The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is taking aim at systematic biases against underrepresented groups and women that its members say are a major problem in the province’s engineering profession.

The group announced on November 26 that it has introduced a four-point action plan to foster what it calls “real change” in the field of diversity and inclusion.

“We invite our stakeholders and all members of the engineering community to join us in this mission for change by signing their names and telling all of our leaders that they demand action over rhetoric,” says OSPE CEO Sandro Perruzza.

Specifically, the plan calls for:

• reaffirming that diversity and inclusion remain core values in the profession,
• offering regular diversity and inclusion training to any members of the engineering community who seek it,
• launching a new featured Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award in 2021 to honour OSPE members who are making real systemic change, and
• convening a summit with all Ontario engineering leaders in 2021 to develop an industry-wide action plan.

The action plan comes on the heels of a recent survey that was commissioned by OPSE and which shows that engineers, graduates, and hiring mangers view systemic bias as a major problem—and one that discourages some of the best talent from remaining in engineering roles.

“This has gone on for too long, with little action by the leaders of Ontario – and Canada’s – engineering community,” said Perruzza. “Starting right now, OSPE is dedicating itself to unifying the voices of Ontario’s engineering community. Enough is enough and we won’t stop until we see meaningful change and movement towards a diverse and inclusive profession that is vibrant and ready to serve Ontario without bias.”

Research from a previous OSPE study revealed some harsh truths about gender-based issues in the profession. Specifically:

• one-in-three women is paid less than their male counterparts in the profession,
• one-in-four women experience harassment, discrimination or bullying at work within the engineering industry
• 45 percent of women reported feeling undervalued or disrespected in the workplace—compared to 20 percent of their male counterparts
• 44 percent of men compared with 18 of women claimed to having never felt barriers to their workplace advancement.

“Women and other underrepresented groups are being held back from contributing to the vital work Ontarians need them to do,” says current OSPE President and Chair, Réjeanne Aimey, P.Eng. “Our members’ voices are also clear: It’s time for action. It’s time for leadership. It’s time for real change.”

OSPE, which represents the province’s 85,000 professional engineers, is calling on all engineers, as well as the Professional Engineers Ontario, government officials, engineering school deans, Engineering Student Societies’ Council of Ontario, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario and all vested community stakeholder groups, to join with them in this endeavour.

OPSE has also launched a website at engineeringforchange.ca through which the engineering community can demonstrate their support for this cause.

“This is a complex problem, with deep cultural and historical roots. We are calling on the best of Ontario’s engineers to join with us to break the cycles of prejudice and bias that we all know are there,” says Perruzza.