The IDEA Council will be responsible for producing measurement, standards and education to address the lack of representation in the US insight sector.

This will include expanding the representation of marginalised groups at organisations and events and developing benchmarks for pay and diversity within businesses.

It will also set best practices for sampling and work to increase engagement with research participants in 'underserved populations'.

The members of the council are:

• Scott Baker, senior vice-president, client solutions, Schlesinger Group
• Khary Campbell, assistant vice-president, research and innovation, L'Oréal 
• Jackie Chan, vice-president, head of Research & Analytics, Prudential Financial
• Dawn Christian, senior vice-president of inclusion and diversity, GCI Health
• Melanie Courtright, chief executive, Insights Association
• Sherri Dansby, market research manager, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Shannon Danzy, principal, danzy consults and QRCA
• Carlos Garcia, president, Garcia Research
• Alfred Ishak, senior director, development and planning, Gongos
• April Jeffries, global president, Ipsos
• Damon Jones, vice-president, telephone operations, Burke, Inc.
• Heather Magaw, vice-president, people and culture, Chadwick Martin Bailey
• Bianca Pryor, vice-president, BET
• Tchicaya Ellis Robertson, senior thought leadership principal, Accenture.

Melanie Courtright, chief executive of the Insights Association, said: “As an industry, we take pride in building cultural understanding and empathy. We have the knowledge, creativity, and influence to make a difference.”

In the UK, the MRS recently established a diversity council to advise the society’s policy on diversity and inclusion and attract new employees to the research sector.