Modo owns a fleet of vehicles that its members can use as alternatives to car ownership, with locations across Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Kelowna. When the pandemic hit, the co-op’s leaders quickly made changes to ensure the safety and security of the business, its employees, and its members. But it didn’t stop there.
When protests and conversations emerged around race and equity after a police officer murdered George Floyd in May 2020, Modo’s leaders asked themselves if their business was as fair and equitable as it claimed. They asked, ‘are there barriers for people from marginalized communities or with marginalized identities to access Modo’s service or employment opportunities?’
Instead of simply wondering, Modo started a process of investigating the question and acting on the answers. Bernice Paul (she/her/hers), Modo’s Director of People and Culture, said the team knew that improving their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices was important.
“Our gut told us that we needed to examine this deeply,” Paul said. “I think it’s easy to say ‘We’re a carsharing co-op, and anyone with a driver’s license can join’. The reality is, anyone who’s been paying attention in this past year should understand by now that opportunities simply aren’t equal in our society here in Canada.”
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