There’s a culture of mentorship and growth at GHD

While attending university in Waterloo, Ont., Sarah Legg began working with GHD as a co-op student – and the opportunities grew from there. Now in Western Canada, she has been able to follow her dream of improving the environment, from cleaning up contaminated sites in industrial settings to working with Indigenous communities on clean-water projects.

“I had that goal when I was fresh out of school 16 years ago and I didn’t know if it was attainable,” says Legg, business group leader and associate. “Now, we work with more than 70 First Nations communities across B.C. on projects for remediation, waste management, safe drinking water and more.”

Legg finds satisfaction being in an environmental role. She is able to see sites before GHD teams work on them and then see the difference at the end. “It might be a pulp mill or coal plant we take down and then do restoration and reclamation, or replace it with greener energy,” she says.

“At GHD, we support our people to learn and grow with opportunities to explore and find their true passion,” says Steve Lécuyer, executive general manager for Canada. “They are encouraged to express ideas and be themselves. We value the diversity of thought.”

GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Nearly a quarter of employees are offered shares in the business, which is 100 per cent employee owned.

“As a professional services consulting firm, our people are the foundation of our business,” says Lécuyer. “We want to make sure our employees will be with us for the long term.”

To this end, employees have quarterly meetings with their managers to work on a development plan as well as a professional plan. New graduates have face to face meetings with leaders, and the company provides internal leadership programs right from the start.

Legg found a dedication to mentorship and growth at GHD. As soon as she indicated interest in a leadership role, she and her manager created a development plan. Among the training opportunities she has had was a three-day leadership course she recently attended in Orlando, Fla.

Legg also took advantage of the opportunity to be mentored in the organization, and she was connected with a leader in Australia. “There are no silos in GHD – we have connectivity to resources and mentors regardless of location,” says Legg.

After six monthly virtual meetings where Legg discussed challenges and goals and worked on homework between sessions, she was able to meet her mentor for coffee in person. He recently transferred to a position in Vancouver.

Lécuyer believes one reason people stay with GHD is the variety and the ability to grow into different functions. When he started, he was drawn to the solid group of senior people with a knowledge base he could rely upon. They answered his questions and trained him.

“I began work 25 years ago as a technical engineer and, over time, was provided growth opportunities,” says Lécuyer. “I transitioned into management and leadership, and now I am living proof of what GHD can provide.”

Legg describes a supportive culture that is innovative, inclusive, technically excellent and respectful. “There is a sense of teamwork in problem solving, and it feels like you are part of something bigger,” she says. “It was access to leaders that made me who I am as a business group leader and engineer.”

More than that, she adds, “There is an entrepreneurial mindset that if we link arms and work together and deliver strong technical work for clients, it can improve our environment and the communities we work in.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 15, 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.

Employees stay for the family feeling at GHD

Allison Quigley was so impressed with the people and the opportunities at GHD that she was hired by the company – twice.

After completing a postgraduate certificate in human resources, she found work at GHD right out of school. From 2008 to 2021 she progressed from human resources specialist to people business partner.

“Eventually, I felt I needed experience with another organization,” says Quigley, now senior people business partner. “I left to work at a startup, but it wasn’t the environment for me. I reflected back to the people and culture of GHD, contacted my previous manager to discuss opportunities to rejoin the company and was hired into my current position.”

With their largest Canadian office in Waterloo, GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Nearly a quarter of GHD staff hold shares in GHD, which is 100 per cent employee-owned.

“It’s all about the people,” says Lisa Williams, Ontario finance manager. “If you take ownership of your career, there is opportunity and support from leaders.”

When the company Williams worked for merged with what is now GHD, she was asked to manage the project finance team from the office in Waterloo. “I discovered Waterloo has the benefits of a big city with a smaller, hometown feel,” says Williams. “We create a family feeling at GHD and people stay.” The average tenure for employees on Williams’ team is 10 years, and many have stayed much longer.

Some of the ways GHD creates a sense of belonging is through mentoring programs and professional groups. For instance, employees can tap into regional and global technical service lines. These allow access to the best resources, people and opportunities globally across 48 technical communities such as bridges, sustainability, or contamination assessment and remediation.

Another way employees come together is to participate in activities for local charities. Williams is treasurer of the Waterloo office social committee, which includes fundraising for office events. Often the committee funds lunches for employees to buy, sometimes raising up to $1,500. It directs the money to local charities such as the local Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth, the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and more.

Employees have built homes with Habitat for Humanity. And they take part in events in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region that typically raise between $25,000 and $30,000 each year. “People feel good about giving, and they connect with others they don't often see.” says Williams.

