Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) at IABC/Toronto
Across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), there are professional communicators from all different backgrounds, with different beliefs, experiences and ideas who are helping the communications profession grow and evolve. IABC/Toronto is a reflection of this diverse community.
When you join IABC/Toronto, you’re a part of a culture built on respect that recognizes the talent of all members from diverse walks of life.
Who We Are
In an effort to raise the bar on representation for local professional communicators, in June 2020, a working group called the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) Committee was formed. The committee is focused on driving strategic recommendations and strategies to the IABC/Toronto Board of Directors that will further inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in the communications profession in the GTA.
Learn more about how the IDEA Committee came to be.
Our Mission
To provide members with diverse and inclusive opportunities and resources to excel in their communication engagements. Our definition of diverse opportunities and resources will reflect and encompass differences of race, ethnicity, country of origin, citizenship status, socioeconomic class, ability, gender and sexuality.
To achieve this, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) committee has developed a five-year strategic plan. Each year we will evaluate, discuss and evolve this strategic plan to continue to best support our members.
Our Guiding Principles
- Inequity: We acknowledge that the communications profession in the GTA has not been a level playing field for the growth and advancement of marginalized professional communicators. This has largely been due to institutional, individual and organizational biases in this field.
- Centering: We recognize that our association includes everyone. However, we commit to centering this work on our marginalized members and not solely on the comfort of the majority.
- Transparency: We commit to communicating openly with our members on our work towards IDEA, and receiving and incorporating their feedback as our work continues.
- Accountability: We commit to holding ourselves and each other responsible for both failure and success.
- Realistic: We acknowledge that this IDEA process cannot address all the challenges that our association faces, while also recognizing that those challenges may affect our ability to meet IDEA goals.
- Measurability: We will set out actionable goals and measure our progress toward those goals.
- Acceptance: We acknowledge that the IABC/Toronto that exists at the end of this process might be different from the one we had when we started, and we accept that as we start this journey.
- Empathy: We will listen to the stories of those who have been marginalized and we will not deny their lived experiences. Their stories are not subjective. Their stories are true.