Culture

Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) is committed to building an inclusive culture – one that informs our decisions and processes, empowers our associates to excel, and ultimately drives our business forward.

Founded over 350 years ago, HBC is North America’s longest continually operated company. In the centuries since, we have undergone much change, evolving with the world around us. Yet one thing has always remained constant: our commitment to both our employees and our customers alike.

Our success is driven by our collective commitment to an environment where every team member can be their true selves – inside and outside the workplace. We are not a “one size fits all” organization; we offer positions and experiences that suit myriad strengths and provide growth as our people explore their own career pursuits. By marrying deep pride in our heritage with an innovative and continually evolving spirit, we strive to create a culture that prizes entrepreneurship and pioneering adventurers, a mindset that has defined us since the beginning. We focus on ensuring positive, inclusive cultures at each of our portfolio companies, where staff are offered ongoing learning opportunities and people-first initiatives at all levels.

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Diversity & Inclusion

HBC is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Every team member comes to work with a unique experience, perspective, and identity. This diversity is what makes our organization a vibrant workplace.

Across our portfolio, we take concrete steps and initiatives to celebrate, acknowledge, and support our diverse team members. We continuously monitor these efforts to ensure they are effective and impactful for our team members and our organization’s mission.

PortCo Spotlight

HBC’s portfolio is a collection of iconic brands, each with its own history and character. Just as we support each brand’s identity, it is important that we create space for each team to define what diversity and inclusion mean to them.

We celebrate each of our companies’ willingness to chart their own course. Below are just a few examples of the ways our companies are putting their unique touch on diverse and inclusive environments for team members.

Saks Fifth Avenue:

Diversity in Marketing: Seeing oneself reflected in the workplace is a powerful message. One of HBC’s most well-known portfolio companies, the U.S.-based Saks Fifth Avenue, commits to featuring models who represent a diversity of ethnicity, age, and body type, comprising 50% of its annual editorial casting.

Saks Off Fifth:

ACLU Partnership: Home to some of HBC’s most iconic brands, the United States is where many of Saks OFF 5TH’s team members, designers, brand ambassadors, and valued customers reside. To support its U.S.-based ecosystem, Saks OFF 5TH works with partners like the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) to strengthen the U.S.-based communities it serves. The ACLU defends constitutionally guaranteed rights for everyone in America; the commitment supports initiatives focused on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial equity projects.

Convene:

Conscious Conversations: Talking about health and wellness should no longer be taboo – and it isn’t at Convene. Through its “Conscious Conversations” speaking series, Convene gives voice to mental health and full body wellness, all while keeping a DEI focus.

The Bay:

Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn: Transformative and revitalizing actions are core to The Bay’s commitment to recognizing and addressing its colonial history. The Bay transferred the iconic, 96-year-old Portage Avenue building in downtown Winnipeg to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO). Gifting this landmark to the SCO is both a meaningful – and tangible – step in the direction of corporate reconciliation, furthering the company’s dedication to righting past wrongs and working collaboratively and respectfully with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Canada.

Oshki Wupoowane: The “Blanket Fund” launched on September 30, 2022, with an initial $1 million investment from Hudson's Bay Foundation and a commitment to direct 100% of net proceeds from the sale of all HBC Point Blankets to The Blanket Fund moving forward. Through two grant streams, The Blanket Fund will provide support for indigenous cultural, artistic, and educational activities. Indigenous people, as well as Indigenous-led initiatives and organizations in Canada, are eligible to apply to the Blanket Fund.

Since its launch, The Blanket Fund has grown to more than $1.5 million, which will be disbursed to successful applications over multiple years.

HBC Properties & Investments:

Expanded Parental Leave: HBC Properties & Investments (HBCPI) recognizes that its team members wear multiple hats and juggle myriad responsibilities – both inside and outside of the office. To help its team members put their best foot forward, HBCPI, in conjunction with the HBC Shared Services Teams, launched an expanded Parental Leave program to support new parents as they take on life’s most important challenges while balancing their professional endeavors.



Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

This accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that HBC has in place, or will put in place, to improve opportunities for people with disabilities exclusively across our Canadian operations.

Statement of Commitment

HBC is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. Our belief is in integration and equal opportunity. The company is committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will strive to do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Accessible Emergency Information

HBC is committed to providing our customers with publicly available emergency procedures, plans or public safety information in an accessible way, as soon as practical, upon request.

As of January 1, 2012, the company has provided individualized workplace emergency response information to our employees with disabilities, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary and the company is aware of the need for accommodation.

Training

Hudson’s Bay Company has taken the following steps to ensure our associates receive training on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on human rights legislation as it relates to people with disabilities, which includes training:

  • During onboarding for all new hires in Ontario and includes (i) the Ontario Human Rights Code and (ii) “Welcoming Customers with Disabilities” eLearning courses on the Company’s learning management system; and

  • Be provided in a way that best suits the needs and responsibilities of our associates.

Kiosks

Hudson’s Bay Company considers the needs of people with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

Information and Communications

Hudson’s Bay Company is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities.

Hudson’s Bay Company will ensure that its websites or new domains conform to WCAG 2.0, Level A as required by Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Hudson’s Bay Company takes the following steps to ensure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request:

  • Make available feedback forms on the company’s Health and Safety intranet site for all locations to provide to the public upon request.

  • Training provided to local management to assess the format required by the customer and to provide accommodation as required.

Hudson’s Bay Company takes the following steps to make sure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request as of January 1, 2016:

  • Continue to make the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act policy available on Hudson’s Bay Company website.

  • Continue to provide training to our associates to assess the format required by the customer and to provide accommodation as required.

  • Accept requests from customers over the phone, in person, or in writing.

Employment

Hudson’s Bay Company is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. The company will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment, assessment and hiring process and during employment. The company will continue to review recruitment policies, job descriptions, processes and communications and amend as required to take into consideration the requirements set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Hudson’s Bay Company has return-to-work policies and programs for accommodations of associates that are absent due to a disability. The company will ensure the accessibility needs of its associates with disabilities that are made known to us are taken into account during performance management, career development and redeployment processes. Hudson’s Bay Company will continuously strive to prevent and remove other accessibility barriers as they are identified.

As of January 1, 2016, the company informs our associates of the policies used to support associates with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an associate’s accessibility needs due to disability, by: (i) consulting with our associates with disabilities to determine those accessible formats or communication supports that may be of assistance, and how such accommodation may be provided; and (ii) providing the information as soon as practicable after commencement of employment, and updates whenever there is a change to the policies.

Design of Public Spaces

Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces (Ontario) are front of mind when HBC is building or making major modifications to public spaces. . Public spaces include:

  • Outdoor paths of travel, like sidewalks, ramps, stairs, curb ramps, rest areas and accessible pedestrian signals;

  • Accessible off street parking; and

  • Service-related elements like service counters, fixed queuing lines and waiting areas.

Hudson’s Bay Company has the following procedures in place to prevent service disruptions to its accessible parts of its public spaces.

  • In the event of a service disruption, local management will notify the public of the service disruption and alternatives available by completing and posting the notice of disruption form available on the Health and Safety intranet site.