When releasing the UN Standards of Conduct for Business Tacking Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, & Intersex People, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said: 

“If we are to achieve faster global progress towards equality for LGBTI people, businesses will not only have to meet their human rights responsibilities, they must become active agents of change.” 

He continued: “Companies must either decide to actively combat discrimination against LGBTI people or accept that they are, in effect, facilitating it. There is no neutral position.”

The past decade has seen important progress in LGBTI inclusion in many parts of the world. Yet  in most countries protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is inadequate at best. 

Among 195 countries, only 67 ban discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation. Only 20 countries ban discrimination based on gender identity and only three ban discrimination against intersex people. 

As the liberal democratic form of government that emerged from the lessons of World War II fractures around us, the voices of populism grow ever louder, seeking not inclusion and unity but division. This creates an urgent need for business to use its power on the side of equality.    

The UN Standards provide five concrete steps companies can take to align their policies and practice with the UN Guiding Principles responsibility to respect human rights. 

The Standards build on already existing international human rights norms; provide practical guidance to companies; look at business practice both in the workplace and up and down a company’s supply chain; and call on businesses to use their leverage and relationships with local stakeholders to support and advance LGBTI equality globally.  

As Executive Director of the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality, a global leadership platform project of the World Economic Forum, I work with our 15 Founding Member companies and civil society partners Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International to access best practice by companies and leverage their power to advance the UN Standards.

The Partnership was formally launched by the Forum in Davos at its 2019 Annual Meeting and in a few weeks we will be at the Forum’s 2020 Annual Meeting to renew our commitment to using the individual and collective power of business to promote a culture of respect and equality globally. 

To quote in part from the Forum’s press release in announcing the Partnership,

“Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity not only violates universal basic human rights, it also adversely impacts the long-term economic prospects of individuals, businesses and countries.

“A 2017 UNAIDS study estimated the global cost of LGBTI discrimination at $100 billion per year.  Businesses have an important role to play in respecting and protecting human rights through fostering workplace inclusion for LGBTI people.”

I would encourage companies to add their names to the list of nearly 300 companies who have stood up for LGBTI human rights and equality by expressing support for the UN Standards. 

This kind of statement helps further progress globally and serves as an example to others in the business community. With rising tensions across the world, business can play an important role in furthering the cause of LGBTI equality.

Companies can add their names via the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality website.