Quigley finds she has the opportunity to collaborate with people, learn and develop through project work, and she has joined a project team to focus on resource development. “From working on strategic projects to travelling internationally for workshops and team-building opportunities, my manager continually supports my growth and development,” she says.

The culture at GHD is fast-paced and collaborative with project teams looking to learn from one another. “We’re a team of teams,” Quigley says. “And not just locally, but across different regions and globally.”

Williams believes that no matter where GHD’s project work takes the company, it’s all about the purpose. “Together with our clients, we create lasting community benefit,” she says. “It brings you together in a way I haven’t experienced at other companies.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Waterloo Area’s Top Employers winners, published January 14, 2025 in The Waterloo Record. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Young professionals connect and collaborate at GHD

In only two years working with GHD, Catherine Dang has already spent two months on a project in the United Arab Emirates and has transferred from her core engineering team to work in digital strategy.

“I was drawn to the global aspect of GHD as I want to have the opportunity to work in other countries,” says Dang, digital strategy and transformation consultant. “It was just as important for me to join a company that offers a variety of services. I’m still exploring what I might want to do with my career.”

GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Nearly a quarter of employees are offered shares in the business, which is 100 per cent employee-owned.

Across the world, GHD is a large employer of young professionals. The company hires scientists, engineers, project managers, planners and more. In North America, they enter into a graduate development program that offers structured learning over the first two years of their careers.

“Our young professionals are engaged in a variety of exciting projects across our business, collaborating with diverse multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation and growth,” says Malcolm Dixon, general manager - Western Canada and executive sponsor of the Young Professionals Employee Resource Group (ERG).

Dixon maintains that the Young Professionals ERG, which creates opportunities for new employees to collaborate and build relationships with each other, is just as important. The members of this group come together for structured meetings where they discuss activities and plan events. “They start to exercise their leadership muscle by learning how to plan, advance ideas and influence peers and colleagues,” he says.

Dang joined the Young Professionals ERG almost immediately. “I’m passionate about making my own opportunities,” she says. The group is allotted finances and coaching support from leaders, but the rest is up to them.

“The leaders invite us to do what we think would be valuable,” says Dang. In her case, the Young Professionals ERG developed an idea to invite other young professionals from GHD’s key clients to join with them at a conference. The GHD leadership supported the idea, and the planning committee organized a conference with professional development modules and workshops on energy, water and communities.

“We wanted to foster lasting relationships with our partners for the long term, and we made a good start!” says Dang.

Dang has also met new people and taken advantage of learning opportunities in the two-year graduate development program. She and her cohort worked through a module on a topic critical to professional success each month. The large, international group included young professionals from the United Kingdom. She was also connected to a small group of three employees from across Canada.

“It’s been great to have structured opportunities to make connections,” Dang says. “I feel like I’m in a small world, even within a company with nearly 11,000 employees. Everyone is always happy to introduce me to someone else. As a young professional, that’s what I need right now.”

Dang wanted to do work around sustainability. She’s been able to connect and work with a team that helps companies come up with action plans to achieve their sustainability goals.

“At GHD, our young professionals are critical to the growth and future success of our firm. Our leadership sees the Young Professionals ERG as a way of engaging and empowering the exceptional talent that we have in this cohort,” says Dixon. “Young people want to get involved and make a difference in the communities in which we live and work.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top Employers for Young People winners, published January 21, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

At GHD, resource groups are at the centre of inclusion

After seven years working with GHD, Ian Collins is wearing a number of hats. He works to make contaminated environments safe for repurposing or redevelopment. As the co-ordinator for the Americas for the Contamination Assessment and Remediation service line, he improves digital workflows and connects people to others who can help. And he is chair of the Pride Alliance, the LGBTQIA2S+ employee resource group (ERG).

“It’s doable because we work in such a collaborative and supportive environment,” says Collins, senior environmental risk assessor and engineer.

GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Nearly a quarter of employees are offered shares in the business, which is 100 per cent employee-owned.

Three years ago, GHD hired Sadaf Parvaiz to lead a team to develop and implement a global diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy. “Our focus is to weave inclusion and diversity into all facets of our culture and business processes to create a workplace where everyone feels like they belong,” says Parvaiz, global enterprise inclusion and diversity leader.

Two major accomplishments from 2024 were the launch of the Canadian Reconciliation Action Plan, and the commitment to have women in 40 per cent of the roles at all levels of the organization by 2030. Now, the organization has begun a self-identification campaign, asking employees to voluntarily disclose demographic information so GHD can understand the composition of the workforce and uncover needs specific to different communities.

