Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance de l’Université de Montréal

What Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance de l’Université de Montréal does

The Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance is a university research chair established in 2017 at the Université de Montréal's École de relations industrielles, with Tania Saba as founding chair holder. The chair conducts interdisciplinary research on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), serving organizations (large enterprises, SMEs, and public institutions), academic researchers, and government policymakers across Canada and Quebec. Its outputs include research reports on women's entrepreneurship, skills gaps, immigration, AI and the future of work, peer-reviewed academic publications, podcasts, documentary collaborations, conferences, and the Gérer équitablement (GÉ 2025) training program for SMEs.

Its core intellectual asset is the Revue Diversité urbaine, the only French-language academic journal dedicated to diversity management and governance, published continuously since 2000 and directed by Tania Saba. Distribution is entirely non-commercial: diamond open-access publishing, a public website (diversite-gouvernance.umontreal.ca), podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon), documentary participation (TRAVAILLER AUTREMENT, Savoir Média), and frequent earned-media appearances on Radio-Canada, CBC, La Presse, Le Devoir, and TVA. Two special issues of the international journal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Emerald) were co-edited by the chair holder, bringing together 16 articles.

The chair does not operate a commercial revenue model. Funding comes from BMO as the naming corporate sponsor, from the Government of Quebec for programs such as GÉ 2025 and the BCIEDI partnership with Ville de Montréal's BINAM, and from federal flows tied to Canada's $7 billion Strategy for Women's Entrepreneurship. Institutional partnerships include the G3 consortium with Université de Genève and Université Libre de Bruxelles, OBVIA, WEKH, the Diversity Institute (Toronto Metropolitan University), CRI-JaDE, and Aéro Montréal.

Name

Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance de l’Université de Montréal

Legal name

Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance de l'Université de Montréal

Website

https://diversite-gouvernance.umontreal.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance is a university research chair at the Université de Montréal conducting interdisciplinary EDI research and producing reports, the Revue Diversité urbaine journal, podcasts, and free training programs for organizations, government, and academia across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Research and Training

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAGANAK

Legal & Governance Professional Development

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Professional Development & Training Materials

SECONDARYEDAGAFAJ

Open Access Scholarly Journals & Monographs

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Academic & Scholarly Publishing (Journals, Monographs)

SECONDARYEDAGAFAI

Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Scholarly Publishing

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Academic & Scholarly Publishing (Journals, Monographs)

SECONDARYEDAGAKAJ

Accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) & Inclusive Content Services

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Design & Content Development Services

Keywords

• Equity diversity inclusion research
• Academic diversity governance
• Workplace inclusion research
• EDI training programs
• Diversity academic journal

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance is an academic research chair at the Université de Montréal that produces and disseminates equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) research, training, and knowledge products. Its core offerings include annual and thematic research reports, peer-reviewed academic publications, the Revue Diversité urbaine academic journal, podcast series, documentary participation, master classes, and the GÉ 2025 equitable management training program for SMEs. All outputs are distributed free of charge to the public, with the chair serving organizations, governments, and academic communities in Quebec, Canada, and through international partnerships.

Product overview

The Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance is a research chair at the Université de Montréal offering a portfolio of knowledge dissemination products: research reports on EDI and entrepreneurship, peer-reviewed academic publications, podcasts (Balados), documentary collaborations, master classes and conferences, the GÉ 2025 training program for SMEs, the academic journal 'Revue Diversité urbaine', and media engagement activities. It is not a technology product company but rather an interdisciplinary research and training center focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion in organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revue Diversité urbaine: The only French-language academic journal dedicated to diversity and governance issues, established in 2000 and directed by Tania Saba.

