Achieving Together
Inclusive, diverse teams build a more vibrant workforce, safer operations and a stronger company overall.
Through hiring practices, retention actions, policy, commitments and the investments we make into education and supports for young people, we are empowering our ~11,000 employees and the next generation to build workplaces that reflect the diverse communities where we operate.
Our People Set Us Apart
Each team member is important. Our mission is for every employee to have the opportunity to grow, achieve their potential and be valued for their contributions.
Meet Our People
Women at West Fraser
West Fraser is committed to advancing women in the forestry sector, which includes the key pillars of fair hiring to close the gender gap, ensuring equal pay and providing development opportunities.
Ensuring Equal Pay
At West Fraser, equal pay is core to our value of building a foundation of trust through transparent, respectful and fair actions. We have achieved pay equity, and to ensure this standard is maintained, we perform annual pay review audits and review offers for new hires.
Increasing Development Opportunities
West Fraser offers training opportunities specifically for women such as the Women’s Forestry Congress and the iEmpower program, as well as participation in leadership training and mentorship programs. We also support employee-led initiatives like the Women in Wood program in Alberta and the Women in Forest Products regional conferences in the southern U.S.
Closing the Gender Gap
We are working to increase female representation at West Fraser, and in the forest products sector more broadly. This includes an enhanced focus on recruitment and retention, and investing in the next generation through our support of organizations such as Girls Inc.
Indigenous Training & Employment
Removing Barriers
West Fraser works to understand and address the barriers to advancing Indigenous participation in our workforce. We provide scholarships and workforce readiness programs. We also sponsor and participate in youth employment programs such as Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) and First Nation Youth Training Program (FNYTP).
Recruiting & Retaining Talent
We want to attract Indigenous talent and provide career support, development and advancement opportunities specifically for Indigenous employees so they continue to grow and thrive as members of our team. We promote the mobility of Indigenous employees throughout employment sectors and levels;
Enhancing Awareness
West Fraser recognizes our responsibility to continue to deepen our understanding and awareness of Indigenous matters across the company. We provide cross-cultural awareness and/or cultural sensitivity training to employees at all levels. We also participate in Indigenous workforce inclusion conferences such as Workforce Forward to support our ongoing and meaningful effort to support our employees.
Learn More about our approach to Indigenous Relations.
Women in Wood: A Year of Support and Mentorship
At West Fraser, women represent approximately 15 percent of the total workforce, a level that is fairly consistent across the forest sector. However, we believe we need to increase female representation to better reflect the communities in which we operate and build a stronger, more diverse team.