“ERGs are the heart and soul of our DEI strategy,” says Parvaiz. “They are a conduit to give us input and feedback and they also communicate GHD initiatives out to people in the organization.”

The ERGs provided input into the recent accomplishments, and to GHD initiatives such as a national benefits program review which resulted in paid parental leave that is gender agnostic, parental leave for same-sex partners, and the addition of gender affirmation surgery coverage. Their input has made online meetings more inclusive with reminders for people to describe themselves, turn on captions and make presentations accessible. And the groups have started to work together.

“Now we’re seeing an allyship, not just from executive sponsors and other leaders who support the groups, but also from employees with different or multiple identities who come together to learn from each other and address more holistic or systemic challenges,” says Parvaiz.

GHD held several allyship events in a crossover series for all groups, and there have been joint events such as a book review with the Young Professionals and Asian ERGs. The Pride and Indigenous ERGs partnered for a joint trivia challenge to observe both Pride Month and Canada’s National Indigenous History Month.

This fits with Collins’ vision to create a group where anyone can feel welcome. “Even before there were ERGs, I wanted to find a way to share the benefit of my experience at GHD with people coming up in the organization,” he says. Building the Pride Alliance ERG from scratch when he became chair was a great development opportunity.

Now, Collins is able to pass on successful practices to other ERG chairs.

“As I get older I realize the importance of culture,” says Collins. “At GHD, I have the opportunity to help make a more welcoming environment and model the behaviour I would like to see.”

“We’re on a journey,” says Parvaiz. “We realize we need to move every day toward an environment where all people can thrive.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada’s Best Diversity Employers winners, published February 25, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

GHD employees champion sustainable change

Stefania Goodrich joined a small ecology team with the global professional services firm GHD in Vancouver less than four years ago. She found the company’s work aligned with her environmental principles. “It was just me and a senior biologist in Prince George,” says Goodrich, an intermediate biologist. Now, she is Western Canada regional champion, their team has expanded to 12 employees and it’s continuing to grow.

GHD is a leading Australia-founded company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Nearly a quarter of employees own shares in the business, which is 100-per-cent employee owned.

“Sustainability is built into what we do, why we do it and how we do it,” says James Viray, global head of corporate sustainability. “What makes GHD sustainable is our work on environmental issues such as water conservation and resilient ecosystems — plus the social component around human rights, including Indigenous engagement in Canada.”

Viray says the foundation of the work GHD does is to focus on the future of energy, water and communities. “It is integral to how we make decisions on everything from our enterprise strategy to risk management to the types of projects we pursue. We have committed to a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and we ask our vendors about their decarbonization strategy. Our project selection standards outline the types of projects we will no longer do.”

Goodrich works on projects such as sewer upgrades for government infrastructure or waste transfer stations for First Nation communities. Her work in the field doing plant and ecosystem surveys leads to recommendations that funnel into full environmental assessment reports. She also does project management with clients where her team’s survey work leads to recommendations on eliminating invasive plants and replacing them with native flora, as well as protecting species at risk.

Assisting with the organization of a yearly park or waterfront clean up in Vancouver is one of Goodrich’s favourite activities. She spreads the word internally to encourage a group of GHD employees to take part, and the municipality provides any necessary equipment. “It’s an opportunity to interact with local people who are really pleased to see us out there,” she says.

As Western Canada regional champion, Goodrich meets virtually with other GHD champions across North America to learn and share decarbonization strategies. She leads a team with members in Calgary and Edmonton to carry out regional waste audits and recently worked on a plan to update vehicle fleets for each office. “We had to find a balance, choosing vehicles that are sustainable but safe for fieldwork in the middle of nowhere,” she says.

Goodrich is proud of waste reduction efforts in the Vancouver office. There, they not only do regular recycling but they also recycle batteries and Styrofoam. Recently, she was able to persuade the office waste team to begin recycling soft plastics. “It’s diverted responsibly into a private stream where it is turned into plastic pellets,” says Goodrich.

This is no surprise to Viray. He has worked in the field of sustainable development for more than 20 years, and in past positions he sometimes had to work hard to build a business case as to why sustainability is important. “With GHD’s purpose and vision, people already get it,” says Viray. “The leaders here are already committed to doing things sustainably.

“Our services include solutions that accelerate renewable energy development, protect freshwater and support resilient communities and ecosystems. They go beyond just not doing harm. That really attracted me to GHD.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Greenest Employers winners, published April 22, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.