A Message from Bob Barchiesi, IACC President

April 26, 2021

Dear Members and Colleagues,

We celebrate this year’s World IP Day theme of IP and SMEs with great enthusiasm as we – the IP community – shine a spotlight on the importance of small businesses to the global economy and of assisting them protect their brand. On this World IP Day, the IACC celebrates the efforts taken by SMEs to advance their brand protection and to partner with organizations like the IACC. And yet, we know the work is not done and that their voice needs to be front and center along with those of large brands.

Over the last two years, the IACC has undertaken important steps to facilitate SME participation in the organization. We’ve established a new SME membership category, an IACC SME Task Force, and an SME Ambassador role, as well as expanded access to IACC programs. We’ve also given them a key role in the organization’s leadership structure with two seat allocations on the IACC Board of Directors so that SMEs can take an active part in guiding the organization’s priorities and key decisions.

In a recent press release, IACC Chairperson Dawn Atlas stated, “The ability for SMEs to take a governance position and have a seat at the table with the biggest brands in the world underscores the IACC’s commitment to SMEs and the importance of their participation on the global brand protection stage.”

Over the next few days, we’ll be highlighting the voices of some of our SME members and program participants to show their perspectives in brand protection. Over the next few months, we will be expanding our initiatives to help our SME members lay the foundations of and boost their brand protection efforts through a Brand Protection Toolkit, networking and learning opportunities, and other resources focused on the IACC’s niche expertise – practical, operational brand protection tools, resources, and connections.

I invite you – our member brands, law firms, investigators, online enforcement and product security companies; our government and intermediary partners – to work with us as we elevate the efforts of small businesses, and our own, to protect our companies and consumers against fakes.