People of CSIS

As a security service specializing in human intelligence and covert operations, the employees of CSIS have always been the Service’s greatest asset. Overcoming systemic barriers that prevent full diversity and inclusivity, and modernizing our workforce to be truly representative of the Canadians we serve, is critical for the future success of CSIS.

Having acknowledged our past failings, CSIS is taking concrete steps to fulfill the commitment to create a healthy, respectful, and harassment-free workplace that values diversity of all types. These are transformative initiatives impacting our people, systems, and culture.

The CSIS People First Strategy seeks to foster a safe, healthy and respectful workplace, and implement modern human resources practices that attract, develop and retain the talent CSIS needs today and tomorrow. We are proud of the comprehensive employee support services we have in place to foster an inclusive, respectful, and healthy workplace. Since May 2022, this has included a partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada whose programs support individuals and families of those who serve or have served our country and communities.  Internal actions such as the implementation of the new CSIS Code of Conduct in 2020, puts forward the values employees are committed to uphold in their work environment: respect for people, respect for democracy, integrity, stewardship, and excellence. The Respect Campaign also re-enforces the importance of respect in our working relationships, identifies measures to address racism and systemic discrimination, and promotes a harassment-free workplace. The development in 2021 of guiding principles for leadership excellence at CSIS has added to an emphasis on behaviours expected of leaders at all levels in CSIS.

CSIS’s comprehensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy outlines a vision and ties collective commitments to specific actions to help address bias, inclusive leadership, recruitment, career and development opportunities, and open communication on difficult issues such as systemic racism. The DEI Strategy is publicly available on CSIS’ external website. This work complements the CSIS Accessibility Strategy with the purpose of ensuring a barrier-free workplace. CSIS has also established a permanent GBA+ unit and a thriving GBA+ advisory network that works to ensure the development of fair and equitable policies, programs, and practices.

To attract and retain people and keep up with the changes in technology and workforce expectations, CSIS must adapt. We have undertaken a major project on the future of work and our workspace, tailored to the specific security requirements of a modern intelligence agency. The objective is to enable CSIS to respond to, and indeed anticipate, impending change and its impact on our work. We are committed to promoting transformation throughout our organization, as it will enable us to deliver on our mandate through times of continuous change.

While more work is needed, there has been an increase in the appointment of diverse candidates to executive positions; managers are proactively thinking and acting with new focus on inclusiveness; hundreds of employees are participating in learning events; and employees across the organization are stepping up and speaking out to help foster change. Promoting diversity and inclusion has and will continue to remain a priority for CSIS into the future.

In 2022, CSIS hired women and applicants from racialized groups at or above par with workforce availability, while continuing to emphasize attracting and hiring Indigenous applicants and persons with disabilities.