One critical pillar of the success of equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights models is the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. This information helps organizations gain insight into the representation of underrepresented groups, systemic barriers, and the effectiveness of programs, policies, and initiatives.
EDI data collection is vital in five critical dimensions of employment: recruitment, onboarding, demographic composition, retention, and organizational culture. By developing an institutional data collection strategy, we are ensuring the consistency, coordination, and institutional impact of our information-gathering initiatives.
Demographic data collection is a crucial step in our commitment to:
- Assess our demographic composition,
- Identify representation gaps, and
- Determine the support we should provide to ensure that underrepresented groups choose to join our community and remain in our organization.
This information will also enable us to understand the factors that impact each community member's full and successful participation within our university. With this knowledge, we can identify areas for improvement and allocate resources to create a more equitable and inclusive organization.
Demographic data collection at RRU
The census is currently the primary method used to gather demographic information related to employment at RRU. The support and active participation of the executive and unit leaders will be essential to the success of this initiative.
In 2019, the Human Resources Office (HRO) developed the first demographics survey at RRU: the Everyone Counts Survey. The survey collected information on the Federal Employment Equity Act's four designated groups: Indigenous Peoples, People with Disabilities, Visible Minorities, and Women.
In 2020, the HRO launched a new survey version, the Everyone Counts Census. This updated tool included an expanded list of self-identification categories such as age, family status, place of origin, language, religion, and wages.
Both the survey and the census were open for a whole month. Responding to the census was entirely voluntary, and the respondents were free to withdraw from it at any time or choose not to answer specific questions.
In the spring of 2024, RRU launched its third census edition. Although the census replicated the approach of the previous 2020 demographic data collection initiative, it simplified the number of categories and changed the distribution strategy to ensure solid community participation.
Participation in this census remained voluntary.
Frequent questions and answers
Learn more about the last edition of the census.