Pride Month is special for our organization — learn how we celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community inside and outside our company.
By Jumoke Fagbemi, Senior Vice President, People
At Maple Leaf Foods, we believe that love makes a family. Our people and their families are incredibly important to us. That’s why we’re so excited to share new expanded benefits to support our 2SLGBTQ+ Team Members and their families. What better time to celebrate our updated benefits than during Pride Month!
Introducing gender affirmation coverage and family building benefits
As part of our 2023 Annual Benefits plan changes and in consultation with the Employee Resource Group (ERG), Maple Leaf Pride & Allies Network, on May 1, 2023, we proudly announced expanded gender-inclusive benefits to support 2SLGBTQ+ Team Members and their loved ones, including:
- Gender Affirmation: Appreciating the often-prohibitive financial burden of gender-affirming healthcare, we are pleased to provide financial support to salaried Canadian Team Members and their dependents for gender affirmation procedures and treatments, and we’ve expanded drug coverage to include hormone therapy for gender affirmation
- Mental Health Supports: We continue to support 2SLGBTQ+ Team Members with mental health services and counseling, and we’ve increased our investment in Canada in mental health paramedical coverage to provide greater access to effective support for all Team Members.
We’ve also introduced new family building supports in Canada because building a family is different for everyone:
- Expanded drug coverage to include fertility and surrogacy drugs
- Financial support for fertility services and surrogacy medical services, which includes coverage for insemination, physician lab services, etc.
- Financial support for adoption services
- Expanded coverage to include more contraceptive options.
We continue to explore increasingly expanded 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive benefits for salaried U.S. Team Members.
Supporting our diverse 2SLGBTQ+ community
At Maple Leaf Foods, we know we’re so much stronger when we’re accepted and valued for who we are and what we each bring to the workplace. We believe in the benefits that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace brings. We also know that we’re among many organizations who understand the importance of making spaces more inclusive to all trans and gender non-conforming people — Team Members like Ava Wright who, on Trans Visibility Day, shared her experience with transitioning gender at Maple Leaf Foods and the value of having supportive Team Members and leaders.
Our new and expanded benefits are an important step in building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, where people feel heard, seen, and are empowered to thrive. Join us on our journey!
