Canada's Top 100 Employers (2026) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 52
56
( 2026 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
Mazda Canada employees are on a drive to collaborate
S
even years ago, Erica
Zanetti worked for a
marketing agency where
Mazda Canada Inc.
was a client. “I saw the
way the Mazda team worked —
how they communicated with
each other and supported us as
their supplier,” says Zanetti. She
applied, and when she joined
the organization, she realized
her experience wasn’t unique. “A
supportive culture is something
the whole Mazda organization
embodies.”
Guided and encouraged by her
leaders and colleagues, Zanetti
has already begun her third role
with Mazda as manager, learning
and development. Her manager
approached her to apply for a
developmental opportunity when
a colleague took parental leave.
She now manages a learning
platform where the team creates
and rolls out new, customized
learning programs nearly every
month.
“Our investment in employee
development and growth fosters
a workplace where individuals
feel empowered, supported
and inspired to reach their full
potential,” says Mazda Canada
president and CEO Amy Fleming.
The company is responsible for
the sales and marketing, customer
service and parts support of
Mazda vehicles in Canada.
Headquartered in Richmond
Hill, Ont., Mazda Canada has
175 employees and a nationwide
network of 163 retail stores.
Zanetti finds Mazda’s supportive
culture works both ways. When
asked to sit in on a diversity, equity
and inclusion (DEI) committee
meeting to collaborate and help
support the creation of marketing
assets, she was impressed by the
work of the group. She decided to
join and continue to support DEI
initiatives. Now she is chair of the
committee.
The committee also gets
involved with cross collaborations.
One activity for Truth and
Reconciliation Day in 2025 was
tied to a cross-Canada step
challenge going on within the
organization; the committee
offered a bonus for teams that
identified Indigenous territories
along the path.
“This is an example of what we
call the three C’s: communication,
collaboration and co-creation,”
says Krista Kelly-Gombocz,
director, people and culture. Ideas
such as the step challenge often
come from employees, and Mazda
seeks employee input on nearly
everything it does.
“We work together. One
hundred per cent of our
employees take part in our
engagement surveys, and we
report back and look for ways to
take action on what we hear,” says
Kelly-Gombocz.
Our investment in
employee development
and growth fosters
a workplace where
individuals feel
empowered, supported
and inspired to reach
their full potential.
— Amy Fleming
President and CEO
Employees at Mazda Canada learn how to curl with Jennifer Jones, an Olympic gold medalist.
The Mazda flexible workplace
— developed in collaboration with
employees and leaders to balance
productivity and well-being —
allows 90 per cent of roles to be
classified as hybrid which can
be done from home or office as
required. “We draw employees to
the office with camaraderie and
events rather than mandates,” says
Kelly-Gombocz.
There are family-friendly social
events such as an excursion
to Canada’s Wonderland near
Toronto or a Blue Jays game.
Employees also come together to
volunteer.
Benefits include a wellness
fund for each employee that can
