The Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work (CRIW) is pleased to officially announce the recipients of 2025’s CRIW Ignite! research grant. This annual competition is designed to advance workplace inclusion by supporting collaborative research projects that align with the Centre’s mission of producing and sharing scholarship on topics of relevance to equity, diversity and inclusion. This year, our grant provided $7,000 to a unique project, which examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can reduce inequities in Canada’s healthcare system. Congratulations Dr. Lindsay McShane and her research assistant Narmin Banu! Read below for more information about their project.

Leveraging AI to Bridge Gaps in Healthcare Equity

Principal Investigator: Dr. Lindsay McShane, Associate Professor, Sprott School of Business Research Assistant: Narmin Tartila Banu, Ph.D. Candidate, Sprott School of Business

This research examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can reduce inequities in Canada’s publicly funded yet uneven healthcare system, where access often depends on having a family doctor or the ability to pursue alternative options. It asks: How can AI improve access to healthcare providers? What drives public acceptance of AI-powered medical advice? Using interviews and experiments, the project investigates accountability as a key mechanism and human oversight as a moderating factor influencing trust and adherence. The findings aim to inform equitable and inclusive AI-based healthcare solutions and shape public understanding of fairness, innovation, and trust in digital health systems.

CRIW Ignite! is one of the vehicles through which CRIW aims to advance knowledge and drive change towards more inclusive workplaces that support greater participation of all peoples. For more information, visit CRIW’s web pages on Research Support and Resources and Grants.

CRIW’s research activities and knowledge-sharing efforts are possible, in part, through generous financial support from the RBC Foundation. This funding is providing opportunities for conducting and sharing innovative research on inclusion at work. CRIW is grateful for the RBC Foundation’s support in making its work possible.

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The Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work (CRIW) is pleased to officially announce the recipients of 2024’s CRIW Graduate Student Bursary. This bursary is awarded annually by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, on the joint recommendation of the Directors of CRIW and the Dean of the Sprott School of Business, to graduate students affiliated with CRIW who are entering or continuing in a graduate degree program within the Sprott School of Business, and are studying issues around workplace diversity and inclusion.

This year, our grants provided $6,000 to three graduate students. Congratulations to the following recipients!

Narmin Tartila Banu is a PhD candidate at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Sprott School of Business. Narmin is actively exploring the potential of technology, particularly culturally-inclusive AI, to improve healthcare experiences. Her current research investigates how AI-powered chatbots can personalize communication in an inclusive manner to enhance patient satisfaction. She also plans to investigate the role of AI in enhancing patient services, such as improving accessibility and communication for diverse patient populations. By harnessing the power of AI, Narmin aims to contribute to the development of innovative solutions that alleviate the burden on healthcare professionals, and improve patient experiences. She is thrilled to have CRIW’s support, which will help her further her research and make a positive impact on the healthcare industry.

Sasha Valgardsson is a PhD in Management Student at the Sprott School of Business, specializing in International Business. Her research explores topics related to multiculturality using qualitative research methods. Her work is driven by a desire to explore how cultural and cognitive influences may lead to fostering openness and belonging in multicultural environments. Sasha’s dissertation focuses on understanding the diverse population of individuals who grew up immersed in more than one culture, such as second-generation immigrants or those from households with more than one culture. In particular, her work explores the factors that support or hinder the skills, challenges, and feelings of organizational belonging, for these individuals. Sasha integrates arts-based methods into her research. By facilitating access to populations unable to participate in traditional data collection, arts-based methods increase inclusivity in research.

Anamika Jayendran is a doctoral candidate in Management at the Sprott School of Business, specializing in Accounting. Her research focuses on sustainability accounting and organizational accountability, with an emphasis on the intersection of sustainability practices and equity. She critically examines the standard-setting process for sustainability accounting, exploring its impact on stakeholder representation, equity, and inclusion. Her current research

investigates the sustainability standards developed by the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) and their alignment with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Using an intersectional lens, she assesses the influence of these standards on diverse stakeholders. By identifying systemic inequities and nuanced impacts, Anamika’s work aims to contribute to the development of accounting standards that are more inclusive, equitable, and responsive to diverse stakeholder needs.

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The Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work (CRIW) is pleased to officially announce the recipients of 2024’s CRIW Ignite! research grants. This annual competition is designed to advance workplace inclusion by supporting collaborative research projects that align with the Centre’s mission of producing and sharing scholarship on topics of relevance to equity, diversity and inclusion. This year, our grants provided up to $8,000 to four unique projects, each addressing these important issues in different ways. Congratulations to the following recipients!

