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Respect in the Workplace
A respectful workplace is the foundation of strong teams and good work.
Our workplace is Respectful
Respect is a basic working condition here. It’s how we do good work and keep each other safe. It shows up in how we speak, listen, back each other up, and deal with problems early. Everyone on the team shares this responsibility, and we take pride in a crew where people can do their best work and head home safe.
Why it Matters
- Safety: people speak up, share info, and watch out for each other.
- Teamwork: clear, direct communication and fast problem-solving.
- Performance: steady production, better quality, fewer re-dos and delays.
- Hiring and retention: good people stay, and new folks get up to speed faster.
- Long-term success: low-drama crews finish strong seasons and keep work moving.
Indigenous Partnerships & Respect
Honoring the lands we work on and the communities we work with.
The Indigenous Territories We Work In
We operate in northwest British Columbia, near the Yukon border. Based on publicly available maps, our worksites in this area likely overlap with or are adjacent to the territories asserted by the Tahltan Nation, Kaska Dena (Daylu Dena Council), and Taku River Tlingit First Nation. This is a working note, not a confirmation. Before each field season, we will verify the exact Nation(s) and contact points for the specific blocks, roads, and camps we plan to work on, and we will update this section as we confirm details.
What Collaboration and Respect Look Like
We operate in northwest British Columbia, near the Yukon border. Based on publicly available maps, our worksites in this area likely overlap with or are adjacent to the territories asserted by the Tahltan Nation, Kaska Dena (Daylu Dena Council), and Taku River Tlingit First Nation. This is a working note, not a confirmation. Before each field season, we will verify the exact Nation(s) and contact points for the specific blocks, roads, and camps we plan to work on, and we will update this section as we confirm details.
Our Commitment to Inclusivity in Our Crews
Current state:
- We do not currently have Indigenous crew members.
- We have not yet run targeted outreach for Indigenous hiring.
- Supervisors are expected to act on disrespectful language or behaviour the same way we act on any safety or conduct issue.
- Post job openings with local Nation employment centres and community channels where available.
- Pilot an entry‑level trainee role with on‑the‑job coaching for candidates with local knowledge but limited tickets.
- Pair new hires with a designated buddy for their first rotation.
- Provide a simple, two‑step reporting path for concerns (foreperson/supervisor, then project manager), with a direct line available if someone is not comfortable using the normal chain.
- Where operationally feasible, accommodate scheduling for cultural or community obligations when raised in advance.
Our Commitment to Respect in Our Operations
Current practices:
- Plan and execute work to meet permit conditions and legal requirements, including heritage chance‑find procedures.
- If we encounter suspected artifacts, burial sites, culturally modified trees, or other heritage features, we stop work, secure the area, and notify the supervisor for next steps.
- Keep sites clean, manage fuel and waste properly, and keep worksites tight to reduce disturbance.
- Share seasonal plans and access routes with the relevant Nation(s) early and adjust to avoid flagged areas where we can.
- Favour existing roads and previously disturbed areas; add buffers around areas identified as culturally or environmentally sensitive.
- Include a short, practical briefing in pre‑season orientation on working within local Nations’ territories, using materials provided by the Nation or an Indigenous‑led trainer when available.
- Invite Nation representatives for site visits at key stages, where feasible.
- Track cultural/heritage issues in a simple log (similar to safety), with corrective actions and follow‑up.
- Close the loop with Nation contacts on issues raised and what we did about them.
Diversity in Hiring and Culture
A mix of voices creates better teams and better work.
Our Commitment to Inclusivity and Diversity
Operating in BC forestry means remote sites, safety‑critical work, and seasonal crews. Our hiring and culture practices aim to be fair, practical, and workable in those conditions. We hire for skill, safety, and reliability, and we follow BC employment and human‑rights law. Our applicant pool changes with season and location. Given limited input, we are taking a measured approach: review what we do now, identify avoidable barriers, and test small improvements.
- Job information: Postings state the essential duties, physical and safety requirements, certifications, schedule, and travel/camp arrangements in plain language.
