BD-Canada gives back to employees and the community

Navi Gakhal loved being part of a team at BD-Canada that recently launched a new product after months of hard work.

On launch day, they all came together to celebrate this significant milestone. “After being at the company for only a year and a half, I could truly see the shared values and the positive attitude the team embodied,” says Gakhal, a product manager at BD-Canada, part of one of the world’s largest medical technology companies. “We had the opportunity to create an amazing community, all in different stages of our career, in different positions within the organization, all supporting each other.

“It comes back to the BD values that we all share, which is that we help each other be great, we ask the right questions, we take accountability, but we also continuously learn and improve each day.”

President Ivy Parks also points to BD-Canada’s culture of learning and development and personal and professional growth. Parks was hired in customer service 24 years ago. “My intention was to stay long enough to pay my bills as I awaited entrance to a clinical postgraduate program,” she says. “It was when I went to my first town hall meeting and realized the impact that our products, people and services had on patients, that I saw an opportunity to be part of a company that was truly living its purpose of advancing health in Canada.”

That day changed her career path, and she says the company’s culture and people are the reasons she has stayed.

“Our company’s purpose is ‘advancing the world of health,’ and a part of this purpose means contributing to the health of the communities in which we live and work,” Parks says. As part of this commitment, BD-Canada gives each employee three fully paid volunteer days annually. Its donation-matching policy allows employees to give to causes of their choice and get a matching donation from BD of up to $1,000 per employee every year.

“Our giving-back approach benefits the company by contributing positively to the engagement of our employees. In your work life, you also have the opportunity to fulfil your life’s work, which helps to create a sense of satisfaction and pride in the company,” she says.

BD-Canada also has vibrant associate resource groups, which bring together employees with common interests to raise awareness and host events and occasions for learning. Some popular events led by the various groups have been a book club, women in leadership discussions, cultural fairs, mentorship programs, parents club, a softball tournament and yoga in the park.

“These groups play a vital role in fostering inclusion and diversity and enhance our engagement within the organization,” Gakhal says. “It is a way for associates from diverse backgrounds to connect and share our experiences and support each other. It also creates a sense of belonging and helps you feel that you are making a difference, not only in the organization but within the community.

“I think the biggest part of participating in these resource groups for me has been the chance to network and connect with other associates and spend time with other business units. We’re a huge organization, so I think these resource groups help us engage as one organization.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Greater Toronto’s Top Employers winners, published December 3, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.