Turning Our Words into Actions
Below are some of the meaningful changes we have made as a company.
OCH CDAT
The creation of the Open Concept Hospitality Community & Diversity Action Team (CDAT) with representation from all our restaurants and communities. For more information, visit the Action Team page.
INCLUSIVE HIRING
Inclusive hiring and recruiting policies, with a strong focus on intersectionality and multiculturalism.
DIVERSITY TRAINING
Mandatory diversity training and educational opportunities for all new and existing team members.
LIKE-MINDED SUPPLIERS
Evaluating suppliers and other partners to ensure we are aligning ourselves with like-minded businesses who are dedicated to inclusivity.
SAFE SPACE FOR ALL
A safe and supportive space for all associates and guests, including a zero-tolerance policy for any acts of prejudice or discrimination.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Providing support and a platform for BIPOC groups and charities within our communities by means of donations, clothing drives and partnerships.
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DONATIONS
Regular and ongoing donation of prepared meals to community groups focusing on marginalized populations, particularly those experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity.
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT
- For the entire month of September, we ran an initiative called Dine Out to Help Out. This month-long initiative led up to Orange Shirt Day, which took place on September 30. Each of our restaurants identified 1-2 popular menu items to be featured, and a portion of the proceeds from these items were donated to Indigenous Friendship Centres in the Toronto, Newmarket, and Hamilton communities. In September of 2020, our team raised nearly $2,400 for the Indigenous Friendship Centres selected from our communities!
- Clothing drives were run at our Hamilton and Newmarket locations in support of the following organizations:
- Living Rock Youth Services in Hamilton – a safe space of community and support for at-risk youth
- Cornerstone to Recovery in Newmarket – a community focused on supporting those impacted by addiction, helping them to achieve emotional, physical and spiritual wellness
DONATIONS
- Weekly meal drops are ongoing to the Chester Le Community Hub in Scarborough through Youth Forward Toronto, an organization that supports the needs of the Black community through food donations, mentorship, and a variety of youth-centered programming. Each week, Open Concept Hospitality is providing 70 fresh meals to Black youth experiencing food insecurity.
- Uncle Ray’s Hamilton is providing weekly meals for the Oyà:na youth group (pronounced oh-yaw-na) through the Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board. This program is geared towards training youth for work in the service industry.
COMMUNITY ACTION