Although the promotional products industry has made strides in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, there’s a lot more work to be done.

After all, the industry could stand to benefit from making a seat at the table for people from all walks of life, according to Rafael Dosman, director of business development and head of the DEI Council at iPROMOTEu – the No. 11 distributor in the PPAI 100.

“The more people that we can incorporate in this industry to shake the table… it’s just going to make our industry better,” says Dosman, a 15-year industry veteran.

A member of the LGBTQ+ community and a minority, Dosman recently sat down with PPAI Media to share his thoughts on DEI within the promo industry, and how companies can recruit more diverse employees.

The more people that we can incorporate in this industry to shake the table… it’s just going to make our industry better.”

Rafael Dosman

Director of Business Development & Head of DEI Council, iPROMOTEu

PPAI Media: Do you think the promo industry has a diversity problem?

Dosman: When you say ‘problem,’ I think there are more opportunities for people that look like us in this industry. There’s not a lot of diversity in the industry. Just taking it on a deeper level, when I first came into this industry, there weren’t a lot of women in leadership. It was, quite frankly, a male-dominated industry that were of a particular age, and that were Caucasian men.

When you would see a room of leaders, you wouldn’t see a lot of women. You didn’t see a lot of Hispanics. You didn’t see a lot of Black people. You didn’t see a diverse grouping of distributors and suppliers and leadership. Now, that’s changing, where you’re starting to see more people who are diverse in nature…but we still have a long way to go.

PPAI Media: Looking at The State of Responsibility 2024 report, only 10% of PPAI 100 suppliers and 29% of PPAI 100 distributors are minority-owned. What advice would you give minorities looking to advance in the industry?

Dosman: Start getting accredited and start coming to events. There are many events that support the industry regarding education, so start coming to more of those and make your presence known. Start engaging in your regional events, because – I’m not sure if people know – but there’s over 27 regional associations that people can get involved in.

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PPAI Media: What would you tell promo companies looking to racially diversify their workforce?

Dosman: I would say a lot of companies, they face a couple of challenges regarding diversity. Depending on their location, they could be more a traditionally homogenous workforce and have limited resources for diversity training, as well as have difficulty sourcing talent in some regions.

My advice to overcome these challenges is make a clear commitment to diversity on all levels, from leadership to entry-level roles. Start actively seeking partnerships with organizations that support underrepresented groups and start implementing diversity programs even if you have a limited budget. I did it with zero budget at iPROMOTEu!

PPAI Media: What are some DEI initiatives that are being implemented at iPROMOTEu?

Rafael Dosman: Of course, we wanted to give back to the community. We did this a few months ago for back-to-school season, in which we found a school that was in need and provided over 100 backpacks to children who didn’t have backpacks or supplies to go to school.

So, that was our first big initiative – it was a huge home run for us. We could talk about diversity, equity and inclusion and what it means in all that. But, really, when you start giving back to the community, that’s when you start having that impact.

PPAI Media: Diversity obviously isn’t just about race, but also includes factors like gender, sexuality and age. Let’s touch on sexuality for a bit. The promo industry has historically been dominated by straight, older white men. Why do you think it’s important to have perspectives from people within the LGBTQ+ community, especially in leadership positions? 

Dosman: I’m part of the LGBT community, and having my input only makes you stronger. The LGBT community has been a community that has always been there in promo. It’s just now we’re getting to a place where we’re comfortable being out and proud in promo.

Being able to leverage that talent to your advantage only makes our industry stronger. Make sure to provide those safe spaces for those LGBT people to have leadership opportunities because they matter, and they bring a different perspective. One that is actually needed.

PPAI Media: Moving on to age, employees under 30 make up less than 25% of the workforce for PPAI 100 distributors and suppliers. Do you think having the outlook of younger millennials and Gen Z can advance the industry? 

Dosman: 100%. Sometimes you need to bridge that gap between age groups because the new generation can tell the old generation a new way of doing something, but the old generation can safeguard that newbie in promo when they see something ominous in front of them.

You want to invigorate the promotional products industry with fresher faces, but I don’t want people who have been seasoned in this industry to feel that their voices have been forgotten.

PPAI Media: How can companies appeal to the younger generation? 

Dosman: Start going into non-traditional areas for recruitment. For example, going into your local Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on a career fest and talking about the power of promo. You’re killing two birds with one stone: You’re looking at the new generation because they’re in college, and if they’re at an HBCU, they’re obviously Black.

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PPAI Media: When it comes to gender, women and nonbinary people make up about half of leadership positions at PPAI 100 distributor and supplier firms, and women outnumbered men three to one on the 2023 PPAI Rising Stars list. What do you think the industry is getting right in this area, and is there room for growth? 

Dosman: There’s always room for growth. Bringing awareness about some of the challenges that women face in this business are incredible opportunities for women to lift each other up. I have a fabulous, fearless, phenomenal leader at the head of my company, Lori Bauer. There was a day and time when I first came into this business where there weren’t a lot of Lori Bauers. Now I’m seeing more and more women come to leadership positions. We’re moving in the right direction, but there’s still more work that needs to be done.

As far as nonbinary people, I don’t know any people in the promotional products industry that are openly nonbinary.

PPAI Media: Looking to the future, what are your hopes for the state of diversity in the promo industry? 

Dosman: I hope that one day we have an industry where more and more people – regardless of race, gender background, creed and religious background – feel comfortable coming together and sharing ideas. That’s what I want to see because that’s what’s going to drive our industry forward. Being stagnant is not going to get us anywhere.