Making Space for BIPOC photographers

At IKEA Canada, we believe every story deserves to be told by the people who live it. That’s why our marketing approach, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, needs to reflect the true diversity of our country. We are bringing our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategy to life by using our spaces, to make space for others through: 

• Paid internship opportunities for BIPOC creatives on all local productions. This has created valuable work experience and networking connections for approximately 10 BIPOC interns.  
• Launching of IKEA Canada Culture Collective – our approach to inclusive marketing throughout our development process for all marketing initiatives, ensuring we have the right voices at the table every step of the way.
• Inclusive casting and partnerships with collaborators (both internal and external) that reflect the diversity of the Canadian communities we serve, enabling more authentic storytelling.
• Creation of opportunities for BIPOC and other underrepresented industry professionals across all marketing initiatives.
• Ongoing dialogue with community groups, industry organizations, educational institutions and underrepresented communities to continue to evolve our approach.
• Commitment to the POCAM (People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing) Call for Equity to drive lasting change in the industry.

We can't make change alone, so we're inviting other brands to join us by working with more BIPOC photographers and other artists to bring their campaigns to life. By using our spaces to make space together, we can foster more BIPOC talent to join, and to thrive in the industry.