Supporting the 2023 Calgary Black Achievement Awards
Published: Jun 21, 2023
The 2023 Calgary Black Achievement Awards took place on June 9, 2023, and Nutrien was a Bronze sponsor. The Calgary Black Achievement Awards recognize Black leaders in categories such as arts, media, entrepreneurship, education and sports. The non-profit behind the awards, the Calgary Black Chambers looks “to increase Black leadership capacity, and uplift BIPOC culture throughout Calgary by community volunteering and providing scholarships.” Special thanks to Amina Hussein, Senior Category Manager who brought the Calgary Black Chambers to our attention at Nutrien.
In addition to sponsoring the achievement awards and supporting employee membership in the Calgary Black Chambers, Nutrien’s relationship with Calgary Black Chambers also includes an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) scholarship for engineering or agriculture, which we aim to support our future talent pipeline.
“It was a great experience for me to network with other Black professionals. This experience also made me witness the awards and celebrate the winners who are making remarkable accomplishments and invaluable contributions to the Calgary community,” said Sam Okulaja, Senior Specialist, Corrosion & Metallurgy at Nutrien.
Nutrien employee Sam Okulaja, Senior Specialist, Corrosion & Metallurgy is a member of the Calgary Black Chambers and strives to raise awareness of the impact that Black professionals have on business in Calgary.
Let’s get to know Sam!
What is your role at Nutrien and how long have you been with the company?
My position is Senior Specialist, Corrosion & Metallurgy in Engineering Technology & Capital, Nitrogen & Phosphate. In this role, I provide specialized corrosion, metallurgical and welding engineering support to our Nitrogen and Phosphate Operations. I have been with Nutrien for over five years.
How long have you been a member of Calgary Black Chambers?
I became a member of the Calgary Black Chambers this year.
Why did you join?
I looked back at my various experiences since I started my engineering career in Canada after immigrating from Nigeria in 2001. These experiences have created a deep passion within me to give back to the Black society. This made me join the Calgary Black Chambers so that I can positively impact the future of young Black professionals and serve as a mentor for Black mentees, especially students in grade 11 and grade 12 or undergrad level in Calgary who have a passion for engineering.
What does the partnership between your employer and Calgary Black Chambers mean to you?
For me, this partnership actualizes what I already know Nutrien stands for. It also reaffirms that Nutrien is a great company that has embedded and promotes inclusion through continuing to support the development and awareness of Black professionals in our society.
Why is it important for organizations like Calgary Black Chambers to exist?
Calgary is continuing to grow and part of that growth is the increase in our diversity. It is important for organizations like Calgary Black Chambers to exist so that the awareness of the impact of Black professionals in Calgary can be known and promoted. This will make Calgary well known as an equitable city where Black people can live, work and contribute to the future of this great city.
Nutrien recently introduced inclusion as a value, what does that mean to you?
Inclusion means Nutrien values and believes in equality at work as part of its culture. Since joining in 2018, I have seen Nutrien continue to promote equality through the strategic inclusion program which is tailored to ensure that our workforce reflects our diverse communities.