Latest news with #inclusion
National Post
a day ago
- Business
- National Post
KUBRA Recognized as a Best Workplace for Inclusion, and Recertified as a Great Place to Work in the U.S. and Canada
Article content TEMPE, Ariz. — KUBRA, a leading provider of customer experience management solutions for some of the largest utility, insurance, and government entities, is thrilled to announce its recognition as one of Canada's Best Workplaces™ for Inclusion in 2025. This marks the third time KUBRA has been recognized in this category. The company also recently achieved its Great Place to Work ® recertification in both the U.S. and Canada for the seventh year in a row. Article content This honour is based on an independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work, using direct feedback from employees across hundreds of organizations. To qualify, companies must be Great Place to Work-Certified™—a global accreditation that reflects a positive and supportive workplace culture—and demonstrate exceptional results on the Trust Index™ employee survey. In particular, at least 90% of employees must agree that people are treated fairly, regardless of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation. This benchmark is essential for this award, highlighting a culture grounded in fairness, respect, and inclusion. Article content 'Inclusion isn't a box we check, it's how we show up every day,' said Rick Watkin, President and CEO of KUBRA. 'We're committed to building a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to be themselves. This recognition is a testament to the incredible culture our people work hard to protect and grow.' Article content This commitment is evident in initiatives and resources designed to foster open dialogue, support, and connection across the organization. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to create a culture that values diversity and inclusion and is free from judgment based on appearance or background. Article content For prospective employees seeking opportunities at KUBRA, visit our careers page to explore openings and discover how you can join a team that values innovation, diversity, and growth. Article content About KUBRA Article content KUBRA provides customer experience management solutions to some of the largest utility, government, and insurance entities across North America. Our extensive portfolio includes billing and payments, mapping, mobile apps, proactive communications, and artificial intelligence solutions for customers. With more than two billion customer interactions annually, KUBRA services reach over 40% of households in the U.S. and Canada. KUBRA is an operating subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation. Visit for more information. Article content Article content Article content Media contacts: Article content Article content Alison Copeland Article content Article content Article content
Zawya
a day ago
- General
- Zawya
Sharjah: A global standard for inclusion and a model of social integration and sustainable development
Sharjah: Hosting the World Congress 2025 'We Are Inclusion" in the Emirate of Sharjah is a culmination of a longstanding humanitarian and developmental journey that has solidified its position as a global model for comprehensive social inclusion. This path led to Sharjah being named a "Disability-Friendly City" in 2018 by the World Disability Union, following the emirate's extensive efforts to develop its infrastructure to ensure full and safe accessibility to all public facilities and services. An inclusive educational environment Sharjah's commitment to comprehensive inclusion is seen across several key sectors essential to the health and well-being of individuals in the community. In the field of education, the emirate has played a significant role in inclusive education and pedagogical rehabilitation. Since its establishment, the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) has actively worked to integrate individuals with disabilities into schools and the broader community, while advocating for an accessible built environment that allows for easy and safe mobility. These significant efforts have enabled the integration of many students with disabilities into schools within an educational environment rooted in equality and specialised educational support. Sharjah has also provided early intervention services, family care, and individualised rehabilitation for children. In parallel, economic initiatives like Takween were launched with the goal of producing goods handcrafted by persons with disabilities, serving as a model for the shift from care to empowerment, and showcasing their ability to create independent artistic and craftwork that supports economic inclusion. Furthermore, the University of Sharjah established the Disability Resource Center to provide academic and technical support to students with disabilities, ensuring their full participation on campus from admission through graduation and achieving an inclusive and comprehensive educational experience. On the social and psychological front, several institutions in Sharjah organise seasonal programs that include a range of activities for persons with disabilities, such as art workshops, sports events, and psychological support. These initiatives are part of a broader community strategy aimed at improving quality of life and fostering a sense of inclusion and acceptance. Alignment with national policies At the legislative and legal level, Sharjah's efforts are fully aligned with federal laws and policies notably Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. The emirate has continuously worked to connect health, education, economic, and social sectors to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to inclusion. The significance of these efforts is underlined by data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which reveals that excluding persons with disabilities from the labor market can result in losses ranging from 1% to 7% in the GDP of some countries. This highlights the profound economic and innovative impact of inclusive and integrative policies. Inclusion International's World Congress 2025, 'We are Inclusion', taking place in Sharjah this year, reinforces the significance of inclusive policies in achieving sustainable development. Aligning with the UN 2030 Goal Agenda, particularly Goal 10, which aims to 'reduce inequality' and emphasises that 'social and economic inclusion of all, regardless of age, gender, or disability,' is essential to building sustainable societies. Sharjah: A Global Call for Inclusion and Diversity Through this World Congress, Sharjah is calling out to the global community that building communities cannot be complete without everyone's contribution. Inclusion is not only a humanitarian principle but also a developmental, economic, and cultural policy, and a fundamental human right that must not be compromised.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