Examining the Inclusivity of Sustainability Standards: A Critical Analysis of the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Merridee Bujaki, MBA, FCPA, FCA, PhD Full Professor, Sprott School of Business
• Co-investigator: Anamika Jayendran, Ph.D. Candidate, Sprott School of Business

This research project critically examines the inclusivity and recognition of intersectionality in the draft sustainability standards developed by the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB). It asks the questions: Do CSSB standards address social and environmental concerns? What impact can these standards have on marginalized stakeholders? How does intersectionality within stakeholder groups affect their response to sustainability standards? The project includes a literature review, document analysis of CSSB materials, and consolidation of findings for publication. It seeks to inform policy and practice in sustainability standard-setting, emphasizing the need for an inclusive and intersectional approach.

Empowering Change: How Board Diversity Shapes CEO’s Influence on Environmental Decoupling

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Sana Mohsni, Associate Professor, Sprott School of Business
• Co-investigator: Awais Mojai, Ph.D. Candidate, Sprott School of Business

Personalities and priorities of CEOs influence a firm’s decision to engage in environmental decoupling – an unethical practice where firms overstate their environmental performance to gain social legitimacy. However, CEO characteristics don’t work in isolation. Strong interplay between CEO and board of directors influences organizational practices, including environmental decoupling. We examine how board gender diversity, and the presence of other minorities (indigenous and LGBTQ+) on boards moderate the relationship between CEO personality and environmental decoupling. Our research highlights the role of board diversity in fostering ethical and environmentally responsible business practices.

Equitable Workplace Inclusion of Contingent Workers

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Daniel Gulanowski, Assistant Professor, International Business, Sprott School of Busines

The rise of the gig economy, digital platform work, and freelancing draw our attention to the diversity of contingent work arrangements and their implications for workers and organizations. While there are certainly benefits to contingent work, such as flexible work hours and autonomy, contingent workers face challenges being included in the workplace. This literature review intends to better understand different forms of contingent work and effective organizational practices in managing contingent workers. It also aims to identify future research directions to advance equitable workplace inclusion of contingent workers.

The Juggling Act: Exploring the Paradox between Inclusive Leadership and Creative Deviance

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Greg J. Sears, Associate Professor, Management, Sprott School of Business, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University
• Co-Investigator: Tasnuva Chaudhury, PhD Candidate, Sprott School of Business, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University

This research examines the paradoxical relationship between inclusive leadership and creative deviance. Potential boundary conditions, including the role of gendered organizational culture and specific Big Five personality traits (e.g., openness to experience, conscientiousness), will also be explored. Given growing interest in inclusive leadership and our limited understanding of individual and contextual factors that promote or inhibit creative deviance, our study aims to provide theoretical and practical insights into the actions leaders may adopt to foster employee creativity and address systemic barriers (e.g., gender bias, cultural constraints) in the innovation process.

CRIW Ignite! is one of the vehicles through which CRIW aims to advance knowledge and drive change towards more inclusive workplaces that support greater participation of all peoples. For more information, visit CRIW’s web pages on Research Support and Resources and Grants.

CRIW’s research activities and knowledge-sharing efforts are possible, in part, through generous financial support from the RBC Foundation. This funding is providing opportunities for conducting and sharing innovative research on inclusion at work. CRIW is grateful for the RBC Foundation’s support in making its work possible.

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It is with great pleasure that The Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work (CRIW) announces the appointment of its new Associate Director, Dr. Daniel Gulanowski. Dr. Gulanowski joins CRIW’s current Director, Dr. Angela Dionisi, in seeking to grow the Centre’s impact.

“I am happy to welcome Daniel to our team.” Dr. Dionisi said. “I am confident that he will make a significant impact and use his passion and expertise to advance CRIW’s mission. I look forward to working together to achieve new heights of excellence for the Centre.”

Dr. Gulanowski brings a wealth of energy and insight to this role and has a proven track record in research and knowledge mobilization. His work has been published in leading journals in his field, has been showcased at more than 30 conferences, and has been funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) grants. His dedication to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion through studying immigrants’ adjustment and labour market integration – in reference to expatriates, refugees, or international students – makes him a promising fit for the team.

