European Pride Business Network’s Post

Camden Council is demanding that companies in its supply chain "align" with its "values", and prove their commitment to radical LGBTQ+ ideology. The FSU's Communication Officer, Freddie Attenborough has written about the case for The Critic magazine — link is below. https://lnkd.in/eeaZJ7_p According to information released by the Labour-run local authority, it has begun asking businesses “to demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality before we procure them”. Building this commitment into the procurement process is, the Council says, not just about being more “inclusive” and working “with businesses whose values align with our own” – it’s also an attempt to leverage its “position of power” to “positively influence” society. The hidden hand behind this scheme is in fact Stonewall; and, in this instance, the trans charity’s Workplace Equality Index scheme, which encourages participating public bodies like Camden Council to refuse to do business with third-party contractors that don't "meet" what it describes as "LGBTQ+ inclusion scrutiny". So, does Camden’s new policy mean that a firm that tenders for a contract, and is able to offer a lower price and better quality than its competitors, would not be chosen if its “values” didn’t align with those of the Council? And if so, would such a decision even be legal? The devil here is in the (Stonewall derived) detail If the policy simply asks that contracting parties don’t unlawfully discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, then that’s not an unreasonable ask. If, on the other hand, it requires tenderers to comply with particular aspects of LGBTQ+ ideology, then that may be challengeable. No doubt the Council’s legal team feels entirely confident that it’s on solid, defensible ground. The only question is whether that confidence stems from its own assessment of the policy’s legal risks, or Stonewall’s reassurances that there aren’t any. Needless to say, the FSU is now looking into this. If you know of a company that tendered for a contract at Camden Council, but lost out to an inferior competitor because it didn’t have a gold star from Stonewall, please let us know at the link below. https://lnkd.in/eUefKaaM

🏆 The Stonewall list of the most LGBTIQ+ inclusive UK companies has been announced. Congratulations to Linklaters for topping the 2024 Workplace Equality Index Top 100 Employers list. Hundreds of organizations across the UK participated, showcasing their commitment to advancing LGBTIQ+ equality in the workplace. Celebrate their achievements and read the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eiHGvXQH 💭 “LGBTQ+ people lie at the heart of every community in the UK, and are represented in every employment sector. We believe that LGBTQ+ people should have the same career opportunities as anyone else, and we understand that not everyone has the luxury of choosing where they work. Thus, we strive to ensure that our guidance and support on building inclusive workplaces is open and accessible to as many people as possible,” writes Stonewall. EPBN members. 👏 AGPRO - Austrian Gay Professionals, L'Autre Cercle, Associazione EDGE > LGBTI+ leaders for change, Legebitra, network – Gay Leadership, REDI.LGBTI, QBW* - Queer Business Women*, Völklinger Kreis e.V., Wirtschaftsweiber e. V., WyberNet, Pride Business Forum, Znaki Równości, WeAreOpen - Nyitottak vagyunk, Workplace Pride, Work It OUT, çavaria

📢 A new report presented by Open For Business demonstrates a link between inclusion and profitability 💡 The report analysed how 290 major companies across America, UK, Germany and Australia, integrate LGBTQ+ inclusion into their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices. It shows that the top 25 corporations in LGBTQ+ transparency were 2.3 times more profitable than the bottom 25! Report findings also reinforce the notion that LGBTQ+ inclusive companies excel in attracting and retaining top talent. The report underscores the economic value of embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. FULL REPORT: https://lnkd.in/fRHKaRQ Legal Island’s Diversity & Inclusion - The Importance of Conscious Inclusion eLearning course will help your staff understand the importance of inclusive behaviour in the workplace and the value it brings to both your staff and your organisation. Access a free demo on behalf of your organisation here: NI – https://lnkd.in/ejrrmnDk ROI – https://lnkd.in/eaYWz9kW

