Metrie takes strides to narrow gender gap
Metrie started out in 1926 as a small, family-owned business. Since then, it has grown into the largest manufacturer and distributor of solid wood and composite moulding and millwork products in North America. With their Head Office in Vancouver and 31 facilities throughout Canada and the United States, it helps people create beautiful interior spaces through finely crafted architectural elements.
As the company has evolved over its 92-year history, so has its makeup. While the building products industry may have been considered a male-oriented sector in the past, the organization is taking strides to address and narrow the gender gap. Metrie has placed diversity and inclusion at the top of its priorities and made women’s advancement and leadership a cornerstone of its business philosophy.
President and CEO Kent Bowie explains that Metrie is a talent-advantaged organization — meaning it puts people before processes. The company achieves strong business results through the skills, calibre, and passion of its people.
“We want people to be fully engaged at work, to bring their full self to work,” Bowie says. “Studies have shown that diverse teams make better decisions. We’re in a growth mode, and the future is having a pipeline of talented people, a pipeline that’s diverse because we will make better decisions as an organization.
So how, exactly, is Metrie making gender diversity a reality?
In 2016, it launched its Women in Leadership initiative. This overarching program continues to bring people together with the shared goal of identifying and reducing barriers to attract, advance, support, and inspire women leaders.
As part of that effort, Metrie has educated all of its senior leaders in unconscious bias and inclusive leadership through training with Laraine Kaminsky, president and CEO of Global LK, whose clients include the United Nations and Google.
The company has also provided training through Linkage, which specializes in leadership development, inclusion, and the advancement of women.
“With our Women in Leadership initiative, we have a better understanding of issues that women face in our company,” says Metrie’s chief human resources officer John Anderson. “We collaborate with each other and uncover barriers.”
There’s more: Metrie hosts roundtables of a cohort of female associates from all levels who meet regularly for discussion and mentorship. It has hosted a session for Vancouverarea staff members in various roles with Tina Strehlke, CEO of Minerva BC, which partners with organizations to advance gender parity in British Columbia.
And later this year, Metrie’s chair of the board of directors,Vi Konkle, will meet with female team members to share her story and insights. “We’re looking at doing more sponsoring and mentoring programs so women can continue to grow with the organization,” Anderson says. “By sharing their experiences, senior leaders help other women think about their individual journey and how they can grow and develop.”
Metrie has recently taken another step toward gender diversity, by signing Minerva BC’s Diversity Pledge.
“We’re a progressive company in a mature industry,” says Bowie, Metrie’s president and CEO. “Diversity and inclusion are key components of our strategy, our culture, and our values. Signing the Minerva Pledge helped exemplify our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”