Raise Internal Policies

Purpose and Values

At Raise, everything (including our policies) sits on an overall operating context and philosophy. The following statements about our purpose and values are signed in every employment agreement at the company – this common understanding is foundational to working successfully together at Raise:

Raise exists to “Connect People in Meaningful Work.” Working at one of our companies is a commitment to apply your best thoughts, words, and deeds to create a world where more & more people can say, “I love what I do.”

At Raise, we believe that change starts with looking in the mirror: if each of us wants to create a world where more people experience meaningful work, we must first take responsibility to make sure our own work is both motivating (to us) & contributes (to others & the company).

Achieving this requires constantly managing opposing tensions (sometimes called “polarities” or “paradoxes”) in a healthy way. At Raise, we don’t subscribe to simple either/or answers and black/white positions. Instead, we choose to actively embrace these conflicts in a caring and supportive way (don’t worry – we have lots of training on how to do this!).

These are the values & tensions we strive to hold:

Ownership is about embracing the tension of Freedom & Responsibility. Each person at Raise (yes, that includes you!) has the authority to fix any problem, jump on any opportunity, and/or make any decision, if they first seek and integrate the advice of others who would be impacted. In other words, anyone can be the CEO of any decision – titles hold no currency in deciding who can get stuff done.

Healthy Relationships is about embracing the tension of Empathy & Expectations. We accept our co-workers unconditionally. At the same time, we have active practice of giving feedback to help each other evolve and grow. At Raise, you are wholly accepted for who you are – and you will also be challenged to look at your façades, blind spots, and business contribution to become the best you can be.

Ever Better is about embracing the tension of Innovation & Consistency. The world is changing fast. While our company has a bias for embracing innovation and viewing disruption as an opportunity, we know that our clients and candidates become raving fans when they experience consistent delivery, services, and support. At Raise, we celebrate all efforts and achievements that generate forward momentum – serving our clients, embracing the future and making us Ever Better.

Stewardship is about embracing the tension of Purpose & Profit. The definition of Stewardship is, “Caring for what you don’t own as if it were yours.” We strive to make a difference in the lives of our stakeholders: clients, candidates, co-workers, suppliers, community, and the planet. Within the company, we all steward and care for each coworker’s experience of meaningful work as if it were our own. This is the reason we exist – we simply reinvest profit in growing this purpose!

By working at Raise, you become part of a team that embraces these values in healthy tension. We are excited that you are our team!

Policies & the Raise OS

At Raise, we operate and distribute authority using our organization’s operating system – we call it the Raise OS {https://inside.raiserecruiting.com/}. The purpose of the Raise OS is to maximize opportunities for each person to take ownership of problems/opportunities that arise and to maximize opportunities for individuals to manage Freedom & Responsibility in pursuit of the company’s purpose, according to the values listed above.

Since so much of what needs to happen at the company is covered (and unlocked!) by the practices built into our own OS, we have intentionally chosen to constrain the “control language” in our policies to the minimum required for the safety and well-being of ourselves and our coworkers – as well as the need to remain compliant with necessary legislation.

The following policies have been agreed via a company-wide Consent Process. They will be reviewed at least once per year by our Policy Team in case circumstances or legislation prompt the need for a proposal change. Further (as with everything under the Raise OS), these policies can be adapted/changed by anyone in the company, at any time, who uses the Consent Process to make the change.

Employment Equity & Human Rights Policy:

The Employment Equity & Human Rights Policy outlines that Raise fully supports employment equity and is committed to providing equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offenses, marital status, family status, or disability as set out in the Human Rights Legislation. This reflects Raise’s commitment to upholding human rights and providing a work environment that is culturally inclusive and free from discrimination and harassment.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy:

Raise is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities. The following policy has been established by Raise to govern the provision of services under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. The goal is to break down barriers and increase accessibility for people with disabilities in the areas of information and communications and employment, as outlined in our Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy.

