What’s keeping me up at night…
I’ve been writing all my life, and these are some of my personal reflections on developments affecting the LGBTQ+ community around the world…
- Why 2023 was a transformational year in how companies do Pride marketing (Xtra Magazine)
- Pride 2023: A turning point for companies (Institute for Human Rights and Business)
- Which companies are true LGBTQ+ allies? Figuring it out can be tricky for consumers — but here’s how (MarketWatch)
- Companies That Embraced Social Issues Have Second Thoughts (Wall Street Journal)
- The Business of Fashion – Fashion’s Pride Month Lesson (BoF)
- Companies still see LGBTQ+ board representation as ‘frivolous,’ according to a corporate advocate (Fortune)
- Improving Queer Women’s Representation in the Boardroom (NACD Board talk)
- LGBTQ+ Board representation: identifying the barriers to entry Posted by Richard Socarides and Fabrice Houdart (Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors)
- RSA Fellows making an impact in the LGBTQ+ community
- World Bank’s Decision To Pause Uganda’s Funding Spurs Questions on Decision Process Bloomberg
- Opinion | The international donor community must rebuke Uganda for its anti-LGBTQ+ law (Washington Post)
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As we navigate perilous times, we must regain control of the organizations we created to protect ourselves The US LGBTQ+ movement was at some point one the most effective community-run grassroots movements. Today, some of our non-profits are co-opted by questionable actors, more focused on publicity than impact and instrumentalized by their leaders for personal…
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I like to think of myself as a modern-age Nostradamus: here are 15 predictions for the New Year My 2022 forecast (here) was strangely not bad for once. Granted, some unexpected developments such as the war in Ukraine or Morrison’s defeat in Australia precipitated positive developments I had foreseen. On the other hand, the passing…
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India’s highest court holds hearing on same-sex marriage. To many, January 6th, 2023 will be the 1st anniversary of the United States Capitol attack. And yet, tomorrow could be a turning point for LGBTQ+ people globally as the Indian Supreme Court starts hearing arguments on the recognition of same-sex marriage in India under the Special…
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LGBTQ+ people only represent 0.6 percent of all corporate board members in Fortune 500 companies in 2022 (see our tracker here), an increase of only 0.1% over the past 5 years. Until this year, LGBTQ+ people were the only underrepresented group in the Boardroom without an organization to prepare, network, and position high-caliber diverse LGBTQ+…
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Remarks on How to Tackle Unconscious Bias in the Workplace Unconscious biases have strong impacts at the workplace, and can apply to all identities, whether related to gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background or religion. Key strategies and actions can be implemented by companies to tackle such biases. The session will focus on the importance…
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Radical cultural relativism vs. universality of human rights Some in the Muslim world and elsewhere are riled up by what they perceive as the hypocritical Western denunciation of Qatar in the context of the World Cup. “Y’all insisting one wearing the one love band is just disrespectful to the people hosting the game” a connection commented…
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In Qatar, Colorado Springs or across the river When I came out to the first person in my family, my grandmother– finally safe 4,000 miles away from my home — she told me “not to get AIDS”. It was a pretty usual reaction in 2001. She did not instruct me to be happy now that…
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A glimpse of LGBTQ+ Inclusion at the NACD Summit? Before joining the Annual Summit of the National Association of Corporate Directors in Washington this week, we carefully cross-examined the list of participants against the lists of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors: counting 4 lesbians and 4 gay men (only 3 actual board directors — namely…
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Opening Remarks Thank you for your kind words Betsy and thank you for saying “yes” when I asked you to lend your name, expertise and knowledge to the Association. It is an honor to have you on our Advisory Board. Let me also echo our gratitude to our friends at JP Morgan and in particular Managing Director…
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This week, The Economist’s cover read “ESG: three letters that won’t save the planet” with this striking picture. It describes ESG as an “abbreviation that is in danger of standing for exaggerated, superficial guff” expressing fears it will only be another golden opportunity for consulting firms to sell overpriced services to clients without triggering any meaningful change. Indeed, investors have…
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A 6-steps Guide for LGBTQ+ Professionals As I have mentioned in my previous post, companies are reckoning with LGBTQ+ representation in the American corporate boardroom. In August, NASDAQ is starting to mandate disclosure of Board Member’s sexual orientation and gender identity for its listed companies. Concretely, it means that companies are going to have to…
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A Simple Recipe to Empower all LGBTQ+ Employees Personal and professional development of LGBTQ+ staff is a worthy venture. It is not only good business but also sends a clear signal to societies that demand private companies acquire a social license to operate. From internal Employee Resource Group (ERG) to external networking opportunities, a clear…
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33 seats (0.6%) in 31 companies — two have two LGBTQ+ Board members (Cisco and Macy’s) (5%) occupied by 26 out LGBTQ+ people including 13 women, 5 LatinX, 4 POC. This list is the only one keeping continuous track of LGBTQ+ Board representation globally. There has been some movement in LGBTQ+ representation in the Fortune…
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Creating Room for Belonging Remarks at the European Central Banks System — SSM While there is no hierarchy of discrimination against marginalized communities, there is a singular specificity to the LGBTQ+ experience: early childhood experience of isolation. LGBTQ+ are the only marginalized community I have encountered, which is born outside of its own community. Dalit people…