Organika’s story started in 1990, as a company founded by an Asian immigrant in a predominantly white industry. Diversity is at the core of why Organika was created. We are proud to be one of the most diverse companies in the natural health industry, and fundamentally believe in our vision to be the #1 guide in natural health for people across Canada, regardless of their racial background.
Thirty years later, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities are still hurting. It pains us that this is still the case. The Black Lives Matter movement is a reminder that it is up to us to stand with the Black community and help spark change with tangible actions.
Here is how we are committing to furthering our impact and helping our fellow humans who are facing these inequalities.
-Aaron Chin, CEO
Where are we at?
In our team of 138...
- 4 team members identify as Black
- 70% of our team are immigrants to Canada
- 74% of team members in Leadership positions identify as BIPOC
- 60% our board of directors identify as BIPOC
- Over the last 2 years, we have proactively supported over 10 team members’ immigration process into Canada
We deeply value diversity. We recruit and retain team members based on merit, not their background. With team members hailing from over 20 different countries, we know our culture of inclusivity is one of our biggest strengths.
We recognize that, even as an organization where inclusivity is a key part of our culture, we can continue to learn and improve how we support our community. Here’s what we promise to do.
We will keep talking about it.
Our team is actively sharing anti-racism resources through our internal channels.
We are further encouraging conversations about race among our team members through various initiatives, to share insights, create awareness and educate:
- Fireside chats, featuring a diverse panel of individuals from different backgrounds sharing their experiences surrounding racial injustices;
- Diversity Chit Chats, pairing individuals across the organization to foster empathy and understanding;
- Book Clubs, empowering our teams to learn from the wealth of resources created by BIPOC authors and activists.
We will put our commitment into action.
We will create a Diversity Committee, taking ownership of diversity programs and initiatives throughout the company on a permanent and regular basis.
We commit to increasing representation by diversifying our roster of Wellness Experts and featuring more BIPOC faces and voices in our content channels, creating a more welcoming experience for wellness seekers of all backgrounds.
We will raise funds for organizations supporting BIPOC communities in Canada through the sales of face masks on our eCommerce platform. (Stay tuned!)
Creating change one step at a time
This is an ongoing journey for Organika to keep the momentum going. Progress doesn't happen overnight; our daily choices and actions are the building blocks of meaningful change. We hope you’ll join us in listening, learning, and creating a safer, kinder world for all, one day at a time.
