Former forward founded Respect Group, an organization that fights bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination

by Nicholas J. Cotsonika @cotsonika / NHL.com Columnist / March 28, 2022

MANALAPAN, Fla. — The NHL general managers spent an hour of their meeting Monday listening to a panel discussion and participating in a Q&A session about the League’s efforts to make positive cultural changes in hockey.

Kim Davis, the NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, moderated the discussion. It included Sheldon Kennedy, the former NHL player who founded Respect Group, an organization that fights bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

“One thing that I know is that there’s not a lack of wanting to be the best that they can be,” Kennedy said. “I think it’s going to be up to us to make sure that we can give them all the support and tools that they need to get there.”

Davis announced a four-phase plan at the NHL Board of Governors meeting here Dec. 9.

The first phase was prevention training. The NHL and Respect Group set out to create a 90-minute online training program.

“For me, the most important thing that has come out of this since December is everyone is eager to get it done,” Davis said.

“What’s important to us in this process is that this becomes embedded,” Davis said. “That’s the term we’ve been using — embedded in everything we do — which means that we want to get it right. If it means extending 30 days, we want to get this right. There’s excitement. The clubs are all on board.”

Davis said the first phase is important so that everyone understands the basic definitions of abuse, bullying, harassment and discrimination before starting deeper training.

Kennedy said the Respect Group does a survey before and after training, and one of the questions is whether the subjects have participated in or witnessed any of these behaviors. He said the numbers always double afterward.

“That tells me that a lot of people don’t know where the line is drawn,” Kennedy said. “And we’re not just talking here about the egregious, blatant abuses. We’re talking about a lot of the subtle issues that were present in any workplace. I want to make one thing clear: This isn’t just a hockey issue. It’s a societal issue.”

Kennedy said the Jets put more than 320 people through the program, and the feedback was phenomenal.

“The conversations that stemmed from that are important, and that’s what we want to accomplish,” Kennedy said. “We are not living in a fantasy to think that the digital program is a one-stop shop that’s going to save world hunger here. There’s more to it.

“This is the start, and to us, as we discussed in that room, this has to be embedded in everything that we do. And if we want to advance the culture with the game and teams and individuals, this is about practice, not perfection, but we’ve got to build a strategy within our organization to keep practicing to get better in this space.”

Davis compared the training to conditioning.

“Now you have a new way to activate these muscles, and it can’t be one and done,” Davis said. “It has to be something that you’re constantly working on. And that resonated. We had a lot of [nodding] in the room. It was a rich conversation, and I think that’s huge.”

Kennedy said there is a lot of fear when it comes to speaking about these issues, but the GMs were engaged.

“They were listening to their peers, and people were being honest,” Kennedy said. “And to me, that’s what needs to happen, and that’s how we’re going to get through this, and that’s how we’re going to get better, is being able to learn from one another, have the conversations, even though they’re difficult, and understand that this is critical for good business. This is about good business. And I think that that resonated.

“It was lively with questions. One of the things we said was, ‘You know, people usually leave something like that, they go, ‘Oh well, what can we do?’ Well, we’re doing it. Basically, we’re doing it, right? That’s what we’re doing.

“It was really good. I’ve got to tell you, I probably had a preconceived idea of what it might have [gone] like, but it was nothing like that at all. I was actually quite impressed with how open and honest conversations were actually happening in there.”

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More on this topic:

Kennedy pleased with panel discussions covering abuse and bullying

LeBrun: The Kyles clear the air, a discussion about playoff officiating and more from the NHL GMs meeting

Sheldon Kennedy addresses NHL general managers on safety, respect

Respect Group is proud to partner with the Ontario government for this important initiative. The Ontario government is investing in initiatives that will help keep kids safe in class and online. The funding will support programs that combat sex-trafficking, violence against women, bullying and cyberbullying. Ontario government is acting to protect students through partnerships with community organizations such as Respect Group.

In partnership with Respect Group, the Ontario government will develop resources and tools to equip educators and school staff to identify, address and respond to bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

“All adult school leaders, not just teachers, need tools to understand their role in keeping schools safe and free of maltreatment. We applaud the Ontario Ministry of Education for making this a priority.”

– Wayne McNeil, Co-Founder, Respect Group

Links to news releases in both official languages:

Ontario Strengthening Protections Against Bullying and Violence at School | Ontario Newsroom

L’Ontario renforce les protections contre l’intimidation et la violence à l’école | Salle de presse de l’Ontario

Respect Group is proud to announce that the Respect in the Workplace program delivered to all Alberta government employees is now being offered to all agencies, boards and commissions across Alberta. Click here to read the news release.

The Respect in the Workplace program provides employees with the knowledge and tools they need to ensure a safe work environment and prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination. About 26,000 Government of Alberta staff will take the program in phases, over two years.

“We have to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected in their workplace. Alberta has made this anti-harassment training mandatory for all public service employees and it’s now being made available to all provincial agencies, boards and commissions. We’re making it crystal clear that harassment of any kind is unacceptable in the public service.”

– Jason Kenney, Premier

“Psychological safety is important for all employees, perhaps now more than ever. I applaud our government leaders for making this training a priority and giving those who work on our behalf the tools they need to ensure a safe and respectful work environment.”

– Sheldon Kennedy, co-founder, Respect Group

If you want to know more about the Respect in the Workplace program, click here. If you would like your organization to take the program, please contact us at: info@respectgroupinc.com

We are excited to share that the Mental Health Chat series, which we developed in collaboration with Kids Help Phone is now a FINALIST in the Best Video Content category for the 2021 Canadian Online Publishing Awards!

Respect Group was commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Education to create some critical tools to assist youth (14 and up) with the many mental health issues they face as they return to school, sport and activity during this unprecedented time. As we all know, mental health is of utmost importance, perhaps now, more than ever. Through close collaboration with our friends at Kids Help Phone we have created these free Mental Health Chats.

COPA 2021 Finalist Link
https://canadianonlinepublishingawards.com/2021/winners

Statement On The Partnership Between Respect Group And The NHL

Kyle Beach has taught us the importance of coming forward, and that bravery can influence actionable change.

We have certainly experienced this over the past 18 years at Respect Group and we are now grateful to be partnering with the NHL to further that change. Giving people the tools to be better and the confidence to step up and step in when things aren’t right will be our small role in a system-wide commitment to improving culture at the NHL.

Thank you, Kyle, for your courage and for being a catalyst for change.

More information on the partnership here: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/15505

PRESS:

• NHL takes first meaningful steps towards necessary culture shift
• LeBrun: NHL vows to bolster inclusion efforts, approves Penguins sale, more on Day 1 of Board of Governors meetings
• Insider Trading: NHL EVP Davis introduces ‘Respect Hockey’ summit

We are proud to announce that we recently launched new free resources for teens in collaboration with Kids Help Phone.

Respect Group was recently commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Education to create some critical tools to assist youth (14 and up) with the many mental health issues they face as they return to school, sport and activity during this unprecedented time. As we all know, mental health is of utmost importance, perhaps now, more than ever. Through close collaboration with our friends at Kids Help Phone we have created these free Mental Health Chats.

Respect Group was contracted to design and produce approximately 30 minutes of dynamic multimedia/video content to address some of the most common and significant mental health issues faced by teens (ages 14-17) today.

During our content research we sought out the foremost subject matter experts in the field of teen mental health in Canada and aligned with Kids Help Phone, who loved what we were doing and agreed to host all 4 videos on the Kids Help Phone website upon completion.

Our team decided that the best way to approach teens with this relatively heavy subject matter would be to replicate a group chat experience, in which a group of fictitious friends tackle these issues together on a fictional-yet-familiar social platform, using all of the communication modes they’re familiar with: text messaging, selfie video, gifs, photography, audio FX, and music.

We produced 4 “Chat” videos available through Kids Help Phone and here:

Tech tip: if possible, we recommend viewing these videos on a mobile device or tablet so you feel like you’re part of the group chat.

1. Mental Health Chat: Ever Get the Feeling of Something Being Off?

2. Self-Image Comparison Chat: This is Real, That’s Not

3. Anxiety & Stress Chat: Your Basic 2-headed Monster

4. Difficult Convo Chat: Don’t Really Want To, But Need To

We launched all 4 Chats on Aug. 30, 2021 on the Kids Help Phone website. Being so well received by both our client, Ontario Education, and our collaborating host, Kids Help Phone, we’re extremely proud of the end result and we hope that these resources will help many teens.

April 23, 2021

Calgary – AB – Respect Group, is pleased to announce a new partnership with WhistleBlower Security (WBS) to provide organizations with a collaborative approach to raising awareness around speaking up about ethical concerns while promoting respect throughout the workplace.

This strategic partnership between Respect Group and WBS will help arm organizations with the training and tools to help them identify and prevent bullying, abuse, harassment, discrimination, and other forms of behaviour that harms employees and the organization, while promoting a culture of ethics and compliance.

“Respect Group is thrilled to collaborate with a Canadian company who also shares our “B Corp values and priorities,” said Sheldon Kennedy, Co-Founder of Respect Group. “This partnership will leverage our highly complimentary service offerings and will allow our clients to benefit from a comprehensive solution. Ultimately, this relationship will further our collective mission to create and maintain psychologically safe sport, school and workplace environments.”

“WhistleBlower Security is excited to partner with Respect Group and together offer a collaborative approach to help clients nurture and enhance their organizational cultures,” said Shannon Walker, President, WhistleBlower Security. “As a certified B-Corp we’re excited to partner with another Canadian B-Corp that is also passionate about creating safe, secure, and ethical workplaces where employees feel able to speak up with confidence.”

This partnership will allow Respect Goup and WBS to work together to help organizations create work environments where employees are motivated to work ethically and speak up when they see something wrong.

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About Respect Group

Respect Group was incorporated in 2004 by co-founders, Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, to pursue their common passion: the prevention of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). Respect Group is made up of a team of over 30 talented individuals whose passion is to create a global culture of Respect. As Canada’s leading on-line provider of prevention education related to BAHD, Respect Group has certified over 1.6 Million Canadians involved in sport, schools and the workplace. Respect Group is a Certified B Corporation (bcorporation.net).

Contact Respect Group media@respectgroupinc.com

About WhistleBlower Security

WhistleBlower Security Inc. is a global provider of ethics reporting services, including a 24/7/365 Global Ethics Hotline and Case Management platform (IntegrityCounts), to provide organizations with an efficient and trustworthy ethics reporting process. Its intuitive and easy-to-use product and service offerings help employees, customers, and suppliers feel safe and secure when reporting ethics and compliance-related issues.

WhistleBlower Security Inc. is proud to be B-Corp certified, WBE Certified, and WEConnect International Certified.

Contact WhistleBlower Security info@whistleblowersecurity.com

Respect Group is proud to be a Founding Corporate Partner of The Prosperity Project, an organization aiming to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian women. This project focuses on the economic importance of gender equality in all stages of pandemic recovery, recognizing the diverse needs and approaches required to support all Canadian women (The Prosperity Project, 2020). 

The initiatives to support this goal include a matching program between non-profit organizations that serve women with working professionals who can volunteer their time to boost staff resources and support in addressing resource gaps (The Prosperity Project, 2020). Further, several research projects are planned, including a National Long-Term Prosperity Study that is currently seeking participants; and an advocacy campaign supporting the Rosie Mentorship Program, matching women working in STEM and skilled trades with mentors providing one-on-one guidance and support over the course of 6 months (The Prosperity Project, 2020).  

The recent Power Gap series published by the Globe & Mail emphasizes the importance of organizations like The Prosperity Project in working towards gender equality and equity in the Canadian workforce. Research from salary records in 4 key public pillars- universities, cities, provincial governments and public corporations- shows a clear power gap in the workforce existing before the pandemic, with women outnumbered, outranked, and out-earned by their male colleagues across the middle- and top-levels of management (Doolittle & Wang, 2021). The authors identify a clear trend of a ‘leaky pipeline’ versus a glass ceiling, with gender equity across roles stalling out at middle management, leaving fewer women progressing to top-level executive positions (Doolittle & Wang, 2021). For instance, less than 5% of Canada’s largest publicly traded corporations are led by female CEOs, with more male CEOs named Michael than female CEOs in total (Grant, 2021). Beyond the immediate impacts on women in the workforce, this contributes to long-term systemic issues around female representation. A lack of women in positions of power means young women and girls don’t see themselves reflected in corporate leadership positions (Grant, 2021). 