- Access to roles: Use regional and community job boards where feasible; keep application steps simple for areas with limited connectivity.
- Selection criteria: Focus on demonstrated competence, safety record, and willingness to learn. We do not screen on personal characteristics unrelated to the job. We do not ask candidates to disclose information that isn’t job‑related.
- Orientation and conduct: Orientation covers expected conduct, camp norms, and how to raise concerns. Supervisors are expected to step in early on disrespectful, harassing, or unsafe behaviour.
- Gear and facilities: We aim to keep PPE in a practical range of sizes and assign accommodations with reasonable privacy. We adjust hygiene/changing arrangements within camp limits when requested and when it does not create risk.
- Scheduling and assignments: Where it does not create risk or undue hardship, we consider requests related to health, family, cultural, or religious needs.
- Training and advancement: We state clear criteria for progression and provide practical feedback on selection decisions when requested.
- Data and review: We track source of applicants and hires by role and location to see where outreach works and where it doesn’t. We protect privacy and only collect what we need to run the business.
- Continuous improvement: We test small changes (for example: interview timing options, ride shares to reach muster points) and keep what proves workable in the field.
Safe Crews: Harassment Prevention & Response
A safe crew starts with zero tolerance for harassment.
What is Harrassment?
Making a Report
What to Expect
The Role of the Complaintant
The Role of the Respondent
The Role of the Company
Collaborative Crew-Culture Agreement
Every crew has its own culture—and the best ones build it together.
Quick Ground Rules For Talking About This Stuff
Our company builds crew culture collaboratively, meaning that it’s important to us that our culture is responsive, adaptive and that each team member is a steward of our shared culture.
Our crew is gathering to discuss and share what would make this season feel respectful and aligned, and we will start by laying down ground rules for how we will collaborate and share respectfully. Recommended boundaries for this exercise:
- Keep it practical: tie comments to real situations this season.
- One person at a time; listen without interrupting.
- Assume good intent; ask clarifying questions before reacting.
- Speak from your own experience; use “I” language.
- No naming or blaming of individuals from past seasons; focus on patterns and impacts.
- Use plain language; call out jargon and unclear terms.
- Phones down; no side conversations.
- Step up/step back so everyone gets airtime.
- Respect the timebox; park off‑topic items for later.
- Challenge ideas, not people; keep it professional.
- If something could be a safety or respectful‑workplace issue, flag it immediately so we handle it through the right channels.
- Personal stories stay in the room; summaries name themes, not people.
- Decisions from this session are drafts until the full crew can review and agree.
Collaborative Culture:
Our company builds crew culture collaboratively, meaning that it’s important to us that our culture is responsive, adaptive and that each team member is a steward of our shared culture.
Our crew gathered to discuss and share what would make this season feel respectful and aligned. Current input is limited, so the points below are provisional and meant to be tested and finalized with the full crew.
Main themes to test with the crew:
- Straight talk and timely feedback, both ways.
- Clear roles, decisions, and escalation paths.
- Field‑ready communication norms (radio discipline, check‑ins).
- Camp respect: quiet hours, music/noise, and shared spaces.
- Onboarding and practical support for new hires.
- Professional conduct; harassment and bullying are not acceptable. Raise concerns early.
- Accountability and follow‑through: who’s doing what by when, visible to all.
- Daily start‑up and end‑of‑day huddles covering safety, priorities, and a quick check‑in.
- Short weekly pulse‑check on what’s working/what’s not; capture one improvement to try.
- Radio etiquette: concise calls, no cross‑talk; emergencies override chatter.
- Agreed quiet hours in camp; headphones for personal music; clean common areas before lights out.
- Name a buddy or go‑to for each new hire during their first rotation.
- Feedback norms: ask before giving; be specific; give corrective feedback in private and recognition in public.
- Simple conflict path: try one‑on‑one when safe; then Crew Lead; then escalate per chain of command.
- Designate a scribe for the agreement session; post a one‑page summary in camp and share digitally within two days.
- Track commitments on a whiteboard or shared doc with owner and due date.
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