Safe Workplace Policy:

Raise is committed to creating a physically safe environment that fosters workers’ wellbeing. Our goal is to minimize and/or prevent occupational illness and/or injury. The Safe Workplace Policy and the Home Office Checklist are provided to help coworkers identify hazards and understand what an ergonomically correct workplace looks like. These tools keep all workers informed about what constitutes a physically safe work environment.

Ethical Reporting:

At Raise, we have an Ethical Reporting Policy because we want all coworkers to feel they can safely be heard and know where to go to for help – even when raising a particular issue is difficult. We expect our coworkers (including the CEO!) to act in a manner consistent with our company’s purpose and values (including legal and ethical obligations). It is a high standard; we acknowledge that anyone may fall short at times. If you believe that a coworker has not met the standard, we ask you use good judgement and seek to resolve the issue in a constructive manner through common practices or by using the third-party Confidence Line to make a report in a safe and confidential manner.

Flexible Vacation Policy:

The purpose and intent of the Flexible Vacation Policy is to allow everyone to take as much vacation as they need so that we can get the positive benefits of both work and rest. At the center of this policy is our value of freedom and responsibility. We have the freedom to manage our work and take time off as we see fit AND the personal responsibility to rest and keep our work contribution high. Bottom line, we manage our own time in a way that serves our personal needs while still getting the work done.

Alternative Public Holiday Policy:

Raise employees comprises a mosaic of rich global cultures and traditions, and we want our paid holidays to reflect that diversity while giving you flexibility to celebrate the things that are most important to you.

Under the Alternative Public Holiday Policy, employees may choose to work on a public holiday in their employer’s country and take another day of their choice in its place. For example, in Ontario, there are 9 publicly recognized paid statutory holidays. Employees can swap all or some of these holidays for other days throughout the year. For example, employees who don’t celebrate Christmas may work that day and take off another religious day, such as Yom Kippur, Diwali, or Pride.

Disconnecting from Work Policy:

Disconnecting From Work is vital to help us achieve a healthy and sustainable work-life balance. The health and wellbeing of our employees is of the utmost importance, and we encourage and support all Staff to prioritize their own wellbeing.

Raise recognizes that every employee is entitled to (i) switch off outside of their Regular Business Hours so long as we are all engaged in productive work during our workday, and (ii) enjoy their free time away from work without being disturbed subject to certain exceptions, such as a bona fide emergency or mutual agreement to do so.

Parental Leave & Top-Up Policy:

At Raise, we value the importance of protected leave and want to ensure that each employee has the resources to be able to take parental leave and feel comfortable with the process. As such, we have created the Parental Leave & Top-Up Policy. For further assistance and information, you can reach out to your People and Culture Team.

Resigning Bonus Policy:

Although Raise hopes that employment will be a mutually rewarding experience, we understand that varying circumstances may cause someone to be unsatisfied, unfulfilled or lacking meaning in their role.

The purpose of this policy is to liberate anyone who is considering moving on. The Resigning Bonus Policy offers any Raise employee who chooses to voluntarily resign a one-time bonus, the equivalent of one month’s salary.

Travel & Expense:

At Raise, the main goal of our Travel & Expense Policy is to remind coworkers to practice good stewardship (economic, environmental, and social) when making travel or spending decisions. “We embrace technology to increase human touch” (examples: Teams, Zoom, Loomio, etc.). Where possible, we encourage people to minimize their expenses and carbon footprint through using these tools. Also, it may be possible to collaborate with other branches to reduce travel while still serving clients/candidates effectively. However, there are times when there is no substitute for meeting a client or attending a company meeting in person. When making travel decisions, good stewards
know how to balance those competing interests and make good choices on behalf of the company.

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Policy:

Raise is committed to being a leader in supporting and valuing the diversity and inclusion of the people within our own organization, and work towards greater justice and equity in our workplace and in the communities we serve.

