Bringing people together is not only a life long passion for Shahid Akhtar, it is also an integral part of his professional life. Shahid is the founder of Conciliators Without Borders (CWB) an organization dedicated to turning adversaries into partners seeking common good. CWB Associates offer their expertise to conflicting parties for engaging in positive dialogue and helping them realize the futility of violence or an adversarial approach to resolving conflicts.
Shahid offers a unique combination of experience, skills and qualifications. Having practiced in the area of International Corporate Law, Shahid’s career has displayed numerous skills in an array of capacities. In his role as Workplace Environment Evaluator and Coordinator of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Prevention activities he has focused on the implementation of programs directed at corporations and social service agencies’ need for a harmonious workplace. His previous positions include Senior Adviser for Intergovernmental Programs in the Ontario Government, Journalist, TV host, Literary Critic, Mediator and Conciliator and Human Resources Specialist.
For the past eighteen years Shahid Akhtar has worked in a large, public sector, heavily unionized organization with approximately 10,000 employees and a budget of almost 9 billion dollars. He has trained over 10,000 managers and staff in techniques to resolve conflicts, promote diversity, enhance corporate human relationships, and prevent harassment as well as discrimination. He conducts conciliation sessions for conflicting parties and provides positive work environment workshops Shahid also coaches individuals and groups on workplace interaction with the objective to create an inclusive, diverse and productive work climate.
Shahid has conducted Workplace Environment Assessments in some large Broader Public Sector organizations. Some of these included municipalities, social services agencies and commissions. He has also provided an assessment of activities in the areas of diversity and inclusion, administration costs, compliance with governing legislation, workplace conflict resolution, discrimination and harassment prevention, violence prevention, risk management and corporate human relationship management. The reviews included implementation road-maps for the roll-out of a comprehensive set of programs to address the organizations specific needs.
His volunteer activities include helping parties involved in deep-rooted political and multi-faith conflicts in various parts of the world to develop harmonious relationships and attempt reconciliation. In this respect he co-founded the Canadian Association of Jews and Muslims in 1996 and addressed a delegation of the European Union visiting the United Nations in 2009.
Shahid has volunteered to help a large number of individuals, groups and families in resolving their conflicts in family, business and community settings.
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