Products and services

• Rapports de recherche (Research Reports) Annual and thematic research reports on equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), entrepreneurship, and workplace topics published by the chair and freely available to the public.
• Publications et articles académiques (Academic Publications) Peer-reviewed articles and book contributions published in academic and professional journals covering EDI, diversity management, and workplace topics.
• Balados (Podcasts) Podcast series featuring expert discussions on EDI topics including the 'Les Audactieuses' series sponsored by BMO and CRI-JaDE research-focused episodes.
• Films et documentaires (Documentary Participation) Documentary participation and production including 'TRAVAILLER AUTREMENT' (ONF) and the Savoir Média 'Société du travail' series.
• Conférences et classes de maître (Master Classes and Conferences) Master classes and conferences on EDI topics including the BCEDI program with Ville de Montréal and Quebec government, as well as international events.
• Programme Gérer équitablement (GÉ 2025) Free training program with four modules, co-development cells, and incubator sessions to develop equitable management systems for SMEs, funded by the Quebec government.
• Revue Diversité urbaine The only French-language academic journal dedicated to diversity management and governance issues, founded in 2000 and directed by Tania Saba since 2019, published in diamond open-access.
• Intervention dans les médias (Media Engagements) Media appearances, interviews, and press coverage in Radio-Canada, CBC, La Presse, Le Devoir, TVA Nouvelles, and Les Affaires.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 18 published research reports available publicly, 2016–2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• WEKH / PCFE (Portail de connaissances pour les femmes en entrepreneuriat)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2025The chair contributes to the annual WEKH (Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub) reports on the state of women's entrepreneurship in Canada, aligned with Canada's $7 billion Strategy for Women's Entrepreneurship. The 2025 report was published in March 2025.
• Women 20 (W20) — G20 Engagement Group, Canadian DelegationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Tania Saba participated in the W20 (Women 20) summit in Rio de Janeiro as part of the Canadian delegation, alongside representatives from the Diversity Institute (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Plan International Canada. The W20 is one of 13 G20 independent engagement groups focused on gender equality and women's economic empowerment.
• Scale AI, CEIMIA, MILA, CCMM — ALL IN AI ConferenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 September 2023The chair participated in the 'ALL IN' AI conference organized by Scale AI, CEIMIA, MILA, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM). Tania Saba spoke on the 'Diversité, Équité et Vie privée en IA' panel.
• Forum des politiques publiques (Public Policy Forum) / Centre des Compétences Futures (Future Skills Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2020The chair co-authored multiple reports with the Public Policy Forum and Future Skills Centre, including 'Economic equality in a changing world: Removing barriers to employment for women' and reports on skills gaps in SMEs. These partnerships support federal and provincial policy development.
• Université de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe chair is institutionally hosted by the Université de Montréal, within the École de relations industrielles (School of Industrial Relations). The university's branding, facilities, and administrative infrastructure support the chair's operations.
• Ville de Montréal (BINAM — Bureau d'Intégration des Nouveaux Arrivants à Montréal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ville de Montréal, through its BINAM office, partners with the chair on the 'Briser l'isolement des conseillères et conseillers en EDI' (BICEDI) program. This initiative strengthens EDI expertise in SMEs and large enterprises in the Montreal region.
• G3 — Université de Montréal, Université de Genève, Université Libre de BruxellescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe G3 is a partnership of three universities dedicated to EDI research and training. Tania Saba (Université de Montréal) collaborates with Klea Faniko (Université de Genève) and Claudia Toma (Université libre de Bruxelles) on joint research and the balado/podcast series.
• CRI-JaDE (Centre de recherche Interdisciplinaire sur la Justice et la Diversité de l'Entreprise)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRI-JaDE collaborates with the chair on EDI research, contributing to podcast episodes and interdisciplinary research projects focused on diversity and governance in organizations.
• OBVIA (Observatoire international sur les impacts sociétaux de l'IA et du numérique)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOBVIA, supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec, collaborates with the chair on AI and society research. Tania Saba serves as director responsible for EDI at OBVIA and co-authored the AI and future of work report through this partnership.
• Éditions J. LOJES (publishers of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion journal)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTwo special issues of the international peer-reviewed journal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Emerald Publishing) were co-edited by the chair holder and affiliated researchers, gathering 16 articles across both volumes.
• Human Technology Foundation — International Scientific CommitteemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTania Saba serves on the international scientific committee of the Human Technology Foundation, contributing to the 'IA et Futur du Travail' (AI and Future of Work) report published in January 2025. The committee includes 9 international members.
• Aéro MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe chair co-authored a white paper on inclusive organizations in the Quebec aerospace sector, commissioned by Aéro Montréal's Workforce Committee (Chantier Relève et Main-d'œuvre), addressing skills diversification and equitable practices in the sector employing ~42,000 people.
• Réseau des Femmes d'Affaires du Québec (RFAQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe chair collaborates with RFAQ on women's entrepreneurship research and policy advocacy, including joint op-eds and conference participation on equitable market access.
• Diversity Institute — Toronto Metropolitan UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by Wendy Cukier, the Diversity Institute is a key research partner on skills gaps, women's entrepreneurship, and EDI in Canadian organizations. The chair and Diversity Institute co-author major national reports and collaborate on the WEKH knowledge portal.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI): National CCDI is a larger, established EDI training, consulting, and certification body serving Canadian employers. Overlapping audience (organizations implementing EDI) but commercial rather than academic in posture.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit producing flagship research on women in leadership and workplace inclusion. Comparable research-product model (reports, advisory, events) but operating at much larger global scale and English-only.

Direct peers

• Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH): National research hub producing annual state-of-women's-entrepreneurship reports. Direct collaborator and co-author with the Chaire BMO on federally funded research outputs.
• CRI-JaDE — Centre de recherche Interdisciplinaire sur la Justice et la Diversité de l'Entreprise: Quebec-based interdisciplinary research center on EDI in organizations. Direct research partner and co-producer of the CRI-JaDE podcast series with the chair.
• Observatoire international sur les impacts sociétaux de l'IA et du numérique (OBVIA): Québec-funded interdisciplinary AI and society research network. Direct partner through Tania Saba's EDI directorate role; co-produces the AI and Future of Work report.
• Diversity Institute — Toronto Metropolitan University: Canada's other leading EDI research center, led by Wendy Cukier. Co-author on WEKH reports and federal skills-gap research. Directly comparable as a university-based EDI research and policy institute serving Canadian organizations and government.
• Public Policy Forum / Future Skills Centre: Canadian policy research organizations co-authoring skills-gap and EDI-employment reports with the chair. Comparable research-and-policy publication model serving federal/provincial decision-makers.

Others

• Aéro Montréal: Québec aerospace industry cluster. Industry partner that commissioned the chair's inclusive organizations white paper; thematically linked via sector-specific EDI workforce research.

Emerging players

• Institut EDI2 / Institut d'études en diversité, inclusion et intersectionnalité: Québec-based EDI advisory and training provider. Niche overlap on French-language SME EDI training but commercially focused and smaller than the chair's research footprint.

Regional players

• RFAQ — Réseau des Femmes d'Affaires du Québec: Québec business network for women entrepreneurs. Partner on advocacy and op-eds; comparable regional focus but membership/community model rather than research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chaire-bmo-diversite-et-gouvernance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chaire BMO en diversité et gouvernance de l’Université de Montréal