Unity Health Toronto is one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the second straight year.  

The award recognizes Unity Health’s leadership in its efforts to address racism and discrimination and create a diverse and inclusive workplace, according to criteria set by MediaCorp Canada Inc.           

“What began as a focused equity and inclusion effort in 2020 has become an integral part of Unity Health’s culture.” said Allison Needham, Director of Anti-Racism, Equity and Social Accountability at Unity Health Toronto. “While there is still important work ahead, the progress we’ve made reflects shared commitment and accountability from across the organization.” 

Unity Health’s efforts to implement an anti-racism, equity and social accountability strategy began in 2020, and included appointing Needham to her role in 2021. Since that time, Unity has made significant efforts   to implement strategic initiatives that foster an inclusive, anti-oppressive environment, embedding these values in patient care, policies, and organizational practices which have helped to strengthen a culture of respect and inclusion. 

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“We all experience the health system together whether as patients, employees or caregivers. We’re able to provide the best and most patient-centered care when our lived experiences are represented at the leadership level and throughout our organization. It’s those experiences that shape how we respond to patient needs and the challenges people face in our communities,” said Altaf Stationawala, President and CEO of Unity Health Toronto. 

Understanding how employees view Unity Health’s efforts toward this priority was a focus of Unity Health’s 2025 Employee Engagement Survey, where 62 per cent of employees agreed that the organization values and promotes an environment supporting diversity and inclusion—an increase of 13 per cent from 2022.  

“Unity Health Toronto has been deliberate about building equity, diversity and inclusion into the fabric of our organization. We have always treated it as a shared responsibility. These efforts are representative of how we hire, support our staff and in how we help develop our managers and leaders. That commitment continues to shape a culture that is grounded in our values,” said Manson Locke, Vice-President, People, Mission, Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer.  

Learn more about equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives at Unity Health Toronto. 

By: Anna Robinson

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