🌍 At Koppa - The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab, we're constantly seeking pioneering research that aligns with our economic empowerment and inclusion mission for LGBTI+ communities. We're thrilled to spotlight the "Open For Business Investor Guide to LGBTQ+ Inclusion." 🌈 Released at #Davos by Jon Miller, Jude Seimon and Dominic Arnall, this report is a game-changer. It showcases how integrating LGBTQ+ policies into business strategies isn't just a nod to inclusivity — it's a blueprint for economic success. The findings underscore what we've always believed at Koppa: inclusion drives prosperity. 📊 Key Insights from the Report: Companies with top-tier LGBTQ+ Transparency are 2.3 times more profitable than their least transparent counterparts. A staggering 92% of businesses recognize DEI as crucial for long-term survival and growth. 💡 Why It Matters: This isn't about jumping on a bandwagon. It's about acknowledging that LGBTQ+ inclusion and sustainable business practices are fundamental to thriving in today's global market. 🚀 Action Steps for Companies: Leverage LGBTQ+ inclusivity as a core component of your ESG strategies. Recognize the rich diversity within your workforce as a source of innovation and strength. 🤝 Let's Discuss: We'd love your thoughts on how LGBTQ+ inclusion shapes your business strategies and policies. Join the conversation below! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/fRHKaRQ #LGBTQInclusion #ESG #EconomicEmpowerment #KoppaLab #DiversityAndInclusion

How do you feel about equity in the workplace as we welcome #PrideMonth? 🚨 The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has sounded the alarm, declaring a state of emergency in 2023 for LGBTQ+ people due to various state policies or proposals threatening the ability of individuals to be their true selves in society. How are employers responding? HRC shares in their Corporate Equality Index how many companies are rising to the challenge, adopting more comprehensive policies that protect their employees and advance inclusion and belonging. A couple of bright spots: ⭐ 91 percent of Fortune 500 companies include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their nondiscrimination policies. ⭐ Over 77 percent of Fortune 500 companies offer transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits. ⭐ 63% of the companies rated in the index created a LGBTQ+ benefits guide so employees could confidentially research benefits around life events that they may not want to talk to leaders about. ⚠ Meanwhile, 52% of Gen Z and millennials who were unsatisfied with the progress their employer was making in #DEIB said they intend to leave their job within two years. Read more in the report:

This week I found myself watching the debate between our two party leaders in the UK, discussing amending the equality act to reflect biological gender it not only made me go ick, it reminded me of the importance of continuing to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion and create safe spaces. Its legacy sadly feels as crucial in today's as it's always been and the spirit of Stonewall reminds us that the fight for equality is ongoing and essential. How can you continue to support your LGBTQIA+ Community in the Workplace? Despite progress, LGBTQIA+ employees still face significant challenges, including discrimination, isolation, and underrepresentation. While LGBTQIA+ individuals make up about 6% of the UK workforce, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles. According to a report by Stonewall, only 3% of senior leadership positions in the UK's top companies are held by LGBTQIA+ individuals. This underrepresentation highlights the need for more inclusive practices and policies.Successful organisations continuously strive to create inclusive and positive work environments. Here’s how you can help: 🌟 Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Provide support networks and career resources. 🌟 Update Policies: Include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in nondiscrimination policies. 🌟 Offer Inclusive Benefits: Respect all family structures with benefits like domestic partner coverage. 🌟 Create All-Gender Facilities: Ensure privacy and respect for everyone. 🌟 Normalise Pronoun Use: Honour each individual’s identity. Honouring Stonewall means advocating for workplaces where everyone feels heard, valued, and respected. Together, we can uphold the spirit of Stonewall and ensure that progress is not only preserved but expanded. #StonewallRebellion #LGBTQIA+ #Equality #Inclusion #EqualityAct #WorkplaceInclusion #Diversity #ProgressForAll

