Senior leaders' pledge - Keven Bader

As Chief Executive of CITMA I, Keven Bader, make the following pledges to demonstrate my personal commitment to improving diversity and inclusivity in our organisation and in the IP profession as a whole.

Keven Bader

I commit to:

1. Providing visible and proactive leadership to improve diversity and inclusivity (D&I) in my organisation, by:

  • Being personally involved in, and contributing to, D&I projects and events
  • Putting my name to a public statement of the organisation’s commitment to D&I and of its D&I objectives, strategy and policies

2. Taking D&I seriously at the highest level, by:

  • Encouraging and influencing CITMA Council to continue to support resources committed to D&I work
  • Ensuring D&I continues as a standing agenda item at meetings of CITMA Council and a working group exists to consider D&I issues specific to the trade mark profession

3. Embedding and valuing D&I throughout the organisational culture, by:

  • Building a culture in which the whole of CITMA is involved in the quest for D&I
  • Ensuring D&I runs through the strategic and operational plans for the organisation
  • Encouraging and enabling staff to engage in D&I related projects and training
  • Including D&I related content in appropriate internal and external communications

4. Building trust and safe spaces throughout the organisation, by:

  • Ensuring a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination and harassment continues
  • Encouraging all staff, at all levels, to bring their whole selves to work and speak openly about their identities
  • Leading by example in sharing my own identity and experiences

5. Educating myself and my colleagues about D&I issues, by:

  • Ensuring CITMA continues to recognise D&I related awareness dates and encouraging everyone to learn about and mark those dates.
  • Encouraging staff and others to engage with events and training in the D&I sphere and engaging myself with such events.
  • Include in staff induction and make D&I part of staff learning and development 

6. Sharing my privileges, by:

  • Continuing to support the excellent work of IP Inclusive and its outreach initiatives e.g. Careers in Ideas.
  • Encouraging staff in all roles and at all levels to get involved, and leading by example with my own involvement

7. Insisting on equity, by:

  • Establishing fair, diversity-enhancing recruitment and promotion procedures throughout my organisation

8. Working closely with HR and management colleagues to achieve this, by:

  • Involving managers in discussions and any decision making on D&I-impacting issues