People of EDC - Nicolas Barbeau

Welcome to People of EDC, a series dedicated to celebrating the diverse experiences of our workforce by getting to know them on a more personal level. This week’s article features Nicolas Barbeau , Senior Employee Communications Advisor.

As a Senior Employee Communications Advisor, Nick’s day-to-day role is all about ensuring that employees feel connected and engaged. He (alongside his team) is responsible for updating the corporate intranet site, creating and distributing the corporate-wide Weekly Roundup newsletter, and planning EDC’s annual employee conference and other corporate-wide events.

Since joining EDC eight years ago, he has seen the organization transform into a more people-centric environment. “I think the values of inclusion and caring are really important – both in this current environment and for EDC," says Nick. "A large part of our success is having engaged employees, as well as recognizing that we're all human beings with diverse backgrounds and interests that should be recognized and valued.”

For Nick, inclusion is not just a professional commitment but a personal one as a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. He hopes to foster a more inclusive space through his employee communications role and active involvement in EDC’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Nick is a member of EDC’s 2SLGBTQI+ ERG, but his involvement with inclusion initiatives doesn’t stop there – he also supports the ID&E team, assists in organizing ID&E-related events, and provides communications support for other ERGs.

Nick has found it beneficial to join the 2SLGBTQI+ ERG since it has allowed him to connect with like-minded individuals. "I've learned a lot about queer issues and history, some of which I wasn't aware of before joining," says Nick. "It's helped me become more informed about the challenges faced by the 2SLGBTQI+ community and to find ways to garner support to make a difference."

Despite being a smaller ERG (approximately ten members), the group works hard to create large-scale events like Pride and helps identify areas of improvement within EDC’s policies and practices that would result in a more inclusive environment for employees. “Allyship is important for us to make progress on issues surrounding inclusion and diversity. There are so many intersectionalities between the different underrepresented groups, and if we support each other, we could get much further,” says Nick.

In the meantime, on top of preparing for EDC’s Pride Week events, Nick is also preparing for a personal milestone…His wedding! He and his partner Ben are excited to be tying the knot next year!

Congratulations, Nick! And thank you for all your contributions in making EDC a more inclusive workplace!