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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1458960
W I N N E R Great Pacific Media A t first glance, Highway Thru Hell looks like a man's world. The long-running documentary series, created by Great Pacific Media (GPM) for Discovery Channel, fol- lows the male employees of a heavy vehicle rescue company as they toil to keep B.C. highways open. But the producer is a woman: Nicole Tomlinson, who worked her way up to the top job after joining the show on day one. "She's proba- bly the only female showrunner in a really male-dominated part of the factual industry," says GPM president David Way, who has supported Tomlin- son. "Now she's breaking down the barriers for everybody else." GPM is the factual division of Vancouver- based content production studio Thunderbird Entertainment Group, our Diversity and Inclu- sion winner last year. Way, who was named president in 2020, shares the parent company's commitment to bringing under-represented voices and communities into the mainstream. "We try to look for people that have a strong voice they want to get across, help them find that platform," says the veteran of unscripted televi- sion, whose four-decade career spans produc- ing, directing, writing and hosting. "And then what's really important is, within the creative process, the team around them understands where they're coming from." Way points to former BC Lion Sebastian Clovis, host of HGTV's Gut Job, one of three GPM series with culturally diverse leads that Corus Entertainment picked up in 2021. "In so many differ- ent ways, he breaks down boundaries of what it is to be on HGTV." Creating opportunities for the Indigenous community is a priority for GPM, which last year launched a partnership with Wapanatahk Media. Led by Tania Koenig- Gauchier and Shirley McLean, the production company specializes in authentic Indigenous stories. Its first series, Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet, premieres this year. Over the past few years, GPM has helped to advance and support the careers of more than five women through mentorship and promo- tions, Way says. The company has also worked 32 BCBUSINESS MARCH/APRIL 2022 GREAT PACIFIC MEDIA Diversity and Inclusion David Way off a variety of different groups in a variety of different areas, mostly in Canada," he adds. "We have done some really big donations overseas." West Coast Seeds also donates produce from the R&D farm where it trials seeds. Some goes to staff, the rest to local food banks–last year, seven organizations received more than 6,000 pounds of vegetables. "Nothing goes to waste," Saks says. Then there's charitable giving. During 2021, the largest of the company's three major efforts in that area was the Dr. Bonnie Henry Pollinator Blend, a collaboration with the Office of the Provincial Health Officer. "We thought we would sell maybe $5,000 worth," recalls Saks of the initiative, which gave all proceeds to Food Banks Canada. The final tally topped $225,000. Saks, who is considering launch- ing a one-to-one program that makes a donation for every purchase, describes the business as more than a seed company. "We like to say every single person we sell to, we are making an activist," he says. "The power of one little seed can make a big impact on the environment." H O N O U R A B L E M E N T I O N Alderhill Planning After quickly moving online at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous community planning firm Alderhill noticed that more people on its social media channels were struggling with anxiety, mental health and wellness issues. Each week for a month, the team used its Zoom account to host several free sessions on self-care, connecting with 100-plus participants. Alderhill also hosted Zoom sessions for Indigenous women entrepreneurs feeling the impact of the pandemic. The company began offering virtual training and seminars, too. Among them: Vicarious Trauma and Resiliency Training for frontline health workers during the pandemic, deliv- ered to doctors, nurses, health-care staff and communities throughout B.C. in the past year. •