Diversity, equity, and inclusion were central to Vivian Yoanidis’s life before she had ever heard the words combined.
From her first volunteer role as a candy striper at Toronto General Hospital to the six months she spent as a volunteer teacher in Ecuador and her job counseling at-risk youth at an unemployment center, Vivian has always made it a priority to lend her support to people who are marginalized by the societies they live in.
She credits her parents with her open mindset. They “really shaped … my values around fairness … around equity and equality and respect.” They also taught her the importance of connecting with people on a human level across differences. “Having that empathy is so, so critical, I think, in the DE&I space.”
An avid traveler and former backpacker, Yoandis says her travels demonstrate that we have so much more in common than we think. This belief in the importance of making human connections stayed with her through those early work experiences where she often witnessed firsthand the realities of systemic racism and inequity that motivated her actions moving forward.
When Yoandis started at Hydro One, there was no DEI. Today, she is the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider.
However, the DE&I space is not without challenges. The first hurdle, in Vivian’s view, is to demonstrate that DE&I isn’t a zero-sum game in which supporting one group means disadvantaging another. She has found that “in many cases, you … need to … deal with [resistant] people individually and help them … get to a place of acceptance, of belonging, of inclusion.” She has succeeded through empathy and a willingness to listen and find out what is the root cause of their resistance.
According to Vivian, patience and persistence is key. “Sometimes progress is very, very slow. And that can be challenging. It can make you feel like you’re not doing enough. But I think it’s so important to actually relish in those small victories, celebrate those things … [to] keep you moving on.”
Role models like Vivian guide their workplaces towards a more equitable, inclusive future, where all voices are heard and everyone can thrive.
To hear from Vivian and other gender equity and DEI champions attend Catalyst Honours on 7 Oct, 2024.
Why Vivian is a HR/DEI champion:
- Men as Allies: Vivian introduced the Catalyst MARC program to Hydro One almost 10 years ago, bringing employees together to talk about gender partnership and the importance of male allyship in achieving gender equity.
- Women in Engineering (WiE) University Partnership: This program, which Vivian co-led, has both increased the representation of women in STEM fields at Hydro One and helped both boost high school applications to electrical and mechanical engineering by 169% and enrollment in the same programs at the four partner universities by 81%.
- Step Up Program: Vivian created the Step Up content at Hydro One to promote inclusion, psychological safety, and respect in the workplace. She co-leads the program, which empowers employees to “step up” when they see non-inclusive behavior or hear non-inclusive language, resulting in a 44% increase in comfort levels in advocating for inclusion.
- Cultural Embedding and Legacy: Vivian’s leadership embedded a culture of equity and inclusion at Hydro One, ensuring sustained progress and empowerment for women and marginalized groups. Her commitment and foresight have positioned Hydro One as a leader in fostering inclusive environments for all identities in the electricity industry.