Our Values

Our Values

  • Overview
  • Definitions

Overview

CNA’s Core Values guide how it operates every day and are closely connected to its strategic directions.


By living up to its values, CNA will provide the underlying foundation required to achieve its shared vision for the future.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

At College of the North Atlantic (CNA) we encourage all aspects of human difference, recognizing that through diversity, we grow stronger. We recognize that individuals from varied backgrounds bring different views, ideas, talents and skills to the table. This is how innovation occurs, this is how we improve as an employer, and this is how we open doors for our students.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) promotes exposure to languages, cultures and perspectives that help us deliver a full educational experience to our learners. This provides advantages to graduates, as they enter a workforce that is seeking individuals with a range of skills, experiences and ideas that can contribute to an organization’s success.

EDI practice does not happen overnight, it is embedded in organizational culture and is seen as a core value, a source of innovation and a means to growth and success. This speaks directly to our college values of excellence, diversity, integrity, respect and transparency.

At CNA everyone has a voice. By using that voice to engage in respectful words and actions, we empower ourselves and others. Together, we can achieve excellence and build a culture of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for all.

Diversity brings along new ideas, open-mindedness and understanding. This is so important, especially in school and workplace environments, as it leads to innovation and new discoveries.
- Jessica Roche
(CNA Graphic Design graduate & winner of the Champions for Change logo design contest)

We are Champions for Change

At CNA we are committed to promoting inclusion and creating safe spaces for students and employees. We want inclusion for all, not just specific cohorts or demographic groups. We aim to create events and initiatives that are open to all and encourage opportunities for listening and communication.

Research has shown that diversity-inclusive or culturally competent behaviours improve client service and employee interactions. Research has also shown that better perceptions of EDI among employees are linked to better organizational performance measures, including higher engagement among employees and lower rates of absenteeism. It is a strength and a core competency in the global marketplace. Most importantly, inclusion is not only a moral imperative, it is a basic human right.

Post-secondary institutions have critical roles to play in providing the education and training needed for the economy to expand, and in promoting student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness. We do this by fostering educational excellence while ensuring equal access, and by creating diverse and welcoming campus communities for all students.

In keeping with this, CNA has formed an advisory committee, which is actively working on EDI within the college. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee is a group of volunteers from various levels and departments at CNA, helping to lead a new EDI strategy with a mission of supporting CNA in creating an organizational culture that welcomes and empowers diverse perspectives, celebrates the uniqueness of the individual, and fosters a sustainable shared commitment for the advancement of EDI in our college community.

We have also formed associated working groups that are helping to build an inclusive culture and safe spaces. They assist with planning events and rolling out initiatives, contribute to the sharing of knowledge and understanding in the workplace and champion CNA's evolution as an equitable, diverse and inclusive institution.

Definitions

Diversity can pertain to gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socio-economic difference, appearance, language and accent, disability, mental health, education, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role and function, thinking style and personality type.

According to the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion:
  • Equity is about being treated fairly, without bias or favoritism. It focuses on changing old structures and systems to give everyone the same opportunities. It is about all individuals having the tools needed to be on an even playing field with everyone else.
  • Diversity is about the individual. It is about the variety of unique dimensions, qualities and characteristics we all possess.
  • Inclusion is about the collective. It is about creating a culture that strives for equity and embraces, respects and values difference.
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is about amplifying individual perspectives as we celebrate uniqueness and create environments that value and respect all persons for their unique talents, skills and perspectives.
At CNA we want to create a sense of belonging. Belonging is about fitting in or feeling like you are an important member of a group. When you belong, you are a recognized member of a group. (Rhodes Perry, Belonging at Work, 2018)

At CNA, everyone belongs.