National Roundtable Series • 2025-2026
Future Forward: Reimagining Inclusive Career Development
A national, by-invitation roundtable series for HR, DEI, and talent leaders ready to move from insight to action on inclusive career development for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women.
The research behind the work
From national research to national dialogue
Talent expectations are continuing to evolve — shaped by economic uncertainty, technological advancement, and shifting social landscapes. For Indigenous, Black, and racialized women, these needs are even more pronounced.
New national research from Accelerate Her Future, funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, reveals that
workplace systems still fall short in meeting the needs of women navigating overlapping barriers across race, gender, and career
stage.
Future Forward brought research into the room — creating intimate, by-invitation spaces for HR, DEI, and people leaders to examine equity gaps, explore actionable solutions, and exchange ideas that drive retention, advancement, and belonging.
The Series at a Glance
5 Cities across Canada
Calgary, Mississauga, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver
149 Senior leaders engaged
Primarily HR, DEI, and talent professionals
112 Organizations represented
Private Sector and Non-Profit
80% Senior Manager level and above
Decision-makers with authority over talent systems
88% Overall satisfaction rating
Across all five roundtable sessions
Download the Research Report
The Roundtable Series
Five cities. One national conversation.
Toronto
Participants were asked
Biggest Lifecycle Barriers
RECRUITMENT
RETENTION
PERFORMANCE
Women
BARRIER
BARRIER
Women
BARRIER
BARRIER
What we heard
Key Bright Spots Shared by Roundtable Participants
Bright Spot 01
"When leaders advocate, outcomes change."
Bright Spot 02
"Targeted programs are producing real promotions."
Bright Spot 03
"You cannot fix what you cannot see."
Bright Spot 04
"Community partnership begins before the job posting."
Bright Spot 05
"Sponsorship works when it is formal, not incidental."
Bright Spot 06
"Equity embedded across the full lifecycle produces different outcomes."
Future thinking
What the Room Called for
DO NOW — NEAR-TERM
- Tie manager and leader goals to DEI
outcomes this cycle, not the next one. - Launch formal sponsorship programs
targeting the levels where Indigenous,
Black, and racialized women most often
stall. - Review job postings to ensure
language is inclusive and accessible
for Indigenous, Black, and racialized
women. - Make promotion criteria visible and
transparent to everyone, not just those
already in the room. - Collect disaggregated data across
the employee lifecycle to understand
where Indigenous, Black, and racialized
women are losing ground and make
decisions based on what it shows. - Invest in training middle managers;
they are where culture is.
BUILD TOWARD — long-term
- Move reconciliation commitments from
principle to practice through community
partnerships, tangible pathways into
employment, and workplaces that are
genuinely prepared to welcome and
retain Indigenous women. - Redesign promotion and career
pathways so they work equitably across
the full lifecycle. - Embed DEI goals in executive scorecards
and tie them to compensation. - Overhaul performance management
and talent review systems so they are
equitable, transparent, and documented. - Build organizations where Indigenous,
Black, and racialized women belong, not
just where they are hired. - Advocate for pay transparency legislation with real consequences for non-Compliance.
- Create formal, funded development
programs and fellowships specifically for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women.
KNOWLEDGE PIECE
From Insight to Action: What We Learned Across Five Cities
A synthesis of participant insights from AHF’s national Executive Roundtable Series.
Special Thanks to Our Funder
Intersectionality, Inclusive Career Development and Future of Work Knowledge Mobilization is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills program
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Accelerate Her Future® was founded on land and waters of the traditional territory of many nations including the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabeg, the Attawandaron, and the Metis within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement. We respect Indigenous peoples’ deep connections to the land and waters, and affirm our commitment to continued learning while engaging our head, heart and hands to advance the TRC Calls to Action 92 and the MMIWG2S+ Calls to Justice 6.1, 11.1 and 15. We invite you to learn more about the history and presence of the Indigenous communities on the land and waters you gather on and work to build a better future for all. We encourage visitors to our website to learn about the land they are currently on.
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Events
Accelerate Her Future® was founded on land and waters of the traditional territory of many nations including the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabeg, the Attawandaron, and the Metis within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement. We respect Indigenous peoples’ deep connections to the land and waters, and affirm our commitment to continued learning while engaging our head, heart and hands to advance the TRC Calls to Action 92 and the MMIWG2S+ Calls to Justice 6.1, 11.1 and 15. We invite you to learn more about the history and presence of the Indigenous communities on the land and waters you gather on and work to build a better future for all and have included learning resources in your onboarding materials some of which are required for your completion. We encourage visitors to our website to learn about the land they are currently on.