Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 48
48
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
Giving back is ingrained at Conagra Brands Canada
W
ielding a hammer
wasn’t something
Teresa Blakney
expected to add to
her skillset when Conagra Brands
Canada Inc. hired her eight
years ago, but now it’s one of her
favourite memories.
As part of its charitable
activities, the Mississauga-based
packaged food company had partnered with Habitat for Humanity,
and Blakney was part of the team
building wooden playhouses.
Once a year, the company organizes formal “months of service”
where employees can volunteer,
logging thousands of hours.
“It was a very rewarding experience that gave me the chance
to bond with my colleagues in a
meaningful way,” says Blakney,
marketing director. “Being part of
a company that prioritizes giving
back aligns with my professional
and personal values and makes
my work more fulfilling.”
Blakney says she was struck by
Conagra’s collaborative and inclusive culture right from the start.
“I was a relatively new
immigrant from Malaysia with
experience in China when I first
joined the company, and I was
grateful that they welcomed me
and valued my global perspective,”
says Blakney. “I find the environment itself is very supportive and
that encouraged me to bring my
best ideas to the table.”
The company also gave Blakney
the opportunity to pursue her
own “passion projects” to make
a tangible impact. Five years ago,
Blakney launched a Women’s
Employee Resource Group at
Conagra as well as establishing a
Diversity and Inclusion Council
this year. Both initiatives received
wide support.
"I was amazed at how these initiatives were not just encouraged,
but actively championed across
all levels of the company, from
leadership to peers,” she says. “It
shows how Conagra truly values
the passions and contributions of
its employees, beyond our day-today responsibilities.”
Blakney also appreciates the
opportunities for career growth
and development that she’s
enjoyed at Conagra, including
various leadership roles within the
marketing department.
Paul Hogan, vice president and
general manager, international,
says the company prioritizes
employee development, along
with nurturing a fun, engaging
workplace for its people – approximately 160 people at head office
and 400 full-time employees in
its two food processing plants (in
Boisbriand, Que., and Dresden,
Ont.). A few years ago, Conagra established “quarterly development
days” in Canada, where teams
come together to learn and grow.
“I find the environment itself
is very supportive and that
encouraged me to bring my
best ideas to the table.”
— Teresa Blakney
Marketing Director
Employees at Conagra Brands Canada on their first day at the new Mississauga head office.
“Conagra is a learning culture
– unlocking the power of our
people is a key tenet for us as an
organization,” says Hogan. “But
people weren’t necessarily finding
time to do that on their own, so
we formalized it with the help of
our learning team. It’s been hugely
successful.”
Coming out of the pandemic,
Conagra embraced a hybrid work
model, with employees working
in-person in the office on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday and
remotely on Monday and Friday.
That’s something Blakney
says allows her to balance her