Founded in 2018, the Public Service Pride Network (PSPN) is a grassroots employee-led movement that advocates for the rights of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and other gender- and sexually-diverse (2SLGBTQIA+) federal public servants in the aim of creating a more inclusive workplace free of systemic barriers. Today, the PSPN represents thousands of 2SLGBTQIA+ employees and allies in 85 federal organizations across Canada and in some Canadian missions abroad. To our members ― the Network is for you and by you! As such, we wanted to highlight and celebrate your intersectional voices and experiences. Today, we wanted to celebrate and highlight Callum Tate (they/them/theirs). Callum is a queer, gender diverse, visibly and non-visibly disabled human guardian to an amazing “talking” cat who uses sound buttons to communicate. For Callum's full story, please visit the PSPN's GCconnex Group (available on the Government of Canada Network) - https://bit.ly/4cz7RxL Thank you Callum! 🙏 ++++ Q: How can allies better support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the federal public service? A: Allies within the federal public service are so vitally important to the furtherance of equity! A lot of how someone is an ally is tied to what they feel comfortable with committing to, at any given time. It is up to each ally to know when it is a good idea for them to push the envelope and do more. For some, steps such as adding pronouns to signatures, meeting intros, and working to change written documents, programs, and forms to include neutral and neo pronouns. For some it is working hard to change language to more neutral uses, promoting inclusion and respect for everyone, and not making heteronormative and cis-centric assumptions about others. Others still can advocate for different issues such as pushing for access to gender neutral washrooms in all federal buildings, or by writing to representatives to have equity-seeking groups included in the Employee Equity Act, for example. #Pride2024 #UnityinDiversity

ANTI-LGBTQ+ LEGISLATION NEGATIVELY IMPACTING LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES & ALLIES AT WORK 🏳️🌈 New research from Out & Equal sheds light on the harsh reality that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is having on LGBTQ+ employees and allies in the US. 🔍 Key findings reveal that: *24% of respondents hear jokes about the LGBTQ+ community at work. *84% of those jokes target transgender individuals. *40% don't feel comfortable discussing legislative impacts with supervisors. *79% say anti-LGBTQ+ laws would influence job relocation decisions. 🌈 It's clear: discriminatory laws harm LGBTQ+ individuals and hinder workplace inclusivity. Great insights thanks to Out & Equal's Erin Uritus & Deena Fidas. #FairPlayTalks #EqualityForAll #InclusionMatters #LGBTQInclusion #DiversityEquityInclusion #InclusionMatters #LeadershipMatters https://lnkd.in/eX9H86Nw

Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is negatively impacting the experience of LGBTQ+ employees and allies in US workplaces, a new study has revealed. ➡ The latest research, Talent on the Move–Where Do We Go From Here? highlights how the US legislative landscape and the surge in anti-LGBTQ+ bills are impacting the LGBTQ+ workforce experience. ⬇ Read the complete story below: #LGBTQ #News

A MUST read for those building DE&I business cases looking for buy-in and investment from Leadership! The full report demonstrates a really compelling case for creating LGBTQ+ inclusion strategies. With consistent headlines indicating that hard-fought LGBTQ+ (especially T) rights are being challenged and rolled back across the world, this feels so important and encouraging. Key stats from this report: 💡 LGBT+ inclusion attracts non-LGBT+ talent, too: 72% of allies across multiple markets say they are more likely to accept a job at a company that’s supportive of LGBT+ employees 💡 LGBT+ inclusive policies have a positive impact on recruitment of non-LGBT+ employees: when deciding where to work, 72% of non-LGBT respondents in the U.S. said it was important that an employer have an LGBT+ non-discrimination policy 💡 Senior executives are more attracted to LGBT+ inclusive companies: more than one in two claims to want to work for a company that is an advocate of LGBT+ rights, while two out of three agree that companies need to do more to protect LGBT+ employees in countries that have anti-LGBT+ legislation in place. 💡 LGBT+ discrimination dramatically increases the voluntary turnover level: gay men and women leave their employers due to workplace unfairness at twice the rate of straight white males. 22% of LGBT+ people in Hong Kong have left or considered leaving a job due to discrimination; in Hungary this is 12%. Read the report >> https://lnkd.in/eYcQGQxk