The JEDI Policy outlines that valuing diversity means recognizing and respecting human differences and similarities. It also means fostering a fair and inclusive workplace that encourages dignity and respect for ideas and beliefs consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Policy:

All employees and applicants for jobs at Raise have the right to full and equal consideration on the basis of merit and other relevant, meaningful criteria. Our internal and external recruitment teams have been trained in and have implemented
procedures and processes to ensure that employment-related actions are made without prejudice.

The Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Policy relates to all phases of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, employment, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, reduction of workforce and termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, selection for training, the use of all facilities, and participation in all company-sponsored employee activities.

Indigenous Employment & Relations Policy:

As the Indigenous Employment & Relations Policy outlines, as a Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) organization, Raise is committed to providing sustainable Indigenous employment and career development opportunities throughout our organization. Through positive and mutually beneficial relationships with our Indigenous neighbors, we will continue to create social and economic benefits
through partnership and collaboration.

We believe that successful relationships with Indigenous communities must be based upon respect, fairness, understanding, and open communication to understand the traditional land use concerns of these communities and to minimize our impact on these concerns. We respect the legal rights of Canada’s Indigenous communities, along with their cultural traditions, economies, beliefs, knowledge, and uses of lands and resources. This respect shapes the way we operate and conduct our business.

Environment & Sustainable Purchasing Policy:

Part of Raise’s ongoing stewardship efforts is the recognition that economic growth and sustainability must be integrated with respect and care for the environment. Our stewardship efforts are focused on nurturing leadership for inclusive and sustainable communities, and responsibility to the environment. Wherever and whenever possible, we are committed to reducing the impact of our business operations on the environment and demonstrating leadership by integrating environmental considerations into our wider business practices and processes, as outlined in the Environmental and Sustainable Purchasing Policy.

Supplier Diversity Policy:

Raise has committed to diversity in our own practices and operations, and we extend that commitment and expectation to our suppliers. We thus encourage purchasing goods and services from suppliers who are representatives, especially in terms of ownership and management—of diverse backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and ability.

This Supplier Diversity Policy aims to achieve diversity goals while enabling the growth of diverse businesses in our communities. We strive to create vendor–buyer relationships that allow diverse organizations to continue to develop, while we obtain quality products/services at competitive prices.

Anti-Human Trafficking & Anti-Slavery Policy:

Raise does not and will not permit its employees, subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, or other entities doing business with us to engage in any form of human trafficking or slavery outlined in the Anti-Human Trafficking & Anti-Slavery Policy. Raise also prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint or reports a suspected violation of this policy.

Any suspected violation should be reported immediately through RAISE’s confidential ethical reporting hotline: 1-800-661-9077. Further information for ethical reporting can also be found in the Ethical Reporting Policy.

Anti-Child Labour Policy:

Our Anti-Child Labour Policy outlines Raise’s position on employing minors and aims to ensure that our company, its subsidiaries, and everyone we’re connected with follows the law and cares for children’s interests.

As an organization, we want to do business in a legal, ethical manner, adding value to society and the environment instead of doing harm. Helping stop child labour is fundamental to us. We want to make sure that our organization doesn’t take part in children’s exploitation and helps end it to the best of our ability.

Data Security/ IT Policies

The purpose of the Data Security Policies is to ensure that adequate controls are in place to protect your personal information, as well as company-owned data from possible exposure to an unnecessarily high level of risk, particularly in circumstances where data is taken out of the information system.

Controls must be in place for any process that results in the creation, manipulation, transmission, or storage of data to maintain the integrity of the data against accidental, intentional, or malicious alteration, damage or loss.

These policies apply to all data assets, employees and workers.

3-Strikes IT Security Policy

One of the biggest risks to our business is an IT security breach. Thousands of stakeholders rely on us to hold their data in trust. It is our legal, fiduciary, and ethical responsibility to do so.

For this reason, Raise has created the 3-Strike IT Security Policy. This policy is to ensure that every Raise Employee is accountable to following our IT security measures that have been put in place to protect the company.