Ericsson Canada has been recognized by Forbes as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2024, securing the 38th spot out of 200 companies.
This recognition underscores the company’s ongoing dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within its workforce.
Jeanette Irekvist, President of Ericsson Canada, expressed pride in the achievement. “We’re incredibly proud to be recognized by Forbes as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity,” Irekvist said. “This recognition is a true testament to our employees’ experiences, satisfaction, and opportunities. As a company at the forefront of global development in next-generation communication technologies, we take enormous pride in the quality of our work. This accolade by Forbes reinforces our commitment to creating an inclusive environment and our team’s dedication and pride in serving our customers.”
The Forbes ranking, conducted in partnership with market research company Statista, is based on a survey of over 40,000 employees from Canadian companies and institutions with more than 500 employees. Respondents anonymously rated their employers on diversity-related issues, such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, and LGBTQ+ equality. Additionally, the survey analyzed each company’s diversity-related best practices, including the presence of employee resource groups, hiring programs for Indigenous people, diversity data publication, accessible workplace environments, and the percentage of women in leadership roles.
Ericsson Canada integrates DEI principles into all aspects of its recruitment and employee engagement strategy. The company ensures diverse hiring practices by posting job roles on diverse job boards and mandating that at least 35% of applicants are women. These efforts are supported by diverse interview panels and inclusive, behaviour-based questions. Post-recruitment, Ericsson supports its employees through mentoring programs, Employee Resource Groups, inclusive facilities, flexible work options, and annual satisfaction surveys.
Ericsson Canada employs over 3,100 people across its 5G research and development centres and offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. It ranks among the top 13 R&D spenders in Canada, with an investment of $7.2 billion in research and development over the years.
The company has been a significant player in Canada’s innovation ecosystem for more than 70 years, contributing to the nation’s leadership in global industries and supporting the nationwide rollout of 5G in collaboration with major service providers and academic partners.
