Making research and policies accessible to support Defence Team culture evolution
October 13, 2023 - Defence Stories
Culture change is challenging, particularly in a large, complex institution like ours. To be effective and make informed policy decisions, we must fully understand the issues and risks we face. We know we can’t do this essential work on our own.
To date, we have consulted more than 15,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and have listened to and learned from Defence Team members, external stakeholders, and partners as we continue to push forward with efforts to build a safer and more inclusive work environment. We know that collaboration is a two-way street, and as we reach out for assistance it’s important that we share the wealth of information we already have—particularly with external experts and academics, who can provide fresh perspectives and ideas.
This is the thinking behind Recommendation #45 in the Independent External Comprehensive Review, which calls for the Department of National Defence (DND) and the CAF to “host a public online database for all internal Defence Team research and policies relating to sexual harassment and misconduct, gender, sexual orientation, race, diversity and inclusion, and culture change.”
To respond to Recommendation #45, DND/CAF has launched an online Conduct and Culture Research and Policy Database. The database lists approximately 70 research papers and provides links to 80 policies and directives. Topics currently covered in the database include sexual harassment and misconduct, diversity and inclusion, military-to-civilian transition, mental and physical health, and wellbeing, 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous Peoples, gender, recruitment, women in the military, early training environments, and organizational culture. We will be updating the database regularly to ensure it offers the most recent and relevant information.
This database provides a simple and easy way for individuals and organizations—both internal and external to DND/CAF—to browse the wide range of policies and research documents related to conduct and culture, and access the information, findings and data in these documents to support their own initiatives.
Making our policies and research more readily available will help academics engage with us to identify issues and solve problems. It will also help them identify areas where data or information is limited or unavailable, and where further research may be needed. This database will also help DND/CAF leadership access the information they need to drive meaningful change within the institution and implement evidence-based strategies and policies that foster a positive workplace environment which, in turn, will enhance operational effectiveness.
We know that being open and transparent about our culture change efforts is critical to building trust and confidence in our approach. This database is part of a wider, ongoing DND/CAF effort to make research findings related to conduct and culture more easily available to both internal and external stakeholders. We will continue to provide updates as this important work progresses.