Black Lives Matter Statement

It’s not enough to say the right words if you’re not also doing the work internally as a company.

The team at the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) has been taking some time to reflect on recent events involving racism and violence and the best way that we can support our community.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed unprecedented violence against Black communities in North America. No country is immune to racism and these latest events only highlight the urgency and collective need to work together to end racism, and all forms of harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination.

This is a critical moment for the bereavement sector to stand in solidarity with Black communities and speak out against anti-Black racism. It is important that we publicly challenge racism and raise our collective voice against pervasive violence and systemic discrimination.

As a provincial regulator, overseeing thousands of consumer-focused organizations, we must examine the ways in which our own silence makes us complicit and commit to identifying and addressing occurrences of anti-Black racism within our sector and organizations.

At the BAO we believe that everyone deserves to live free of systemic oppression, racialized/gender violence, harassment and discrimination. We all have different experiences that bring new perspectives, and we aim to hear and learn from all of them. We want to reaffirm the BAO’s commitment to listening and learning, and taking meaningful action.

The BAO’s Violence and Harassment Policy and Code of Conduct ensure that all BAO Board members and employees perform their duties without discrimination and bias and that violence will not be tolerated.

We are committed to continuing to ensure that diversity, respect and inclusion remains a priority. The BAO Board and staff:

• Commit to challenging anti-Black racism and violence through our actions.
• Recognize the value and importance of diversity in the workplace.
• Reaffirm our commitment to act in solidarity with those who are targets of this violence and inequity.
• Commit to ensuring that Black communities who access bereavement related services in Ontario can do so without fear of discrimination.