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Michael Bach

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Thought Leader | Bestselling Author

Michael Bach
Speaker Reel
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IOB: What is privilege and how does it manifest in workplaces?
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The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion (Step 1 of 6)
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Understanding Your Secret Weapon to Create Inclusive Spaces
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The Right IDEA Doing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Right
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The Smart IDEA Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility is Good Business
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Safety in Numbers: Ensuring Your Space is a Safe Space
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Strength in Numbers How to be an Active Ally
Michael
Bach IOB Thumb 1
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Michael Bach Thumb 7
Michael Bach
Speaker Reel
Bach IOB Thumb 1
IOB: What is privilege and how does it manifest in workplaces?
Bach Thumb 1
The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion (Step 1 of 6)
Michael Bach Thumb 2
Understanding Your Secret Weapon to Create Inclusive Spaces
Michael Bach Thumb 2
The Right IDEA Doing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Right
Michael Bach Thumb 3
The Smart IDEA Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility is Good Business
Michael Bach Thumb 6
Safety in Numbers: Ensuring Your Space is a Safe Space
Michael Bach Thumb 7
Strength in Numbers How to be an Active Ally

If diversity is our strength, inclusion is our superpower. Michael Bach is a nationally and internationally recognized thought leader and subject matter expert in the fields of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). The founding CEO of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), CCDI Consulting, and Pride at Work Canada, Bach brings a vast knowledge of leading practices in creating equitable workplaces in any industry. He also speaks openly about his lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ communities and as a person with a disability.

With nearly 20 years experience within the IDEA space, Bach has advised thousands of clients on how to do IDEA right. Prior to CCDI, he was the national leader of diversity, equity, and inclusion for KPMG Canada. Additionally, Bach spent 2.5 years as Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International.

Named one of the “10 Most Influential DE&I Leaders Revamping the Future” by CIO Views Magazine in 2023, Bach has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work. He is one of Women of Influence’s Canadian Diversity Champions and a Catalyst Canada Honours Human Resources/Diversity Leader, as well as the recipient of Inspire Award’s LGBTQ Person of the Year; Out on Bay Street’s “Leaders to be Proud of” LGBT Advocate Workplace Award; Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s Immigrant Success Award; and the Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award.

A bestselling author, Bach’s first book, Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right, is a Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and Amazon bestseller. It also won the Silver 2020 Nautilus Book Award in the category of Rising to the Moment and was a finalist in the Legacy non-fiction category for the American Bookfest’s Best Books Awards. His latest book, Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion, is a Toronto Star bestseller and finalist in the general non-fiction category for the American Bookfest’s Best Book Awards.

Bach has a post-graduate certificate in diversity management from Cornell University and holds the Cornell Certified Diversity Professional, Advanced Practitioner (CCDP/AP) designation.

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

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Client reviews

  • I was fortunate to have had an opportunity to hear Michael speak on diversity, inclusion, and equity while attending a national sports forum. These issues are so important for any workplace, business, or not-for-profit. When our organization decided we wanted to expand our understanding in these areas, we turned to Michael because I truly believe he’s one of the best in the country. Informative, engaging, and extremely personable, Michael was an exceptional facilitator, and our team gained a lot of important knowledge from our sessions with him.

  • We recently partnered with Michael Bach to deliver a series of virtual workshops to our leaders and staff to support and strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion awareness and competencies critical for our organization and our communities. Michael proposed an excellent set of sessions that focus on providing foundational understanding, organizational implications, fostering safe spaces, and allyship, drawing on his recent book, Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work. Michael brought credibility and transparency, along with energy and passion (and humour!) that enabled strong engagement from participants. Recently, our organization officially participated in our local community Pride parade, with strong and enthusiastic participation from our senior leadership — a historic, important step, and looking forward to what’s ahead!

  • It was an absolute pleasure experiencing all that is Michael Bach. He has the great ability to make those around him feel very comfortable to openly share their experiences and practices. His keynote presentation based on his latest book, Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work, was enlightening, educational, and engaging. Michael’s delivery style is completely authentic, combining both humour and storytelling to demystify the topic and help our employees understand the complexity of the alphabet soup that is the LGBTQ2+ initialism. This was extremely impactful for those who participated at Cadillac Fairview — helping us to enhance our overall knowledge and understanding as it relates to inclusion, diversity, and equity in the workplace.

  • Michael’s ability to address what can obviously be a tricky and sensitive topic, with an awareness to these sensitivities and with a level of empathy that made it accessible to staff who may have been previously unaware. Highly recommend bringing Michael into your organization, we intend to have him back sometime soon!

  • Michael’s presentations on unconscious bias and privilege were outstanding. He engages immediately with the audience in a genuine way, which puts everyone at ease. He is passionate about the topics and it shows. These presentations have empowered attendees to affect change in their own organizations.

  • We were delighted with Michael as a speaker! He made the topic of inclusion accessible with his anecdotes, relatability, and practical insights. So much so that we have partnered with him again!

  • I was fortunate to have had an opportunity to hear Michael speak on diversity, inclusion, and equity while attending a national sports forum. These issues are so important for any workplace, business, or not-for-profit. When our organization decided we wanted to expand our understanding in these areas, we turned to Michael because I truly believe he’s one of the best in the country. Informative, engaging, and extremely personable, Michael was an exceptional facilitator, and our team gained a lot of important knowledge from our sessions with him.

  • No matter where you are in your diversity and inclusion learning journey, you will grow through Michael’s insight and expertise.

  • Michael provided our organization with amazing insights into how we can all make our workplace and our world more open, equal and considerate.  He brought a strong idea of what an inclusive workplace is – fair, supportive and respectful to all within one event. Bringing definition to belonging was his drive and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Michael to other organizations looking to enhance their inclusiveness, equity and diversity functions

  • Michael is an excellent and engaging speaker who uses his humour and extensive knowledge to educate people on topics that can be quite challenging. We engaged Michael to provide a keynote on LGBTQ2+ inclusion, which is a topic that our company is keen on exploring and learning more about. Michael’s keynote was a huge success and helped to open people’s eyes to why LGBTQ2+ inclusion is so important.

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