succeed and thrive.
Join the Free to Grow in Forestry Movement
Our Pillars
To achieve this vision in Canada, we developed a Framework for Action with three key pillars of activity:
Building the
evidence base
We’re collecting and analyzing data to identify how we can advance gender equality in the Canadian forest sector. In an unprecedented move, we’re engaging with universities, provincial forest organizations and drawing from Statistics Canada data to understand the gaps in employment for women across the sector.
Fostering an
inclusive culture.
We’re creating pathways for the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the forest sector through best practices and the development of innovative thinking that groups can use to affect change across their organizations.
Repositioning
the sector.
We’re advocating, promoting and reporting on progress toward gender equality. With targeted communication campaigns to attract and retain women to the forest sector, as well as campaigns to educate the current workforce on the benefits of diversity and inclusion, we’re working to make a difference.
We need your help. Find out how you can spread the word about the importance of equity and keep the momentum going.
This initiative supports the recruitment, retention and advancement of women, Indigenous and new Canadians in Canada’s diverse and dynamic forest sector, and is the first of its kind.
Our partners & Collaborators
