To give voice to the unique experiences of its members around the world, IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants) has added a new feature to its Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) webpage.

The new feature, “Real Life Stories,” showcases profiles of members sharing their background, interests, and personal journeys in both life and work. In honor of Pride Month in June, the first profile featured the story of Derek Fuzzell, CMA, CSCA, CPA, a member of the IMA Global Board of Directors and current chair of IMA’s D&I Committee. The profile section can be found on the bottom of the D&I page, with one new profile to be featured every quarter.

“This new feature will enable all members to learn about the rich and diverse experiences of our global membership,” said Linda Devonish-Mills, CMA, CPA, CAE, IMA director of diversity and inclusion. “The genesis of this idea really was our staff program called ‘Diversity Spotlight,’ which over the past year has invited IMA staff to share their personal stories with all staff from around the world. Diversity Spotlight has helped us to engage more fully, to learn from each other, and to grow in our understanding of the variety and beauty of our individual experiences. I sincerely hope that this new ‘Real Life Stories’ feature on our D&I webpage can do the same.”

In connection with the launch of Real Life Stories, IMA also recently published a blog on the topic, titled “IMA Celebrates Pride Month.”

IMA created its Diversity & Inclusion webpage in September 2019 as part of its ongoing commitment to the principles and practices of diversity and inclusion. The page showcases IMA’s position and commitment to D&I, IMA’s D&I origin story and global reach, and resources for IMA members and professionals, students, faculty members, volunteers, and partners. The page is the result of a collaborative effort between volunteers on IMA's D&I Committee and IMA staff. It includes a video by Devonish-Mills, who discusses why IMA has embraced D&I. Her role was created in July 2018 as a culmination of IMA's commitment to the ideals of D&I. 

The D&I webpage also features a Trends section, which highlights news stories that discuss or impact the practice of D&I, and a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) toolkit, a free resource to help individuals and businesses incorporate inclusivity and diversity into their organizations. Created by IMA’s D&I Committee and supported by IMA staff, the nine-page toolkit features best practices and a continuum to assess a company’s current efforts in D&I; key questions to ask before embarking on a D&I initiative; rules of engagement for D&I initiatives; and KPIs and metrics that can be used to measure D&I efforts.