Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
A world free of multiple sclerosis (MS) is only possible if everyone affected is part of the solution.
The MS Society of Canada (MSSOC) is committed to ensuring that equity, diversity and inclusion are at the core of the organization – part of everything we do. Equity ensures that as we move towards a world free of MS, no one is left behind, diverse perspectives create a space for meaningful and relevant engagement for everyone, and inclusivity empowers a sense of belonging and connection in our community.
Equity, diversity and inclusion are critical to driving innovation and improving health outcomes for people living with MS – strategic priorities for the MS Society. We believe that more can be done to be a truly inclusive and equitable MS community and we pledge to lead by example.
Through a series of engagement sessions, we welcomed feedback on our role in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognize that we are on a journey and commit to continuous learning and action, which includes listening more and keeping our communities informed of EDI-related advancements.
We will work hard to make change happen, starting with these immediate steps that include (and are not limited to) the following:
- Encourage and engage a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organizational culture.
- Provide our team of staff and volunteers with the tools and knowledge to practice inclusive behaviours in everything they do on behalf of the MSSOC.
- Review our organizational processes to remove barriers, increase accessibility and expand diverse representation within the MSSOC.
- Expand our recruitment and on-boarding processes for Board Members, staff and volunteers to diversify recruitment at all levels of the organization.
- Apply an equity, diversity and inclusion lens to our activities including programming, fundraising, advocacy, research and community engagement.
- Collect data to better understand the demographics of people affected by MS.
- Identify the voices of people affected by MS who are underrepresented or not represented in our community today and understand the unique challenges they may face.
- Develop strategies to address underrepresentation in our community and ensure those voices are heard.
- Track and report our progress with our stakeholders.
- Make space for continuous dialogue and storytelling.
- Engage with our community regularly to collect feedback and identify opportunities to better support people affected by MS.
- Document and share stories showcasing a broad range of lived experiences and identities.
Every step will strengthen our capacity and commitment to our mission -- to connect and empower the MS community to create positive change.
We are accountable to every Canadian affected by MS for all our work, including EDI initiatives and the MSSOC looks forward to sharing our progress.
More on our work related to equity, diversity and inclusion:
