Trans and non-binary inclusion services for organizations

Practical support for gender-diversity challenges at work

  You don't need to have the right language—or know the solution—before contacting us.

  Maybe a manager isn't sure how to support an employee who is coming out as trans at work. A policy or HR system isn't working as expected. You're reconsidering washrooms or changerooms. Employees disagree about an issue. Or you know something needs to change but aren't sure what will work in practice.

  Bring us the problem.

  TransFocus provides specialized expertise in trans and non-binary inclusion to help organizations understand what they need to do, make practical decisions, and equip people to put those decisions into practice, through strategy consulting and training.

Talk through a challenge with us:

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When organizations bring in TransFocus

Gender identity and expression are protected under human-rights legislation across Canada. But knowing the requirement and knowing how to implement it are two different things.

Organizations come to us with questions like:

Guidance on supporting employee transitions and coming out
HR policy and benefits compliance reviews
Gender data strategy and uses
Chosen name versus legal name documentation protocols
Gender inclusive washroom and changeroom facility strategies
Facilitated conflict resolution for employee disagreement on inclusion initiatives

Your HR, legal and operational teams already bring considerable expertise.

TransFocus adds specialized gender-diversity expertise when an issue becomes unfamiliar, complex, sensitive—or simply requires knowledge your internal team cannot reasonably be expected to maintain.

We help translate human-rights responsibilities and organizational commitments into workable policies, practices, systems and everyday decisions.

You don't need to wait for a complaint or crisis to find out whether you're ready.

Need leadership buy-in?

You may see opportunities to improve trans inclusion, but getting leadership support or budget isn't always straightforward.

Our free “Making the Case to Leaders” guide brings together Canadian human rights decisions, practical organizational considerations, and talking points to help you start a productive conversation with decision-makers.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE GUIDE

Compliance lives in implementation

Canadian human rights legislation protects people from discrimination based on gender identity and expression. But knowing what the law requires and putting it into practice are two different things.

Inclusion takes shape in everyday decisions: how policies are applied, how employees and customers are treated, and how confidently managers respond when questions arise.

TransFocus helps bridge that gap, working alongside organizations to turn human rights responsibilities into clear, practical, and sustainable approaches.

Two ways we help

Most of our organizational work addresses one—or both—of two things.

Improve Culture

Training

For organizations asking: “How do we help our people understand what to do?”

Education builds the knowledge and practical confidence employees, managers and leaders need to put gender inclusion into practice.

We offer two levels of gender diversity training, allowing organizations to start where their people actually are—from foundational understanding to more complex workplace application, especially for managers to understand their responsibilities.

Education can help people:

understand trans and non-binary experiences and terminology
respond appropriately when someone comes out as trans at work
apply organizational policies consistently
navigate common workplace situations
ask questions without fear of getting everything wrong
managers to respond constructively when people hold different views

Training is available in live and on-demand formats, in English, French and Spanish.

Improve Structures

Strategy consulting

For organizations asking: “What should we do?”

Focused strategy sessions help HR and organizational leaders work through a specific gender-diversity challenge and leave with clearer options and next steps.

We commonly address:

Employees coming out or transitioning at work
Trans inclusive policies and procedures
recruitment and hiring
first names, titles and gender data
washrooms and changerooms
disagreement or resistance
consultation with trans and non-binary people
implementation of organizational decisions

A good starting point when:

Best when:

“Our people need more knowledge and confidence to handle this well.”

“We know there's an issue, but we're not sure what the best approach is.”

EXPLORE TRAINING

EXPLORE STRATEGY

Not sure which one you need?

That's normal.

Start with the problem—not the service.

We'll help you determine whether the issue requires strategy, education, or a combination of both.

Talk with TransFocus

Why not just handle it internally?

Often, you can.

TransFocus isn't a replacement for capable HR, legal, communications, or operational teams.

We become useful when those teams encounter a question requiring specialized gender-diversity knowledge. Then, we bring tested strategies from over a decade of working with diverse organizations, helping you implement inclusion solutions that are practical, effective, and built to last.

There is another challenge: organizations don't necessarily know about every barrier employees experience.

Trans and non-binary employees may choose not to report concerns because doing so could require disclosing personal information, drawing unwanted attention to their gender, or taking the risk that their concern won't be understood.

And when an employee does identify a problem, they shouldn't be expected to act as the organization's gender-diversity consultant to fix it.

When needed, TransFocus can bring independent research, consultation, and specialized expertise to help organizations understand what's happening and determine what to do about it.

We work alongside your internal expertise—not instead of it.

Trans inclusion case studies

Organizations have brought us into problems involving employees, policies, facilities, services, systems, and organization-wide implementation.

Government

Municipal government (City of Vancouver)

City-wide decisions affecting facilities, staff, and services

Led a multi-departmental consultation process involving facilities, human resources, communications, and programs. Recommendations were approved by City Council, with ongoing support for implementation and manager education.

Indigenous government (Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw / Squamish Nation)

Community-led approach to inclusive facilities and public spaces

Conducted a comprehensive review of washrooms across Nation-owned buildings, followed by a broader community-led engagement process addressing public and cultural spaces. Work was grounded in community priorities and governance processes.

Healthcare

Health authority (Fraser Health Authority)

Balancing patient care, staff needs, and safety

Conducted a comprehensive gender diversity audit involving patients and employees across acute and community health facilities. Developed integrated recommendations addressing both structural and cultural dimensions of care.

Education

Post-secondary institution (University of British Columbia)

Large-scale, multi-year systems change

Led multiple initiatives including an inclusive washroom study, a gender diversity audit, and revisions to human resources procedures and education. Work involved extensive multi-stakeholder consultation and resulted in standards, recommendations, and toolkits used across campuses.

Design

Regional transportation authority (TransLink)

Inclusive washroom signage in a public-facing system

Supported decision-making related to washroom access and signage. Developed communications and education to prepare managers, employees, and contractors for changes across a large transit network.

Municipal government (City of Surrey)

Washrooms and change rooms in civic facilities

Reviewed floor plans and existing conditions for public buildings. Facilitated strategy sessions with senior leaders to explore risks, design options, and operational considerations for shared spaces.

Sport

National sport organization (Hockey Canada)

Navigating trans inclusion under intense public scrutiny

Supported leadership and technical teams to review and refine gender-diversity policies and public communications in a highly polarized national context. Work focused on clarifying expectations, addressing common concerns, and supporting consistent implementation across affiliated organizations.

Sport governance body (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport)

Policy and systems review across Canadian sport

Conducted research and consultation with administrators and high-performance athletes to assess policies, procedures, and systems. Developed recommendations to support clearer, more consistent inclusion practices.

Other Industries

Technology company (SAP – Canada & United States)

Supporting employees transitioning at work

Advised HR managers on communication and support plans for employees transitioning on the job. Delivered education across multiple locations and reviewed facilities as a case study for broader application.

Hospitality organization (Hostelling International – Canada & United States)

Inclusive design across shared accommodations

Conducted comprehensive discovery across programs, facilities, booking systems, and communications. Supported development of recommendations for shared dorms, bathrooms, and showers.

What working with us looks like

Approachable. Collaborative. Practical. Knowledgeable.

Our approach is deliberately calm and non-judgmental.

People need room to ask questions and raise concerns—particularly when they're worried about saying the wrong thing or when different perspectives are present.

That doesn't mean avoiding difficult issues.

It means creating the conditions to understand the problem, make a decision and move forward.

Start with the problem

You don't need to choose the right package before talking with us.

You may need a focused strategy conversation.

Your managers may need training.

A policy may need review.

Or a seemingly simple question may reveal a larger structural issue.

We'll help you identify the right level of support—nothing more than you need.

Some challenges can be addressed in a single session; others benefit from a more comprehensive approach. Engagements start at $2,250.

Talk with TransFocus

Not Ready to Reach Out? Start by Listening.

Trans and non-binary inclusion can raise questions that don't always have straightforward answers.

On our Gender in Focus podcast, we unpack real workplace situations, explore different perspectives, and share practical ways organizations can respond with confidence.

It's also a chance to get to know how we think, work through challenges, and approach sensitive topics—without judgment or pressure.

Explore Gender in Focus