IMI Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Institute for Management and Innovation is committed to the advancement of an inclusive, open, supportive environment for students, staff and faculty.  IMI endeavours to create a safe space to engage in learning, studying and working, and strives to foster a culture of engagement.

New! 2024-25 Activity Report

IMI's 2024-25 Activity Report is now available.  You can read about our activities this year, the progress we made, and our opportunities for development going forward.

Previous Report

IMI's 2023 Activity Report is available.  You can read about our inaugural year, our projects, our accomplishments, and our opportunities for 2024.

IMI's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

This Committee strives to advance IMI's work in EDI centrally, and across our Programs and Units.  In alignment with UTM's Strategic Framework, with its emphasis on equity, diversity, inclusion, transparency, sense of community, student support and impact, and in alignment with UTM's EDI Office goals, IMI's Committee serves to:

• Support and facilitate University guidelines and policies/practices at the Institute
• Engage in hands-on initiatives and programming, including events and workshops
• Provide and analyze research, data and annual reports

2025-2026 Committee Timeline

2025-2026 Committee

Debbi Arnold
Staff, MMPA

Michelle Atkinson
Staff, IMI

Sonia Borg
Staff, IMI

Ryan Cerrudo
Staff, IMI

Rebecca Colantonio
Staff, IMI

Teresa Didiano
Staff, IMI

Wesley Mack
Staff, IMI

Alyssa Madrasto
Staff, IMI

Michael Marin
Faculty, IMI

Natasha Walli
Staff, MUI

Sheel Webber
Staff, MMPA

Alexander Zaranek
Staff, MMPA

Read the Committee's Terms of Reference.

2025-2026 Committee Goals & Focus Areas

The Committee shares plans and framework here, including main areas of attention and key projects for the year, along with a project tracker to share transparency in our progress.  

The Committee is focusing on three main sub-group working areas:

1. Student Experience
2. Staff & Faculty
3. Communications, Resources & Reporting

Project Progress Tracker: 2025 - 2026

Please stay tuned for our most recent progress tracker.

Project Progress Tracker: 2024 - 2025

IMI's Inclusive Communications & Practice Guide

IMI is pleased to share our Inclusive Communications & Practice Guide. We hope that this tool will support our work across our community in writing, meetings, presentations, events, and more.

The University of Toronto's Communications Office is developing resources on inclusive communications tools, which will be, available through the University's Brand Portal. We will share these when they become available.

We welcome your feedback on all initiatives at: imi@utoronto.ca. 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives in IMI's Programs

IMI

• Equity-based recruitment: IMI and its Programs/Units work extensively with HR at UTM to ensure that there are EDI-related interview questions, and that the hiring process is transparent
• EDI Committee: launched in 2023, the EDI committee strives to advance IMI's work.
• Centralized course outlines include extensive statements on EDI and supporting resources for students.

ICUBE

• ICUBE's EDI Statement: ICUBE's dedication to promoting diversity in our teams includes a commitment to ensuring every cohort accurately reflects the UTM community, welcoming folks of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races and ages, and actively creating space for marginalized change-makers and under-represented disciplines. All creators, entrepreneurial thinkers, and leaders are encouraged to apply. Read more »
• Health-Focused Start Ups: Mastercard Foundation, H2i, The African Impact Challenge: ICUBE is currently supporting the work of the African Impact Challenge. It is partnering with the Bridge at UTSC, and H2i to support Health Entrepreneurship in Africa. This is part of the multi-year relationship between the University and the Mastercard Foundation. We expect soon to learn more about ICUBE’s specific and ongoing African university partnerships.
• Additional EDI Initiatives
  • Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program
  • PRIDE Pitch
  • Pitch with a Twist 

MScSM

• Awards: MScSM Program Director Shashi Kant recently created the UTM Equity & Diversity award, which launched in January 2022. Read more »
• Works with MUI to offer a joint panel discussion session for students on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion annually, including speakers from partner organizations who speak on EDI principles in the workplace, EDI initiatives, and more.

MUI

• Emphasizes Equity-based language in syllabi
• Encourages all instructors to include EDI statements
• Works with MScSM to offer a joint panel discussion session for students on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion annually, including speakers from partner organizations who speak on EDI principles in the workplace, EDI initiatives, and more.

MMI

• Innovation Essentials Coaching: EDI: MMI offers a session for graduate students focusing on how lack of openness to EDI can hinder innovation, and offers advice and training on working to open channels for diversity in the workplace. The session will examine how EDI has become increasingly important in professional and academic settings and encourages students to think about how to take real action to make EDI a priority – not just new buzz words. 

MMPA

• EDI Staff & Student Training: The Program hosts session on "Gender Identity, Gender Expression & Inclusive Classroom Practices" for all MMPA students and staff in the Fall term and all students/faculty/staff sign a “Statement of Expectations & Commitments” upon joining the program.
• The Program includes EDI statements in all course outlines 

Resources and References

• Black at UTM: Dashboard
• UTM's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office
  • EDI Resources by Academic Department: IMI
• U of T EDI Annual Report - 2021
• U of T EDI Annual Report - 2022
• U of T EDI Annual Report - 2023
• UTM Strategic Framework
• U of T Anti Black Racism Task Force
• U of T EDI Education Calendar