Cuso International receives Employer Excellence Award from Hire Immigrants Ottawa

March 6, 2019

OTTAWA – Cuso International is honoured to receive a 2019 Employer Excellence Award from Hire Immigrants Ottawa. The award was announced during the Employer Council of Champions Summit, held this morning at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

As a non-profit working in international development, Cuso International strongly believes in the importance of recruiting skilled immigrant employees and providing the support necessary for all employees to thrive and grow at the organization.

“Cuso International has proved to be immigrant-friendly since our initial contact,” says Joëlle Cupidon, who was hired as an HR advisor in 2017 after immigrating from Haiti. “During the interview stage, my experience was acknowledged and highly valued, despite and even because it had been acquired outside of Canada.”

The Employer Excellence Awards recognize local employers for their innovative workplace policies and practices around the recruitment and integration of skilled immigrant employees into their organization.

“We firmly believe that diversity will make us a more successful and productive organization. As research suggests, and our experience supports, diverse organizations are better able to attract and retain top talent, make better decisions and be more innovative,” says Cuso International CEO Glenn Mifflin. “We know that when you bring people together who have different backgrounds, you end up with better solutions to problems.”

Three Ottawa employers received a 2019 Employer Excellence Award for their outstanding work in immigrant employment and building inclusive workplaces. Cuso international was selected for its values-driven approach and commitment to welcoming, supporting and empowering immigrants within the workplace. Cuso International provides staff and volunteer training related to intercultural effectiveness, ensures diverse hiring panels and uses a variety of assessment methods to help ensure that candidates have a range of different ways to showcase their skills and experience.

“Hire Immigrants Ottawa has played a critical role in raising employers’ awareness about how a diverse and inclusive workforce drives innovation and growth,” says Gaye Moffett, Founder, GEM Healthcare Services, and Hire Immigrants Ottawa’s Employer Council of Champions Co-Chair. “The award-winning policies and practices of this year’s Employer Excellence Awards recipients demonstrate the importance that organizations are giving to diversity and inclusion in the workplace”

Cuso International
Cuso International is a non-profit development organization that works to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of highly skilled volunteers, collaborative partnerships and compassionate donors. Established in 1961, Cuso International is a registered charity in Canada and the United States. Funds raised have enabled more than 15,000 volunteer placements around the world.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.

Registered charitable numbers:
Canada: 81111 6813 RR0001
United States: EIN 30-0545486

Hire Immigrants Ottawa
HIO enhances employers’ capacity to attract and integrate skilled immigrants into their workplaces by providing tools and resources including cross-cultural competency workshops, information sessions, networking and coaching events that bring employers and immigrants together. Since its launch in 2006, HIO has supported hundreds of local employers in removing barriers to hiring skilled immigrants into workplaces. Employers engaged with HIO have hired over 2,400 immigrants into skills appropriate jobs.

HIO is funded by the Government of Ontario.

Media Contacts
Jessica Cunha, Communications Officer
Cuso International
jessica.cunha@cusointernational.org
613-829-7445 x 346 | 1-888-434-2876 x 346

Kelly McGahey
Hire Immigrants Ottawa
Phone: 613-228-2502 | Mobile: 613-314-3754
Email: kmcgahey@hireimmigrantsottawa.ca