DOJ to review staff texts, emails after faculty praise of GMU president
In a move critics say shows a new and deeper level of scrutiny into a college's operations, the Justice Department sent a letter to George Mason University saying it planned to review a Faculty Senate resolution that praised the school's president, Gregory Washington, who has come under scrutiny from the Trump administration over his diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The Justice Department letter singled out a line from the resolution — which was stated as a fact, not as a policy supported by the faculty — that referred to a 2022 university goal to achieve 'faculty and staff demographics that mirror student demographics.' 'This statement is concerning as it indicates the GMU Faculty Senate is praising President Washington for engaging in race- or sex-motivated hiring decisions to achieve specific demographic outcomes among faculty and staff,' read the Friday letter, obtained by The Washington Post, from Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon to the head of the board and the board's lawyer. She warned the school's board in the letter that those alleged hiring practices are unlawful and could result in 'extensive' fines for the university. She asked the head of George Mason's Board of Visitors to take steps to preserve 'all written communications (including emails, texts, voice mails and other forms of electronic communications) between any Faculty Senate members or between Faculty Senate members and President Washington or any members of his Office's staff.' The letter comes as the Trump administration is conducting four investigations, which were announced in the span of four weeks, into Virginia's largest public university over its DEI practices and its alleged failure to combat antisemitism on campus, including into its alleged consideration of race in the hiring and promotion of some faculty members. Some at GMU see the growing number of investigations as an effort to oust Washington, the school's first Black president, following the resignation of University of Virginia President James E. Ryan, who left his post last month amid mounting pressure from the Justice Department. Faculty senates — representative bodies of a university's faculty that meet to discuss and opine on a college's operations — often pass resolutions supporting or criticizing policies of university leaders. But it is rare for a presidential administration to weigh in on faculty senate operations in this way. The letter landed as the Trump administration continues efforts to reshape higher education by launching investigations and threatening federal funding cuts to achieve its policy goals. Last week, Columbia University agreed to a resolution with the administration, paying more than $200 million to settle discrimination claims, including over alleged antisemitism. 'This is a piece of a larger pattern from the administration essentially looking for provocations on campus,' said Frederick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. 'Instead of seeking a way to defuse it and seek common ground, it looks like the GMU Faculty Senate opted to double down, and DOJ is firing back.' Hess said that, while he could not recall a similar letter being sent elsewhere, it's possible the Trump administration could have done so without public knowledge. The Justice Department declined to comment beyond the letter. Torridon Law, the firm representing the GMU board, referred questions to a July 25 Board of Visitors statement in which the body said it would comply fully with the Departments of Education and Justice. The Northern Virginia university, which began as a commuter school and now boasts some 40,000 students, has an acceptance rate of about 90 percent. Its Antonin Scalia Law School and its economics program are known as some of the most conservative in their respective fields, and a number of its current and former board members have worked at or have connections with the Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Project 2025. As president, Washington created an anti-racism task force in 2020 and has praised some DEI programs. He has since defended his policies and said the school was meeting requirements of federal mandates. Some supporters of Washington, including George Mason faculty members, denounced the Justice Department's letter, saying the department took the resolution out of context and was attacking free speech. The resolution was passed a day before department officials sent the letter. Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) said in a statement that, while 'conservatives have been demanding academic freedom for years,' it now appears that they are acting as 'thought police' and trying to 'flex control over our Virginia educational crown jewels.' Faculty Senate President Solon Simmons said in an interview with The Post that he hoped the letter was not an attempt to silence faculty members — a worry he said he has heard from some professors — and was merely the result of a misunderstanding of the faculty's role in setting policies. 'We have no institutional force in the university beyond our moral suasion,' he said. 'They are letting us know they are paying attention, and we are taking it very seriously. I think it's important that faculty maintain their voice and don't feel intimidated by this process.' The Faculty Senate resolution had two sections. In the 'whereas' section, the faculty noted a 2013 university plan that said 'Diversity is our strength' and committed the college to 'invest in recruiting, retaining and developing talented and diverse faculty and academic and professional staff.' It said Washington successfully achieved the goals he was hired to pursue; called the Trump administration's investigations into GMU a 'politically motivated attack, similar to those we have seen elsewhere'; and said 'evidence, truth, and due process should be the foundation for all decisions, not allegations that have not been fully investigated.' In the second part, the Faculty Senate 'resolved' that it affirmed the 2013 plan's provisions regarding diversity, declared confidence in Washington's leadership, and called on the board to provide the 'strongest defense possible' of Washington and to commit to a fair and transparent annual review, which is scheduled to occur Friday at the board's meetings. The George Mason chapter of the American Association of University Professors is calling on its supporters to pack that meeting. In an unsigned statement, the group said it is worried the board, which is made up solely of members appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), could point to the investigations and inquiries from the Trump administration as justification to give Washington a poor performance evaluation at best — and fire him at worst. 'We believe these investigations are nothing more than a thin pretext to attack and remove current GMU President Gregory Washington,' the group wrote.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Is this the end of an era for a 50-year-old tradition in Australia? Bitter feud erupts over a very controversial change
