DailyDOOH

COMMB, the Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau, is helping its members make OOH industry nurturing and accessible to workers, customers, vendors and other stakeholders of all races, genders, abilities and persuasions. The bureau today announced its formation of the COMMB Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee that will set industry standards and help marketers, outdoor and place-based media 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.”

Specifically, COMMB members can receive a variety of services from the DEI Committee:

• 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
• 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
• Rodney Bisnath, COMMB senior manager of data & insights