LEVERAGING CANADA’S DIVERSITY The Canadian Armed Forces is committed to demonstrating leadership in reflecting Canadian ideals of diversity, respect and inclusion, including striving for gender equality and building a workforce that leverages the diversity of Canadian society. Canada’s unique, diverse and multicultural population is one of its greatest strengths. While positive steps have been made towards greater diversity, inclusion and gender equality, we can do much more to reflect and harness the strength and diversity of the people we serve, in both military and civilian ranks. We are fully committed to implementing our new comprehensive Diversity Strategy and Action Plan, which will promote an institution-wide culture that embraces diversity and inclusion. This includes reinforcing diversity in the identity of the Canadian Armed Forces and our doctrine, modernizing career management and all policies to support diversity and inclusion, and conducting targeted research to better understand diversity within the Department of National Defence. Embracing diversity will enhance military operational effectiveness by drawing on all of the strengths of Canada’s population. Building a Defence team composed of people with new perspectives and a broader range of cultural, linguistic, gender, age, and other unique attributes will contribute directly to efforts to develop a deeper understanding of our increasingly complex world, and to respond effectively to the challenges it presents. Diversity and inclusion initiatives also support many of our objectives for personnel, including providing a positive work place and supporting total health and wellbeing. WOMEN IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES: Currently, 15 percent of Canadian Armed Forces members are women. The NATO average for women in the military is 11 percent. The Canadian Armed Forces is committed to further increasing the representation of women in the military by 1percent annually towards a goal of 25 percent in 10 years. This will not only contribute to positive Canadian Armed Forces culture change, but will also increase overall operational effectiveness. NEW INITIATIVES To fully leverage Canada’s diversity, the Defence team will: 10. Promote diversity and inclusion as a core institutional value across the Defence team. 11. Appoint a Diversity Champion who will oversee the implementation of all aspects of the Diversity Strategy and Action plan including instituting mandatory diversity training across all phases of professional development. 12. Integrate Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in all defence activities across the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence, from the design and implementation of programs and services that support our personnel, to equipment procurement and operational planning. 13. Place a new focus on recruiting and retaining under-represented populations within the Canadian Armed Forces, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous peoples, and members of visible minorities. 14. Aspire to be a leader in gender balance in the military by increasing the representation of women by 1 percent annually over the next 10 years to reach 25 percent of the overall force. 23