Pride and Prejudice - the business case for LGBT diversity and inclusion

Issue #2  |  January 27th 2016 IN THE NEWS Battleground America   LGBT rights will be the focus of legislative battles this year in at least 27 American states, predicts a new study by the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for LGBT rights. Most of the proposed laws are likely to seek to limit the progress made on LGBT rights.   Wind of change   “We must, as Africans, admit that the world is changing and we must move with the times,” said former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, arguing that the continent needs to end its traditional hostility to LGBT rights and inclusion.   Nobody does it better   Britain’s MI5 intelligence agency is the country’s most LGBT-inclusive employer, according to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The organisation has changed a great deal since it axed its ban on hiring LGBT people 25 years ago.   A wing and a prayer   The Anglican church avoided a full schism by suspending its liberal US Episcopal branch for three years over its support for same sex marriage, which had upset theologically conservative church members, especially in Africa.   The Pink Yuan   In a notable Chinese bet on LGBT spending power, Beijing Kunlun Tech, a gaming company, paid $93m for a 60% stake in Grindr, an online dating site popular with gay men. Joel Simkhai, Grindr’s chief executive, described this as “a vote of confidence” for the gay community in China.   FEATURED ARTICLES Promoting LGBT Rights It's a Jungle Out There   "Out in the World" explores pro-LGBT strategies that enlightened companies can pursue in hostile countries. Read article Pride in Davos   Davos is "too male, too white, too straight and too elite," says Antonio Samoes, boss of HSBC in Europe. But LGBT inclusion made the agenda for the first time. Read article Diversity in Silicon Valley A Flap Over Twitter   Twitter's hiring of a gay, white man has prompted another heated debate over diversity policies in Silicon Valley. In this case, the complaints are unjustified. Read article JOIN US AT PRIDE AND PREJUDICE HONG KONG | LONDON | NEW YORK     Like what you see? Share Pride and Prejudice with your friends. They can sign up here.