MONTREAL , March 8, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Fairstone Financial Inc. ("Fairstone"), Canada's leading provider of responsible lending solutions for near-prime borrowers, celebrated International Women's Day ("IWD") by advancing its ongoing commitment to gender parity and by driving support to women and girls impacted by COVID-19.
Fairstone received, for the second consecutive year, Bronze Parity Certification from Women in Governance , a non-profit organization founded to support women in their leadership development, career advancement and access to Board seats. The Parity Certification evaluates parity in decision-making bodies and assesses each organization's commitment to policies and procedures that will enable the advancement of women at all levels of its hierarchy, thus creating a pipeline of female talent.
"Gender parity and working to empower women by using our diversity of voices to influence and bring about change is a commitment that we take to heart," said Scott Wood , President and CEO of Fairstone. "We are fortunate to have diverse and strong women across our organization and men who advocate for and show solidarity with these goals. We're proud of our work to date to bring gender parity to our workplace. It's a reflection of our people, our business and of the communities we serve each day, across Canada ."
In line with the 2021 IWD theme #ChooseToChallenge, Fairstone is committed to growing its gender representation at management levels and reviewing various processes, including compensation and recruiting, to ensure any gaps are identified and addressed.
A cross-functional committee of women from across the organization is also being launched to spearhead the company's effort to increase gender parity through internal education and awareness activities, as well as engage employees in supporting non-profit or charitable organizations committed to empowering women.
Additionally, Fairstone has committed $20,000 to the Canadian Women's Foundation , a national leader in the movement for gender equality in Canada . Through funding, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, the Foundation works to achieve systemic change that includes all women. By supporting community programs, the Foundation empowers women and girls to move themselves out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership. "We are so grateful for the support we have received from Fairstone Financial Inc." said Paulette Senior , CEO of Canadian Women's Foundation. "Their donation will help to ensure critical programs and services can survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the most vulnerable women and girls have the supports they need to get through this crisis, and the resources to rebuild their lives in the months ahead".
About Fairstone Financial Inc.
Fairstone is Canada's leading provider of responsible credit solutions for near-prime borrowers with over $3 billion in assets on a consolidated basis. Fairstone, including through its predecessors, has close to a 100-year history of providing Canadians with access to responsible credit. The Company has two key business lines: lending directly to consumers through its branch network and online; and financing consumer retail and automobile purchases through retailers and dealerships. Headquartered in Montreal , Fairstone is an operating subsidiary of Duo Bank of Canada and ranked among one of Montreal's Top Employers for 2021. More at www.fairstone.ca
About Women in Governance
Women in Governance (WiG) was founded in 2010 to support women in their leadership development, career advancement and access to Board seats. WiG achieves its mission through advocacy, major events, mentoring programs, governance training as well as the Parity Certification. The Parity Certification was developed with the pro bono support of McKinsey & Company to help organizations in Canada and the USA increase the representation of women in sectors where they have historically been underrepresented, as well as in senior management positions. Accenture, Mercer and Willis Towers Watson support WiG's team in the evaluation process.
More at www.womeningovernance.org
About Canadian Women's Foundation
The Canadian Women's Foundation is Canada's public foundation for diverse women and girls.
We focus on women and girls because they face distinct barriers that require distinct solutions and because gender equality improves economic and social conditions for everyone. We aim to be inclusive of diverse people across gender and sexuality spectrums. We focus our efforts on supporting those who face the most barriers and have least access to relevant services. We fund programs across Canada , prioritizing communities where the need is greatest. These programs address four urgent issues: gender-based violence, economic security, girls' empowerment, and inclusive leadership. Learn more at canadianwomen.org
SOURCE Fairstone Financial Inc.
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