EllisDon targets women, gender-nonconforming workers with ‘Fit Your Frame’ campaign

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EllisDon has launched a “Fit Your Frame” campaign, aimed at providing construction safety vests to women and gender-nonconforming persons whose frame and body type are not best served by traditional vest offerings.

“Traditional safety vests are not built to fit women or gender-nonconforming persons, and we wanted to change that,” said Jennifer Khan, vice-president of inclusive diversity. “Every day, EllisDon is working towards more inclusive measures on our sites and in our offices; I hope that this will continue to ripple throughout the industry so that everyone, and I mean everyone, feels welcome.”

The construction company has partnered with Md Bespoke, a Black-owned Canadian custom clothing manufacturer, to produce vests that will uphold the quality and function of traditional vests, with better fitting and size options.

“It is so important to feel like you belong in a workplace, and I know from personal experience what that can do mentally to you when you feel like you do not belong,” said Tess Durrant, chief operating officer, Safety BeSpoke.

Fit Your Frame is led by 2gether (2 (Balance & Harmony) Gender Equality Team Human Empowerment Redefined) EllisDon’s Inclusive Diversity leadership group geared towards reflecting all forms of gender expression. The campaign launched in January and will continue nationwide throughout all EllisDon’s area offices and sites. The vests will be distributed to EllisDon employees.

EllisDon, based in Mississauga, Ont., has more than 3,000 salaried and hourly employees across 15 national and international offices.