Global Director of DEI at Finning

Kerri Rudnicki

Kerri Rudnicki holds more than 25 years of experience as human resource leader and has successfully executed a wide range of strategic HR functions in domestic and international operations. She has demonstrated her expertise in providing client-centered services, devising long-term strategies, and driving initiatives in multiple areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion, mergers and acquisitions, employee experience, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, performance management, compensation, recruitment, succession planning, and employee relations.

Can you articulate the key areas of focus and responsibilities you hold at Finning?

I’ve been involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for about eight years. In my current role at Finning, one of my primary responsibilities is to work with our diverse operational regions, including South America, the UK, Ireland, and Canada. I collaborate closely with my colleagues in each of these regions to understand their specific DEI requirements. While there are some common objectives—an example being retention of women in frontline trades and technical roles—each region has different and unique needs. We carefully consider those needs and our priorities become part of our overarching DEI strategy.  This strategy is driven by a global DEI council of senior leaders and chaired by our CEO. Each region has their own councils that drive supporting strategies and initiatives. This structure ensures connectivity and helps ensure that each region’s unique needs are effectively addressed.

I am also responsible for facilitating timely, relevant, and practical DEI training initiatives. Our focus has been primarily on providing inclusive leadership training throughout the organization. Our aim is to expand our focus on frontline engagement, fostering a sense of ownership and involvement among employees—creating a model that is driven by the people, for the people.

What are some obstacles you have experienced in carrying out your duties within this role?

We are a multinational organization and it is necessary for us to navigate diverse legal frameworks and cultural variations across different regions. Understanding our workforce and identifying overarching opportunities within these each distinct context stands as a challenge.

“By dedicating resources and attention to a few core initiatives, one can experience a significant positive momentum.”

Distinctive legislative framework in each country is another obstacle I have come across. So, it’s my duty to navigate this diversity by tailoring an approach to suit the cultural and legal context of each region, ensuring our initiatives drive an inclusive culture, while always respecting cultural differences and legislative requirements in each country. 

How do you engage and empower employees at all levels to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts?

One of the ways that ensures a comprehensive approach to fostering inclusivity and driving organizational success, is through our structure. It is comprised of a council responsible for setting strategic direction within their respective regions, operating within a global framework. The leaders are held accountable for achieving desired outcomes, emphasizing a leader-led model, rather than merely an HR initiative. This approach aims to integrate DEI practices throughout the entire organization.

Another approach is through employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs represent diverse communities including Indigenous peoples, women, the LGBTQ community, disabled individuals, caregivers and military personnel. We empower these ERGs to identify crucial areas where enhancing education and awareness is vital for the organization to shape a more inclusive work environment.

Employee perspectives, and employee listening is an important part of our DEI initiatives, to better understand employees' experiences and perceptions of working within our organization.

Have you implemented any technology or process elements to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at your organization?

We are leveraging our human resources information system to gather data on a voluntary basis to understand improvement opportunities.

We have also introduced inclusive leadership training that we continuously evaluate to ensure its relevance and timeliness, aligning it with the organization's current journey and purpose. We have also developed a sponsorship model aimed at enhancing support for diverse groups in various areas like succession planning, performance management, and recruitment.

We have been actively engaged in strengthening our ERGs by clarifying roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities. Our objective is to foster the growth and development of these ERGs, primarily by expanding their membership base. In addition, we assist each ERG to create annual work plans that align with our organizational objectives and facilitate their integration into our overall structure. Their guidance and input is sought and included during decision making processes.

What would be your piece of advice for your fellow peers and leaders?

One recommendation I would offer is to adopt an approach that aligns with the current state of the organization. It’s important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization's existing position and then initiate the necessary action plan. Rather than attempting to tackle numerous objectives simultaneously, I have found that selecting one, two, or three key areas of focus can yield substantial impact when they are effectively executed. By concentrating efforts on these chosen priorities, a solid foundation can be established and tangible progress can be achieved across multiple facets.

This method proves to be more manageable and efficient than attempting to address every aspect simultaneously, which often results in minimal accomplishments. By dedicating resources and attention to a few core initiatives, one can experience a significant positive momentum.

My second recommendation would be to listen and engage.  None of us has all the answers.  Using robust employee listening strategies is critical.  Employees know what is working and where the opportunities for improvement are.  At the end of day, they are the ultimate judge of what it feels like to work in your organization.

A third recommendation I would make is to focus on integrating DEI into how work gets done into the organization.  DEI should not feel like “one more thing” a leader has to do.  It should be integrated into your organization’s values as well as its people processes and community investment strategy.

Lastly, it is important to keep learning.  Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable and encourage others to step into their discomfort.  It is by asking questions and stepping into difficult conversations that we learn and get better at being an inclusive workplace.  We can also proactively network with other DEI professionals from different organizations. This allows us as professionals to gain insights into best practices, learn from others’ experiences, and share our learnings.