Alectra establishes an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship with The Directors College

The DeGroote School of Business and Alectra are pleased to announce the ‘Alectra Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Scholarship’. The scholarship will offer more racialized individuals the opportunity to attain governance education and certification, by completing The Directors College Chartered Director (C.Dir.) Program, a DeGroote Executive Program.

“At DeGroote, we recognize the importance of supporting our diverse community. We are thrilled about the opportunity to foster a more inclusive environment as a result of this partnership,” said Dr. Khaled Hassanein, Dean DeGroote School of Business. “We are grateful for Alectra’s contribution to our shared values and are enthusiastic about welcoming future scholarship recipients to our program.”

Alectra will be funding the annual scholarship, awarded to one Ontario-based individual who identifies as racialized, each calendar year between 2021 and 2025 and will cover all five modules of the C.Dir. Program.

“Equity, diversity and inclusion are embedded in Alectra’s culture. Breaking down barriers and expanding possibilities through this scholarship program will provide under-represented individuals with new tools to lead,” said Brian Bentz, President and CEO, Alectra Inc. “It’s an important step in achieving greater diversity for today and in the future.”

The 2021 scholarship application window will be open from September 13 – December 10, 2021. The 2021 scholarship recipient will be announced by December 17, 2021 and will be eligible to participate in 2022 C.Dir. Program Modules.

This scholarship is open to candidates who self-identify as part of Indigenous or racialized groups, which are underrepresented on corporate boards. In addition to the general assessment factors, the following will be considered:

• Efforts on behalf of the identified community including but not limited to leadership roles.
• Commitment to social purpose and/or involvement in charitable or community sectors.

The C.Dir. Program is a globally recognized university-accredited professional designation providing individuals with the knowledge and insight to be effective board members. This scholarship program will support board diversity and emerging leaders moving ahead.

“The Directors College is pleased to partner with Alectra to offer this scholarship opportunity. We believe in the value of encouraging fresh perspectives in the boardroom that can challenge conventional wisdoms and lead to more impactful outcomes,” said Dave Mammoliti, Managing Director of The Directors College and Executive Programs at the DeGroote School of Business. “Our program continues to demonstrate its leadership in governance education by enabling recipients to gain the knowledge and skills to become more effective board members, while helping create a more racially diverse and inclusive governance landscape.”

In 2020, Alectra launched an internal ED&I policy and developed an Anti-Racism Campaign. These efforts have grown beyond company walls and into our communities by supporting several local anti-racism initiatives delivered through activism, community building, education and scholarships.

For more information and to read the complete list of eligibility requirements for Supporting Diversity: The Alectra ED&I Scholarship, please click here.

­About Alectra Inc.

Serving more than one million homes and businesses in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is now the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions.

Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.

About The Directors College

The Directors College is Canada’s premier provider of board governance training. The Directors College is the original university-accredited corporate director education program in Canada. Founded in 2003, we are part of Executive Programs at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Our approach is unique. Our comprehensive and immersive programs allow you to put the lessons learned in the classroom into practice in a board setting. Our mission—to advance transformative governance for the benefit of business and society—is at the heart of our Gold Standard in Governance Education. This enables our alumni to be forward thinking, values-driven, and change enabling.