- Managers, executives, entrepreneurs and individual contributors interested in understanding how to apply inclusive analytical tools to uncover innovative opportunities, expand the reach of their products or services, improve user experience, drive growth, and mitigate unintended risks.
Format:
Asynchronous online
Duration:
4 modules over 12 weeks
Dates:
January 19 - April 10, 2026
Participants can estimate spending 8-10 hours per module.
All coursework must be completed within 12 weeks of the program start date.
Program fee:
$799 CAD + HST*
Learn about funding resources available.
*This program is not eligible for discounts.
Participant profile:
In partnership with Rotman's Institute for Gender and the Economy.
Unlock a competitive edge through inclusive analytics.
Today’s competitive landscape relies heavily on innovation. Business leaders like you must constantly look for up-to-the-minute ways to innovate because new problems can’t be solved with old solutions.
Just about every product and service we use has been designed around a narrow image of the typical customer, missing out on market growth opportunities. Every day, you’ll notice how essential business products and services, from care safety design and pharmaceuticals to financial advisory products, have not been designed to meet the needs of many demographics. At best, organizations producing these products and services are leaving money on the table. At worst, they are making the lives of users more difficult.
The Institute for Gender and the Economy’s Inclusive Business Innovation micro-credential, built in partnership with Rotman Executive Programs, will teach you how to use our Gender Analytics methodology to ensure your products and services appeal broadly to today's consumer audiences. We’re flipping the script and bringing the DEI conversation to product and service innovation. You will gain insights from companies that have achieved double-digit revenue growth by implementing inclusive innovation practices. These stories will inspire you to integrate insights about gender, race and other marginalized groups into your product and service innovation and help you grow as a transformational leader.
Why every business needs Gender Analytics tools
Gain a competitive advantage
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Inclusive innovation can help you develop unique products and services that set you apart from your competition.
Deepen customer focus
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The Gender Analytics methodology equips you to enhance your customer focus, enabling you to design products and services with (not just for) your key customers.
Drive business growth
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You’ll position your company to identify and seize new opportunities which can diversify revenue streams or expand into new markets.
Strengthen brand and reputation
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Customers are more likely to support companies committed to inclusion. The Gender Analytics methodology helps you build a inclusive brand that appeals to a wide audience and enhances your reputation.
Most organizations don’t appreciate the hidden ways that gender and other intersecting identities can shape outcomes, yet the user experience is often a key indicator of whether a product or service will succeed long-term. For example, many women leave their financial advisors when their spouse passes away because the advisory services have not been tailored to their needs, which is a big loss for those financial firms during the massive wealth transfer that is occurring. This highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing diversity to improve product and service effectiveness.
Through this program, you’ll equip yourself with the skills to uncover risks and opportunities that can lead to innovative product and service design. As customer behaviors and values change, inclusive innovation is more important than ever before.
Program experience
What you'll learn
Rethink opportunities to develop new policies, products, services, and processes and create opportunities for growth and increased impact.
- Use Gender Analytics methods to create opportunities and mitigate risks
- Understand Gender Analytics competencies
- Explore why Gender and its intersections matter
- Discover how Gender Analytics can Create inclusive innovation
Avoid pitfalls and errors by developing respectful and ethical approaches for collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data that is disaggregated by gender and other intersecting identities.
- Uncover ethical and legal considerations in inclusive data collection
- Learn quantitative data analysis through a gender lens—probability
- Learn quantitative data analysis through a Gender lens—data and interpretation
- Qualitative data collection: community-based engagement with stakeholders
Dive into a bootcamp on the human-centered design approach -- empathizing prototyping and testing come to life. Problem-solve real-world challenges and apply an intersectional gender lens to the ideation process to create an inclusive innovation.
- Understand Design Thinking (Human-centred Design) for inclusive innovation
- Learn empathy-based research methods
- Use reframing to make sense of your research
- Practice ideating, prototyping, and testing
Discover how equity-based analyses have created opportunities for impact and transformation in business and learn how to gain by-in across teams to create meaningful organizational change.
- Explore case examples of transformation
Develop skills to influence and change
Find ways to leverage diverse teams
Become a change agent
Change-making learning
Rotman’s Inclusive Business Innovation will serve as your compass on an in-depth professional journey. By the end of the program, you will be equipped with skills and perspectives needed to emerge as an influential leader, capable of harnessing intersectional gender-based insights to cultivate innovative business opportunities. During this experience, you'll actively participate in pragmatic, interactive exercises—including the development of your own project workplan—enabling you to implement your newfound knowledge in real-world business situations.
Challenge your assumptions
Innovating for everyone is truly a transformational approach. It will give you the chance to push through the discomfort of your own biases and open your eyes to the possibilities that can be unlocked through our Gender Analytics methodology.
Inclusive Business Innovation is not a short-term trend or too niche for your organization. This approach has benefits for every industry and role. By focusing on the end user, you’re unlocking profits, mitigating risk – and improving lives. The skills you’ll learn will put you ahead of the curve and position you to reveal your next great idea.
Meet the faculty and instructors
Sarah Kaplan
Founding Director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), Distinguished Professor of Gender & the Economy, Professor of Strategic Management and Fellow of the Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management
Nouman Ashraf
Associate Professor, Teaching Stream within the Organizational Behavior area at the Rotman School of Management
Hyeun Jung Lee
Assistant Professor, Tenure Stream and a Project Lead of Gender Analytics and Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.
Jia Lin Xie
Professor in Management and Professor of Organizational Behaviour and HR Management at the Rotman School of Management.
Anita McGahan
University Professor, Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and a Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, where she holds the George E. Connell Chair in Organizations & Society.
Brian Silverman
Professor of Strategic Management and J.R.S. Prichard and Ann Wilson Chair in Management.
Mark Leung
Former Director of the Rotman Business Design Lab at the Rotman School of Management, Founder of Ittoma
Nika Stelman
Alumna-in-Residence at the Institute for Gender and the Economy at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.Hear from our participants
"The Inclusive Business Innovation program taught me to use Gender Analytics to design inclusive products and services. I'm excited to pass these insights on to my students, empowering them to drive change and create a more equitable, inclusive fashion industry."
"If you work in innovation or inclusion, this is a smart PD investment. Though I’ve been in equity work for years, this course gave me a clear structure to contextualize past practices and improve my approach—plus valuable new insights and practical skills."
Have a group of 15 or more?
Contact us for more information on organizational group training.
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How to apply
Before beginning the application process, please review the application policies and note the following exception for the Rotman Inclusive Business Innovation program: Deferral requests for this program are not accepted. Participants are required to adhere to the refund policy and enroll in the next available program offering. To apply, complete the online application form.
Each application is reviewed by Rotman's admissions committee to ensure participants have the appropriate academic and work experience.
Participant Notification Process
If space is available and eligibility requirements are met, participants will receive a notice of admission within 10 days of receipt of a completed application and fee deposit.
A deposit of 50% of the program fee (up to $4,000) is required at time of application. If the full fee is not paid at the time of application, the balance of the program fee is due 30 days after receipt of invoice or 30 days before program start date, whichever is first. Fees will be refunded to those not accepted into the program.
Visit our Funding Resources page for information on potential financial assistance options.
If there are virtual components of this program they will be delivered over Zoom and requires access to this platform. Terms and conditions for Zoom usage can be found here: https://zoom.us/terms. This program requires a stable internet connection, the latest version of the Google Chrome internet browser, and use of a microphone. Access to a webcam is preferred but optional.
