Intellectual Property Institute of Canada

Published purpose

This 27-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through removing barriers and addressing systemic issues adversely impacting Canadian women’s advancement as leaders and decision-makers in the intellectual property (IP) sector. The Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) will achieve this by introducing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy initiatives into IPIC’s leadership development activities; developing and delivering training and awareness-raising programming for the Canadian IP profession; and developing resources to support EDI best practices and promote diversity. A website and social media campaign will support access to resources and highlight best practices, policy initiatives as well as programming available. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices, increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change, and supporting positive distribution of authority, voices, and decision-making power. Throughout the project, IPIC will connect and engage with organizations representative of women, particularly Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) professionals, as well as other traditionally underrepresented groups. The project will include evaluation components such as surveys along with other types of feedback and consultative processes.