Dr. Gulanowski expressed what CRIW has meant to him over the years and what he looks forward to as part of the Centre’s governance team. “My interest in immigrants’ workforce integration drove my interest in CRIW,” he said. “As an active member of the Centre since 2019, I’ve significantly expanded my research network and collaboration opportunities within the Sprott School of Business community. I have also benefited from research funding programs available through CRIW and have seen my supported research go on to be published. As the Associate Director, I am eager to contribute to our center’s continued success, growth, and development of research collaborations.”

Dr. Gulanowski’s arrival also marks the departure of inclusion champion, Dr. Luciara Nardon from CRIW’s leadership team, after serving for the last five years.

“CRIW would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Luciara Nardon for her significant contributions to the Centre over the years.” Dr. Dionisi said. “She has played a central role in propelling the Centre forward, re-envisioning its scope, and expanding its mandate to focus on inclusion at work more broadly. This shift has undoubtedly grown the impact of the Centre. We are sad to see her move on, but are grateful for her service and dedication to CRIW and its mission.”

Please join CRIW in welcoming Dr. Gulanowski to CRIW’s governance team, and wishing Dr. Nardon all the best in her future endeavours.

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The Centre for Research and Education on Women and Work (CREWW), a ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University Research Centre hosted at the Sprott School of Business, in partnership with the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (), funded by the federal government and led by Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute in collaboration with Ryerson’s Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship and the Ted Rogers School of Management, were pleased to participate in Invest Ottawa’s flagship event, AccelerateOTT on June 11, 2019.

Andrew Arnott from RBC gave CREWW and WEKH a big shout out during his introduction to the panel, Pressing Forward: Female Founders and Funders 2.0, moderated by Jill Earthy, Head of Female Funders, powered by Highline BETA. Some of the key take-aways from the session included, “Every entrepreneur needs to start, grow, and fund business”, “Champion Each Other”, “Recognize and address bias, particularly in funding”, “Women invest”, and “Cut the cheque”.

Only 16% of Canadian businesses are owned or led by women and yet studies show that by advancing women’s economic participation in the economy Canada could add up to $150 billion in GDP. (). To that end the Government of Canada is advancing women’s economic empowerment with the first ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), a $2-billion investment that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by 2025. CREWW is proud to partner with WEKH in advancing this initiative.

Congratulations to Ashley Walker of The Evidence Network who was the proud winner of the draw for a 50% discount for the one-week professional development program, Advancing Women in Leadership offered by CREWW, a $3,300 value. Thanks to Uzayr Siddiqui of Droneentry, a ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ graduate, veteran entrepreneur and visitor to the table who helped us by drawing the business card of the winner.

We appreciate all who dropped by the table and particularly the comment received from one visitor, “Every time I went by the WEKH table it was full of entrepreneurs wanting to learn more. I think that’s a sign of a very successful networking day!”…and we couldn’t agree more.

AccelerateOTT 2019 was the most well attended in the seven-year history of the event. Check out the AccelerateOTT for all the exciting highlights of the day.

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Working in partnership with Ottawa’s Impact Hub and ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Centre for Research and Education on Women and Work (CREWW), the regional hub for the new Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), a federal government-supported national network aimed at increasing female entrepreneurs in Canada, was launched at a standing room only event held at Impact Hub Ottawa on June 12.

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ is one of nine regional hubs for WEKH, which incudes VentureLabs at Simon Fraser University, Mount Royal University, the University of Manitoba, the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, UniversitĂ© de Montreal, Yukon College, OCAD University and Dalhousie University.  See the full article at .

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A new article and interview in the Globe and Mail with Luciara Nardon, CREWW Director & Associate Professor at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Sprott School of Business. Read more about Dr. Nardon’s new book “Working in a Multicultural World: A Guide to Developing Intercultural Competence” and how to reduce conflict to boost collaboration in a multicultural workforce by reading .

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The game has changed, and workplace success demands a different playbook.

In , Luciara Nardon has created one.

An associate professor of International Business at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s , Nardon draws on her research and extensive international experience to create a roadmap intended to help managers and employees ensure that multicultural work teams maximize their potential. Read more about her new book here.

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Lesley Barry’s article The Real Toll of Workplace Harassment was published by the ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Newsroom. The story centres around , of ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Sprott School of Business, research on the #MeToo movement and workplace sexual harassment.

Barry mentions CREWW’s contribution to work in this area by highlighting past research funding. CREWW is proud to be a long-time supporter of research that adds to the knowledge-base on women and work. Read the full article here.

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Thank you all for a wonderful year!

Learn more about CREWW programs and register today by visiting our website: /criw/education/

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