Bienvenidos, Hoşgeldiniz, Croeso, Welcome! – SmartSimple is a Positive Space

There are a lot of things that make SmartSimple a great place to work. We make cool software, we collaborate with awesome organizations, and we have super smart people from all over the world who make our offices dynamic, creative environments.

It takes a variety of people to create a space that’s inclusive and unified, and that includes welcoming new Canadians to our head office team in Toronto. A number of our employees are new to Canada, and there are things we like to do at SmartSimple – not just as an employer but as people – to ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.

For starters, when you visit the offices at 111 Peter Street, you’ll see a plethora of international flags proudly displayed in the reception area. These flags represent where we all originally hail from, and include places like India, China, Barbados, Greece and Morocco among them.

The other thing you’ll notice is we also have a sign by the door identifying us as a Positive Space.

Our Positive Space and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) commitment.

Being a Positive Space doesn’t just mean we’re really nice to everyone (though we are). It’s our way of letting the world know we not only support people of different races, religions, ages, abilities and ethnic backgrounds, but that we also openly support members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, Genderqueer, etc. (LGBTQ+) community.

Created by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), the Positive Space Initiative (PSI) recognizes organizations that support immigrants and refugees who may not only face discrimination based on race, religion or country of origin, but may also face challenges as members of the LGBTQ+ community. There are a wide range of Positive Space Campaigns active across the province of Ontario, including university and college campuses, health care organizations and workplaces like ours.

It really doesn’t take much to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. It’s something we can all do to promote human rights and the acceptance of all people where we work.

Anyone can create a Positive Space, and there are lots of resources to help you get started. Visit the OCASI Positive Spaces website to find more information and download a free starter kit.

If you’re interested in learning more about SmartSimple, check out our website and request a demo. You can also visit our careers page – we’re always looking for awesome people to join our crew!