Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 32
32
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
Empowering women to lead at CSA Group
A
fter several successful
years working with
CSA Group, Rafeeya
Abjal went on maternity leave. “I was
thankful for the generous benefits
but couldn’t help wondering
what effect this might have on my
career,” says Abjal, now vicepresident, financial strategy,
standards. “As it turned out, I
received a promotion soon after
my return to work.”
A leader in standards research,
development, education
and advocacy, CSA Group is
comprised of two organizations:
Standards; as well as Testing,
Inspection and Certification
(TIC). Headquartered in Toronto,
the organization is dedicated to
enhancing safety and social good,
as well as fostering an inclusive
and supportive workplace culture.
CSA Group fosters a culture where women are encouraged to learn, lead, and make an impact.
In CSA Group’s inclusive
environment, all
employees are valued
and supported to thrive.
— Rafeeya Abjal
Vice-President, Financial
Strategy, Standards
As a working mother, Abjal says
the organization’s commitment
to employee safety, well-being
and work-life balance has been
key. “In CSA Group’s inclusive
environment, all employees are
valued and supported to thrive,”
she says.
CSA Group’s holistic approach
includes policies and programs
that promote physical, mental, and
emotional well-being, reflecting
its commitment to HSSE (Health,
Safety, Security and Environment)
culture. The organization’s safety
mandate extends beyond its
operations — it’s embedded, too,
in its employee benefits, including
support for diverse paths to
parenthood. Employees have
access to a 90 per cent maternity
leave pay top-up for 16 weeks,
plus an additional six weeks of
parental leave at 90 per cent (and
up to $10,000 lifetime coverage for
fertility services).
Connection and inclusion are
also promoted through employee
resource groups such as the
Parents and Caregivers Network,
a compassionate place to share
family stories and challenges,
and the Women’s Empowerment
Network (WEN). With a mission
to foster an inclusive environment
that supports developing women’s
skills and leadership potential,
WEN highlights women’s
achievements, supports their
recruitment and advancement,
and provides a safe space to
network, collaborate and share
experiences, says Abjal.
In addition, CSA Group provides
an environment that fosters
continuous learning. Employees
participate in development
dialogues with managers to create
individualized career plans. There
is a CSA online academy with over
4,000 courses, as well as tuition
reimbursement programs.
Abjal completed CSA Group’s
leadership development program,
including skills-training coaching
from company executives,
and working on deliverables,
supported by her mentors. “It
was an opportunity to collaborate
and build with amazing people
with different strengths and
perspectives,” she says.
Operations manager Aanchal
Hall works in the TIC side of the
organization, and has also found
that CSA Group has empowered
her to build her career. She was
promoted twice in just over three
and a half years, including being
on maternity leave during that
time.
Initially hired as a team lead in
January 2022, Hall was identified
early on as having high potential.
Together with her manager,
she developed a career plan. By
the end of that same year, she
