NEW YORK, NY February 19, 2020 –​ L​ icensing International​, the leading trade association for the brand licensing industry, today announced its first global study of diversity in the licensing business community. The study is the first initiative in an ongoing diversity and inclusion effort spearheaded by Licensing International’s new Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) committee.

The goal of the study is to collect and analyze global data to understand the current level of diversity in the licensing community and establish a benchmark for accountability and growth. From the study, Licensing International plans to develop a best practices tool kit for its member companies to help them recruit, grow and retain staff with diverse experiences and attributes.

“Prioritizing diversity and inclusion is instrumental to the current and future success of our industry, or any industry for that matter,” said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “We’re proud to bring a focused effort to improving our talent mix, starting with this study to show where the licensing industry stands and where there are opportunities for growth.”

The Licensing International IDEA committee, chaired by Jamie Stevens, Sony Pictures Entertainment EVP of Consumer Products and Licensing, also plans to launch a diversity recruitment program that attracts and grows a diverse talent pool right out of college. Through partnerships with universities, Licensing International aims to develop and implement a targeted internship program, formalized mentorship opportunities and quarterly speaker series.

“Leading such an important initiative on behalf of the global industry is an honor for me,” said Stevens. “More of the same is what hinders businesses from evolving and reaching full potential; recruiting and fostering talented professionals of all backgrounds – race, gender, religion and orientation – brings multiple perspectives to the table and yields more creative and compelling ideas.”

Licensing International plans to share key learnings from the study with the licensing business community at a workshop this June.

About Licensing International:

Licensing International – formerly known as LIMA – is the leading trade organization for the global licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits. Visit ​LicensingInternational.org ​for more information.

Media Contact:

Licensing International Maria Ungaro mungaro@licensing.org