LGBTQ+ Pride Month: Let's talk about business
Over the years, you have probably seen companies embrace LGBTQ+ in their marketing and advertising strategies. Actions such as changing their logo to resemble the pride flag, launching limited edition products to emphasise support, proposition themselves as allies or even taking part in social initiatives such as marches and parades. But for many LGBTQ+-owned businesses, pride month does not necessarily translate to heightening attention towards their companies. Frankly, it is an opportunity for businesses to improve their social image as more inclusive. This is why this year Pride Month we will closely focus on the most common challenges that LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and business owners are facing in the corporate world.
What is an LGBTQ+-owned business?
The NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) defines an LGBTQ-owned business as one that is at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by someone who identifies as being part of the LGBTQ+ community (including non-binary and non-conforming individuals). However, many business owners decide not to openly identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community due to social stigma and prejudice.
LGBTQ+-owned businesses and the corporate world
Entrepreneurship is challenging for anyone interested in starting a business, but challenges that aspiring LBGTQ+ entrepreneurs are facing are much more complex and frankly harder to overcome. Pride Month is an opportunity to evaluate what you can do as an organisation to create a more inclusive and fair work environment for those who are more vulnerable to experiencing limitations and obstacles in their professional journey. These could include disclosing sexuality to the investors, employees, and customers, as well as being a victim of harassment and discrimination at the workplace. A study shows that almost 20% of LGBTQ+ business owners have faced barriers due to discrimination. Whether it comes to accessing funding, obtaining licences, pursuing prospects and sales, or hiring new employees, LGBTQ+ businesses tend to encounter more disadvantages, due to social bias or lack of governmental support. Especially since many countries do not provide legal protections for LGBTQ+ employees or business owners yet. It is critical to consider how it can possibly affect and limit the perspectives for growth and development. Therefore, we should be particularly vocal regarding the obstacles that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are facing in the modern corporate world due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Barriers LGBTQ+ individuals are facing in the workplace
Moreover, during this LGBTQ+ Pride Month, we aim to emphasise the issue of harassment and bullying that the LGBTQ+ people have s experience in the workplace. Despite visible signs of progress across various industries, many challenges persist. As being more inclusive and diverse has become one of the most talked-about topics in the corporate world, the issue of harassment within the workplace itself remains relevant. Here you can find out more about why it is crucial for your business to create an inclusive and diverse workplace. According to the Stonewall report, 1 in 8 trans employees has been physically attacked by a colleague or customer in the last year. This only highlights the social stigma that surrounds transgender people in society and emphasises the urge to introduce a new policy that will protect LGBTQ+ workers.
Furthermore, according to McKinsey's report on the American workforce, 3 in 20 LGBTQ+ women think their sexual orientation will adversely affect their careers. The number is even higher for LGBTQ+ men, as 6 in 20 of them believe it would drastically limit their career progression. Such findings indicate that gender and sexual minorities face sharp barriers when advancing in the workplace.
What should we focus on?
Pride Month is a designated time in the year to evaluate why sexual orientations or gender identity can have the power to influence our professional careers. A moment of reflection for every business owner on how their company operates and what they can do to create diversity, equity, and inclusion within their workplace. If you would like to find out more about how you can support gender and sexual minorities, please sign up for our free webinars (which will be followed up by a discussion panel) to learn more about supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in your workplace.
Throughout the whole of June, we are posting on our social media valuable insights that will allow you to get a better understanding of how you can support and become an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. If you have any inquiries please feel free to contact our dedicated team, or visit our homepage for more resources.
If you would like to attend our webinar "～Walk the Talk for LGBTQ Inclusion ～" please follow the relevant link to register your interest. You are more than welcome to invite your colleagues and everyone who could enjoy our webinars. We are looking forward to seeing you all there.
English (23 June): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PrF_QmdRQfWOEv_UDFpuqA
Japanese (29 June): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rI2QYF8ESJyoowYOEXVx2
Key Information:
English
Date：18:30 - 19:30 (JST) / 10:30 - 11:30 (BST) Wed, 23 June 2022
Venue: Online (Zoom)
Speakers (TBD): Sanae Endo (GAP) & others
Topics (TBD)：
LGBTQ activities and legislations around the world
Best practices by Global & Japanese companies
5 Practical Steps as allies
Japanese
オンラインイベント 「LGBTQ施策・アライとしての実践」(日本語)
日時：2022年6月29日(水) 12:00 - 13:00 (英国) / 20:00 - 21:00 (日本)
場所：Zoom
登壇者(予定): 水橋 紀恵 氏 (三井化学)、砂野 憲司 氏 (Hult/ EF Corporate Education)
トピック(予定)：
LGBTQを取り巻く世界の状況2022
グローバル企業・日系企業の成功事例
アライとしてできる5ステップ
