Jun 5, 2020, 08:00 AM by Ian Kwan

Black lives matter. The CMA stands in solidarity with the fight against racism.

There is systemic racism in Canada and the time has come for all of us to pull together, listen and deepen our understanding of its impacts. We are deeply troubled by the death of George Floyd and of countless other people of colour at the hands of racism. We support the urgent need for justice and equality for the Black community and for other racial minorities across Canada and beyond.

The CMA is the voice of all marketers in Canada. One of our key roles is to support members to achieve the high standards of professional conduct outlined in the Canadian Marketing Code of Ethics and Standards, which we developed more than 20 years ago and update annually.

The Code states unequivocally that all marketers must …promote equality and must not condone, tolerate or otherwise allow discrimination, intolerance of differences or any abuse of power or position in any workplace or working relationship.

We will be working to raise awareness with our members about this principle in the Code, and to ensure that our profession is treating all Canadians equally, regardless of the colour of their skin. Because diversity in the marketing community makes us stronger.

We can and must do better. Through our new Talent Council, we will explore why the Black community is not better represented in our profession, and seek solutions to overcome this.

We’re galvanized by so many people in our community and across our country who are using their voices to inspire change. We stand with you, and we commit to doing better together.

For media inquiries, contact Shane Madill, Kaiser & Partners Inc., shane.madill@kaiserpartners.com, 647.725.2520 x207