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is facing its biggest internal rift in years, as fierce infighting threatens to reshape the future of the world-famous event. A new campaign group, Protect Mardi Gras, is urging members to reject what it calls 'division and exclusion' ahead of a pivotal annual general meeting. At the heart of the dispute is whether LGBTQIA+ police officers should be permitted to march in uniform in the 2025 parade. Protect Mardi Gras claims a 'group of activists' is using the AGM to push an 'exclusionary agenda'. That group is Pride in Protest, a self-described 'grassroots political organisation focusing on queer liberation'. Veteran activist Peter Murphy, who was brutally bashed by police during the first Mardi Gras in 1978, called on members to defend the parade's inclusive spirit. Mr Murphy is a '78er,' a term used to describe those who took part in the original 1978 march, which was met with police violence and arrests. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Protect Mardi Gras (@protectmardigras) Mr Murphy reflected on the event's evolution, calling Mardi Gras a 'beacon of hope' for LGBTQIA+ communities in Sydney, Australia, and around the world. He highlighted the 1998 decision to allow LGBTQIA+ police officers to march as a milestone moment. 'When the LGBTQIA+ police joined our parade in 1998, it was a fabulous victory,' Mr Murphy said. 'But its beautiful, inclusive character is under sustained attack from within our community here in Sydney.' He urged members to join the Mardi Gras organisation, attend the AGM and vote, or hand over their proxy to a Protect Mardi Gras member. Protect Mardi Gras organiser Peter Stahel told Daily Mail Australia the campaign consists of 'ordinary volunteers who care deeply about the power of Mardi Gras'. 'Mardi Gras is made possible by the hard work of hundreds of volunteers and the participation of a very diverse group of people, businesses, and activists that don't necessarily agree with each other on every issue,' he said. 'Mardi Gras has many voices, but it's one parade. That's what makes it powerful.' Mr Stahel acknowledged the NSW Police's history of harm toward LGBTQIA+ communities, but urged a pragmatic, inclusive approach. 'I agree we must constantly acknowledge that many institutions, including the NSW Police, continue to cause harm to LGBTQIA+ people and many others,' he said. 'If only one in 100 police are allies, we start with them and build from there. We don't reject the one to spite the 99, that's just silly, unstrategic, and frankly, dangerous.' Protect Mardi Gras is encouraging people to join the organisation and vote to maintain the parade's inclusive tradition. Meanwhile, Pride in Protest has campaigned to ban police from marching in the event since 2018. Their most recent attempt to formally exclude officers from the 2025 parade was narrowly defeated. In 2024, NSW Police officers marched out of uniform in a compromise following the deaths of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird, who were allegedly murdered by Beau Lamarre-Condon, a serving police officer at the time. Earlier this month, Pride in Protest renewed its call to ban police from participating in Mardi Gras following the death of Collin Burling, a 45-year-old man who died in police custody on July 15. Mr Burling's partner, Taite Collins, captured distressing footage of the incident, in which Burling cried out: 'I've done nothing wrong. I can't breathe. I am dying. Help.' 'The police institution is an oppressive one laced with racism, queerphobia, and violence, and one that is not held accountable for its actions,' Pride in Protest said. 'We renew our demands that the disgraced NSW Police Force be removed from the Mardi Gras parade float and for Operation Mardi Gras to end, putting a stop to the dangerous and overwhelming police presence in Sydney's queer spaces and events.' The Mardi Gras annual general meeting will be held later this year.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Olympics legend Denise Lewis and Denise Van Outen join stars at The Grove for landmark event celebrating women's golf
The Grove, one of the UK's most prestigious golfing destinations, hosted a landmark event last week aimed at celebrating and elevating women's golf. The exclusive gathering, titled 'Fore! The Women's Game', welcomed a host of famous faces from the worlds of sport, lifestyle and entertainment for a day dedicated to elevating female golf and expanding its reach to new audiences. Guests included Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis, fellow Olympian Goldie Sayers and actress and presenter Denise Van Outen, along with a number of leading female content creators and athletes. While the group enjoyed time out on the course, the focus of the day was much bigger than the leaderboard. Van Outen hailed the event as a powerful moment for the women's game, saying: 'It has been an incredible day at The Grove, not just enjoying the game but being surrounded by so many inspiring women who are moving golf forward. 'The Grove has created an environment where women's golf continues to be elevated, and events like this are so important in showing what's possible when inclusion and ambition come together.' The event is just the latest move by The Grove, based in Hertfordshire, to champion gender equality in golf. The resort is a proud signatory of The R&A's Women in Golf Charter, which aims to create a more inclusive culture within the sport worldwide. Back in 2023, The Grove hosted the Rose Ladies Series Finale, created by former US open champions Justin Rose and and his wife Kate, to give female professionals more high profile playing opportunities. The venue has also made a point of building a strong and visible female workforce across its operation. Anna Darnell, General Manager at The Grove, added: 'Seeing such a dynamic group of women come together at The Grove for 'Fore! The Women's Game' has been truly inspiring. 'From content creators to sporting icons, each attendee brought energy, insight, and a shared passion for driving progress in golf. Events like this are vital in not only celebrating how far the women's game has come but also in shaping an inclusive and exciting future for the next generation. 'At The Grove, we remain committed to championing equality and creating opportunities for women to thrive at every level of the sport.'
