Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC)

Forge the Future at DEFY: Canada's largest ever Supplier Diversity Conference. 📍 Where: Montreal, QC 📆 When: June 12 - 14 Business in Canada will never be the same. Book your ticket today: https://zurl.co/MiSZ

📢 East Coast Suppliers this event is for you! 📢 Join #SDAC for #SupplierDiversity networking and learning in-person June 8 in Halifax! Register today - spots are limited! 👉 https://zurl.co/e1P9 #SDACHalifax #Halifax #SupplierDiversity

Learn all about how RBC connects with #CertifiedSuppliers in the latest episode of Empowering Equality! https://zurl.co/sr4R #CorporateCorner #Podcast

Time to gather the #DiverseSupplier community for #SDAC Tour in the East! Join CAMSC , Canada's 2SLGBTQI Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) and us, the Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC) in #Halifax this June 8 for a full day of learning and networking with corporations and suppliers. Register today - spots are limited! 👉 https://zurl.co/e1P9 #SDACHalifax #SupplierDiversity

Give your leadership some new perspective with Faith and Sparkle's World in an all-new episode of Empowering Equality: https://zurl.co/cJa1 #SupplierSpotlight #Podcast

Day ONE of #DEFYConference2024 was a great day of connection, networking, and conversation! During yesterday's opening session, we heard that "[t]here is a lot that needs to be done, but it can't be done unless we're all around the table". DEFY is SDAC - Supplier Diversity Alliance Canada's first time coming together to create an event like this - meant to bring folks to the table - because we feel that connecting all together gives us more power. Seeing so many folks engaging in Supplier Diversity together has been amazing! With the wonderful Mandy Rennehan as our opening Keynote, we discussed many meaningful subjects through speeches, panels and breakout sessions. DEI, success in diverse procurement, AI's role in procurement, maximizing the potential of visible minority founders as global players, and a spotlight on Knowledge Hubs are just some of the many conversations that were started yesterday. We can't wait to continue learning and connecting today! CAMSC Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC) WEConnect International

That's a wrap on day one of DEFY 2024, Canada's largest supplier diversity conference! I've been up since 4:45am (because kids) and have done over 14K steps (because conference going back and forth to see said kids), but I couldn't pass out without quickly sharing a highlight from the day. Heck, I would daresay this would even qualify as a new life highlight. Core memory made. It was the hardest, most nerve wracking thing I have done in a long time, but I had the opportunity to share a snippet of my story in front of the 350 conference attendees. Now pre-pandemic/pre-kids Darcy would've had this in the bag. Post pandemic, postpartum, sleep deprived, overwhelmed, and overstimulated Darcy was a massive knot of nerves only being held together (and in) by a pair of Spanx. I was crippled by anxiety, imposter syndrome, and everything else under the sun - to the point that I almost didn't do it - but as a good entrepreneur I put the biz first and did it simply because if I don't talk about Bowda Creative Co., no one else will. My oldest son who is 3, knew we were travelling to Montreal for a conference, and he was pretty bummed he couldn't go. He kept saying "mama I want to go to the conference too". So, I had a radical idea to bring him up on stage with me, because if you want to have conversations about diversity and accessibility in business, I wholeheartedly believe parents should be a part of the equation. Also because this is my life now. I am building a business while raising babies, and since I am a human not a robot, these two things and identities intersect. I wanted to transparently demonstrate the challenges working women (and parents), particularly entrepreneurs, face. Also that when you support a small business, you are supporting real people. Real families. Real children's lives and futures. It could have went any which way because toddlers, much like life itself, are unpredictable. But Deacon did great. He stood by his mama, and danced, smiled, played with his truck - he charmed the crowd like only he knows how. As for me? I wouldn't go as far to say I did great - I have a hard time admitting that, and well to be frank, I basically blacked out. I barely have any recollection of what I said. But I did it. I didn't want to, but I did, and that in and of itself is worth celebrating. I had somewhere between 10-20 folks come up to me with kind words about how well we did, how meaningful it was, and one gentleman even went as far to say I was extremely articulate. Excuse me sir, did you not read the part where I've been up since 4:45? I would hardly use articulate to describe myself, but am so flattered that he did. As a self proclaimed perfectionist, it's not often I can openly say I'm proud of myself, but damn I am proud of myself today. Thank you Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC) for the opportunity, truly.

Get a peek into the back of house with Compass Group and on the latest episode of Empowering Equality: https://zurl.co/EFme #CorporateCorner #Podcast

Start you conference day 2 off right 💪 It's time for another fantastic day at #DEFYConference2024

Register today for IWSCC’s upcoming Corporate Education Session! Learn to work (and succeed) with Scotiabank on Wednesday, June 26 at 12:30pm ET. IWSCC #CertifiedSuppliers register for free: https://zurl.co/m6vN