Forbes has recognized Brock University as one of the top employers for diversity in the country.

The University ranked 10th in the annual list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity compiled by the global media company in partnership with research firm Statista.

The most recent ranking comes just months after Forbes named Brock the third best employer overall in Canada.

The Best Employers for Diversity list, which was released Tuesday, July 9 and included 200 organizations from across the country, is based on survey results from more than 40,000 people working for Canadian companies and institutions with at least 500 employees.

Also analyzed and incorporated into the rankings were each company’s diversity-related practices, such as the presence of employee resource groups, hiring programs geared toward Indigenous people, the creation of an accessible workplace for people with disabilities, the percentage of women in board and executive positions, and external practices such as supplier diversity.

Aside from Brock and BC Hydro (ranked No. 8), the remainder of the list’s Top 10 are global companies such as the Hershey Company (No. 1), Microsoft (No. 2) and Adidas (No. 3).

Brock’s cultural programs, such as the events and activities held for Black History Month and African Heritage Month, were among the reasons the University was recently recognized as one of the top Employers for Diversity in Canada by Forbes.

“These rankings are a reflection of the progress Brock has made in recent years through its continued commitment to foster a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization,” says Amanda Villella, the University’s Acting Associate Vice-President of People and Culture. “While we have pride in the steps we’ve taken forward, our ongoing commitment to this work continues to be a priority for the University.”

In part, Brock was recognized for its equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)-focused initiatives, including recruitment processes that encourage participation from a diverse pool of job candidates; an employment equity plan focused on representational hiring and promotion; employee training in topics such as compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act; and numerous cultural programs, such as those offered last month during Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week.

This past fall, the University also launched its first Equity Census, which will now take place annually.

The Forbes list was developed based on results of a survey that asked participants to rate their employer based on diversity-related issues, including age, gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBTQ+ equality. Participants were also asked to evaluate companies they knew through industry experience or family and friends who work there, with the responses of current employees and those with first-hand experience weighted more heavily.

Responses from people belonging to underrepresented groups were weighted “significantly higher” than those from people outside those groups, Forbes says on the web page highlighting the full list. Forbes also notes that organizations do not pay to be considered for the list.