Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau (COMMB) has formed a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. COMMB logo
The Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau (COMMB) has formed the COMMB Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, which will help its members make the out-of-home (OOH) industry nurturing and accessible to workers, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders of all races, genders, abilities, and persuasions.
The committee will set industry standards and help marketers, outdoor and place-based owners, and other members create company cultures, environments, and activities that are just and open.
“As a progressive association we are committed to assisting our members and the OOH community in fulfilling their pledges to serve all stakeholders,” said COMMB president Amanda Dorenberg. “While more than two-thirds of Canadian organizations say they have acted on diversity and inclusion, only one-third have implemented a formal DEI policy. We are going a step further, empowering this committee to develop an industry-wide framework to help guide organizations on the best practices of implementing DEI.”
COMMB members can receive a variety of services from the DEI committee, including identification of areas for improvement within the industry; quantification and measurement of DEI goals; analysis of industry data to highlight underserved communities, underrepresented identities, and unrealized career opportunities; implementation and communication of initiatives to correct insufficiencies; and the development of industry partnerships to support the needs of people with disabilities, women, ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, the LGBTQ+ community, and others adversely impacted by prejudice or inequality.
“Inclusivity in the workplace, in leadership roles, and among suppliers delivers not only social benefits but also makes for better business decisions,” noted Mary Ventresca, vice president of marketing and business development at Pattison Outdoor and co-chair of COMMB’s DEI committee. “Diversity nourishes a variety of opinions derived from a wealth of experiences, backgrounds, and points of view so organizations can better serve their members and customers. It widens and deepens the talent pool, making work more efficient. And it boosts morale and teamwork, minimizing turnover and saving companies money.”
Nine other members join Ventresca and her co-chair, Paul Gittens, vice president of sales for Allvision, on the committee: Adrien Sossa, Adomni vice president of partnerships; Michelle Jairam, OMD business director; Shannon Schafer, Mediology director of client strategy; Michelle Lam, Stellar Outdoor operations manager; Kristie Cordwin, Astral sales manager; Mike Kamal, Horizon Media director of business solutions; Anna D’Angelo, OUTFRONT marketing director; Julie Lal, VENDO Media senior account executive; and Rodney Bisnath, COMMB senior manager of data and insights.
“We are thrilled that the OOH industry has come together for this initiative to drive positive change,” said Michele Erksine, chair of COMMB’s board of directors and CEO of OUTFRONT Canada. “It has been wonderful to see such enthusiastic participation from volunteers across many of our COMMB member companies, and we’re looking forward to hearing suggestions from this committee on how the OOH industry can achieve our goals of greater diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace.”
The committee will begin meeting in February with a deep dive into how it can ally with OOH stakeholders to build a more inclusive industry, encourage conversations about equality, celebrate diversity, and educate the community on ways they can champion change for a more equitable environment.