The impact of the pandemic has only widened the power gap, with women’s participation rate in the workforce plunging to a 30-year low in April 2020 (Grant, 2021). Though this rate has improved greatly since then, concerning trends have appeared since, including women in their early 20s and late 30s leaving the workforce; women still in the workforce having their working hours reduced further than those of their male counterparts; and according to research from The Prosperity Project, one-third of Canadian women have considered quitting their jobs due to stress and family pressure (Grant, 2021). Ensuring that women have the resources and capacity needed to return to the workforce and reach their fullest potential not only supports gender equity, but families, communities, and economies as a whole (Grant, 2021). 

For these reasons and more, Respect Group is proud to partner with The Prosperity Project in supporting gender equity in the workforce and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. You can learn more about their work at https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/. 

Sources:

Doolittle, R., and Wang, C. (2021, January 21). This is the power gap: Explore the investigative series and data. The Globe & Mail.  Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-power-gap/ 

Grant, T. (2021, January 22). Corporate Canada is still a boys’ club, data analysis shows- and COVID-19 could make it more so. The Globe & Mail. Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-power-gap-tsx/ 

The Prosperity Project. (2020). Creating positive change. Retrieved from https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/programs 

The Prosperity Project. (2020). What is the prosperity project? Retrieved from https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/about 

In the past year, many Canadians have had their work, school, and social lives become increasingly virtual, spending more time online than ever before. While these transitions have been necessary and beneficial in our current circumstances, they have also increased the risks for young people online. This includes more time spent unsupervised online, younger children spending more time online, and social isolation and disconnection for vulnerable children and youth who do not have online access. This increased time spent in virtual spaces has heightened the risks of exposure to harmful content and predatory behaviour.

There has been a recognition of the importance of ensuring that children and youth stay safe online, and a need for child safety-centred principles, policies, strategies, protocols & practices to address these issues of online safety and access comprehensively and effectively.

Respect Group is excited to announce our participation as a member of the Youth Resilience in the Digital Age Coalition, in partnership with the Boys and Girls’ Clubs of Canada and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, with funding through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

One of the goals of this collaboration is to share evidence-based and accessible learning resources with youth, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders across Canada to help youth stay safe and resilient online. We have gathered several resources that are available within our Respect programs to help youth, parents, and teachers talk about the potential harms and impacts of online behaviour and how to step up and step in when we see or learn about harmful or predatory virtual behaviours. Explore the resources below to learn more about how to support children and youth in staying safe and resilient online!

• This module, from our Stay in The Game program, uses youth-friendly characters, animation, and learning strategies to discuss staying safe (both in-person and online). An important focus of this module is on explaining sexual abuse and harassment in developmentally-appropriate ways, discussing the importance of not sending sexually-explicit photos and more.

• This powerful clip discusses the life of Glen Canning’s daughter, Rehtaeh Parsons, and the importance of caution when posting online. The key takeaway is that the internet has no delete button.

• This blog post links to Telus’ ‘Dark Cloud’ documentary, focusing on the life and work of Carol Todd and the Amanda Todd Legacy Society. The blog post contains information on the prevalence of cyberbullying, the harms associated with it, and several resources to accompany the film.

• This handout from the Respect in School program provides a definition and examples of cyberbullying, facts about cyberbullying, and discusses the impacts cyberbullying can have on young people. Additional resources are included at the end of the handout.

• This handout from the Respect in Sport Parent program helps parents to understand cyberbullying and to learn about how to prevent or reduce the impacts of cyberbullying on their children. This resource also discusses what to do when your children are bullying others online.

• This handout from the Respect in Sport Parent program discusses the warning signs that your child may be unsafe online, 10 Online Safety Tips for parents and caregivers, and the steps for reporting suspected online sexual exploitation.

• This handout from the Respect in Sport Activity Leader program breaks down how to address bullying for Targets, Aggressors, and Bystanders. Each section has a short acronym that youth can use to remember the steps to take in these different roles.