INTA Releases Presidential Task Force Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

New York, New York—November 16, 2022—The International Trademark Association (INTA) has published the Presidential Task Force Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reaffirming the Association’s ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the INTA community.  

2021 INTA President Tiki Dare (Oracle Corporation, USA) convened the Presidential Task Force (PTF) early last year. Lauding the efforts of the task force, Ms. Dare praised the Report as “a rich trove of data, insights, analysis, and a set of guiding principles and best practices addressing DEI within the Association and the varied places of employ represented by INTA’s global membership.” However, Ms. Dare also emphasized this is “not an endpoint to INTA’s diversity work but charts our course for a sustaining effort.”  

The Report aligns with the Association’s strategic priority to support the development of intellectual property (IP) professionals, as well as the Association’s broader goals around DEI and corporate social responsibility. At an organizational level, the Report’s findings point to broad community support behind efforts to further promote diversity, beyond what is already in place. 

INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo hailed Ms. Dare and 2020 INTA President Ayala Deutsch (NBA Properties, Inc., USA) for their leadership on DEI within the INTA community: “They’re passionate about this important issue. They’re champions for change. They’re ensuring that we can continue to serve our global and diverse membership in an equitable and inclusive way. This Report is an important step for INTA in this endeavor.” 

Among key findings and best practices, the Report found that while already diverse in nature, there is much INTA can do to further its diversity efforts. The recommendations and findings are both universal and specific to the IP industry, including recommendations to establish models for mentoring, championing, and hiring, and integrate DEI awareness in training and professional development, which will support the development of a diverse and inclusive community. 

In 2020, INTA launched The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative, which champions the development of strong leadership skills for all women in the IP field to empower them to advance their careers to the next level. This Report recognizes the Women’s LeadershIP Initiative as an important part of the diversity equation. In an Association which is composed of nearly 6,500 organizations across 185 countries, representing more than 34,350 individual IP professionals, putting forth an agenda with inclusive practices within the legal profession is, in the PTF’s view, part of INTA’s mission, both as a member organization and as an industry leader.  

INTA will use the Report, in addition to the work of the Women’s LeadershIP Initiative, to move forward and set a high standard for top-to-bottom inclusion, building on a foundation that reflects a community that wishes to hear from and work with a broad coalition of professionals.  

Download the Presidential Task Force Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

About the International Trademark Association (INTA)
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and complementary intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation, and committed to building a better society through brands. Members include nearly 6,500 organizations, representing more than 34,350 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 185 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA, a not-for-profit organization, is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Beijing, Brussels, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C. Metro Area, and a representative in New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.