Channels of Influence: How Companies Can Promote LGBT+ Inclusive Societies
Guidance for Action
Published 2019
What is the purpose of this report?
This report provides a clear framework for companies seeking to act in the public sphere to promote LGBT+ inclusion in the countries where they operate.
Previous Open For Business reports have focused on why companies should promote LGBT+ inclusion in the countries where they operate; this report focuses on how.
Who is this report for?
For companies considering how to act in the public sphere, this report will outline ways to take action that are impactful and also appropriate for them.
For civil society organisations seeking to work with businesses, this report will identify opportunities to unlock effective business advocacy.
For individuals working in companies that aren’t yet acting in the public sphere, this report will provide practical guidance on how to move to action.
Also, for any individuals working in anti-LGBT+ environments, this report provides some advice on how they can find support and become part of a movement for change.
What is its methodology?
Open For Business created this report with the UN Free & Equal campaign. It builds upon the work done by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in partnership with the Institute for Human Rights and Business in developing the Standards of Conduct for Business to tackle discrimination against LGBT+ people.
In particular, this report is based upon the following inputs:
A best practice analysis contributed by the Open For Business coalition partners – companies recognised for their leadership in acting in the public sphere to promote LGBT+ inclusion.
Lessons learnt from corporates acting in the public sphere on other issues, including women’s rights and climate change, focusing on how companies can best evaluate the channels of influence available to them in any given country.
A series of 49 interviews were used to hone the framework presented in this report, spanning business, civil society, and government agencies, and including leading LGBT+ activists from around the world.
Who are the authors?
The Open For Business team undertook the final analysis and writing of the report, led by Drew Keller in Washington DC, alongside Yvonne Muthoni in Nairobi, Kenya and CJ Lin in Washington DC. Contributing authors include Logan Smith, Master’s Candidate at Georgetown University, and Ann-Kathrin Richter and Ruairidh Macintosh of the Brunswick Group.
Jon Miller is the Founder and Executive Editor of Open For Business. Companies supporting Open For Business contributed their perspectives and experience advocating for the business case for LGBT+ inclusion around the world.
Jon Miller, Founder, Open for Business
Foreward from Jon Miller, Founder, Open For Business and Partner, Brunswick Group
Since Open For Business launched in 2015, we have seen a real strengthening in support for LGBT+ rights from leading global companies. We now have 27 partners in our coalition, all committed to taking action where it counts – not just talking but doing something about it.
Addressing such a contentious subject can be politically risky. Understandably, companies may be hesitant to take action on-the-ground in criminalising countries. But now Open For Business has been active in ten countries and counting, working with our coalition partners – and our programmes are starting to gain real traction.
We’ve already learnt a great deal on this journey.
We’ve learnt, for example, about what it takes to work on LGBT+ inclusion in countries that are hostile to LGBT+ rights: as well as commitment and courage, it takes trusted local insight and intelligence. Companies must have a clear strategy, developed and delivered alongside local civil society partners. This report presents a framework for developing such a strategy.
We’ve also learnt that many companies want to do more. Their commitment to LGBT+ inclusion is deep rooted, and they don’t want to be accused of “pinkwashing” if they don’t follow through in difficult countries. Increasingly, companies are asking what more they can be doing to support LGBT+ communities, wherever they operate. This report points to some answers, drawing upon our own experience, and learning from advocacy in other fields such as gender equality.
Most of all, we’ve learnt that the private sector can have significant impact on LGBT+ rights. The depth of the economic and business case presented by Open For Business has reframed LGBT+ inclusion as an economic issue. It is encouraging to hear that Open For Business data has been used to support advances in LGBT+ rights – in Uganda, in Hong Kong, and in India. But we have only scratched the surface. There is so much to do – and hopefully this report can begin to unlock new possibilities for creating change.
