Open for Business

Next week our CEO, Ken Janssens will be moderating an important conversation at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva -  “Recommit and Defend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Advancing the Implementation of the UNGPs as a Tool to Promote Inclusive Business Practices.” As global momentum around DEI faces political and societal headwinds, this discussion will explore how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) can serve as a framework to reaffirm and advance inclusive business practices worldwide. Ken will be joined by an incredible group of speakers: 💬 Fernanda Hopenhaym, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights 💬 Montserrat Rovalo, Permanent Mission of Mexico to the UN in Geneva 💬 Toni Gee Fernandez, Executive Director, Mujer LGBT 💬 Erika George, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Equity, Justice & Engagement, Boston University 💬 Shamarukh Fakhruddin, Urmi Group & Bangladesh Business & Disability Network Together, they'll explore concrete lessons, practical tools, and forward-looking recommendations to ensure DEI remains firmly anchored in the global human rights agenda — and in everyday business practice. When: 24 November (10:00–11:20am CET)  RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eiV8D8Np #UNForumBHR #InclusiveBusiness

New research from Indeed’s Hiring Lab highlights how an anti-LGBTQ market impacts the labour market. An analysis of anti-LGBTQ resolutions in Poland shows that exclusionary rhetoric alone, even without legal change, reshapes labour markets and talent flow: 📉 Talent searches with intention Counties that passed anti-LGBTQ declarations saw: • 12% more domestic out-of-county job search • 15% more international job search • A nearly 1% decline in their young adult population (2011–2021), showing that search intentions translated into real out-migration. 🌍 People move toward inclusion Jobseekers redirected their search toward: • Polish counties without anti-LGBTQ declarations • European countries with marriage equality These patterns held even after accounting for economic variables, suggesting people weren’t just looking for higher wages; they were seeking environments where they could live openly and safely. ➕ Inclusive areas gain, exclusive areas lose Outbound job search increased significantly for discriminatory counties, while inbound search was statistically insignificant. In other words: exclusion loses talent; inclusion attracts it. 💡 The takeaway: Discrimination has an economic cost. When governments signal exclusion, skilled workers look elsewhere. Businesses and local economies lose out. This mirrors what we found in our Open For Business research in Poland: LGBTQ+ exclusion weakens competitiveness, accelerates brain drain, and impacts long-term economic resilience. Research by Pawel Adrjan and Jan Gromadzki. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eJb5X4g7

DEI needs to remain firmly anchored in both the global human rights agenda and business practices. Our CEO, Ken Janssens, is moderating the upcoming UN forum, offering practical skills and recommendations on exactly this. ➡️ If you’d like to join the conversation in person or virtually, you can register here: https://lnkd.in/eiV8D8Np #UNForumBHR

🌟 We're honoured to welcome Aprileen Alexander to our Board of Trustees to support our mission to strengthen the economic case for inclusion and give leaders the evidence they need to boost business and economies and advance LGBTQ+ rights. Aprileen is a finance and strategy executive with over 20 years’ experience across creative industries, technology, and social impact sectors. She currently works with early-stage and high-growth founders as a Fractional CFO and COO, helping them scale sustainably through strong financial leadership and sound operational strategy. She is also the host of The Pursuit Playbook podcast, which supports and amplifies the career journeys of Black women in corporate and entrepreneurship. Through candid conversations and strategic insights, Aprileen explores how women can build careers that are both ambitious and authentic. "I’m passionate about creating inclusive spaces where business can be a genuine force for good. Joining Open For Business aligns with my belief that diversity and equality aren’t just moral imperatives, they’re key to long-term economic and social progress. "It’s also imperative that we demonstrate our advocacy not just behind closed doors but also visibly. Coming from the Caribbean, where LGBTQ+ rights and initiatives are increasingly under pressure, I feel a personal responsibility to use my platform to champion equality and allyship on a wider stage."  

To mark Trustees' Week, we wanted to spotlight some of our brilliant board members, who help drive the work we do at Open for Business. Today, we hear from Linda Blackmore, who shares advice for anybody thinking about joining a board and what it entails: "Becoming a Board Trustee can give you a front row seat and opportunity to contribute to the success of the mission. You'll learn invaluable aspects of governance and how organisations work to deliver progress. Best of all may be working with all your amazing and dedicated colleagues." To learn more about our fantastic board, visit https://lnkd.in/exVAFUQD

This Trustees' Week, we caught up with some of our wonderful board members to hear from them about their drive to support Open for Business and the work involved in being a Trustee. Open for Business board member Liam Rezende told us what being a Trustee means to him: "In the state the world is in right now, with the escalating climate crisis, ongoing conflict, rising inequality, threats to democracy and growing hostility towards human rights, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But being a Trustee gives me hope. It allows me to turn that sense of urgency into action, to stand up for what I believe in and help drive real change on the issues I care about, even if it’s in a small but meaningful way." To learn more about our fantastic board, visit https://lnkd.in/exVAFUQD

ILGA-Europe Conference round-up 🌏 🏳️🌈 Our Open for Business team has been at the ILGA-Europe Conference, connecting with LGBTQ+ activists, civil society organisations, and global partners from across the region. 💬 Our Director of Global Programmes, Liz Jacobs, spoke on the panel  “Navigating the shifting funding landscape together” alongside Broden Giambrone, Executive Director of the International Trans Fund (ITF). Liz shared insights on how CSOs can build stronger partnerships with businesses in their local contexts, offering practical tools to help sustain and grow impact. 🌟 Together, Liz and our Programme Manager, Emma Appleby led a full workshop, “Turning data into change: How to use the economic case for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Europe.” The session brought together activists from across the continent to explore how economic evidence can strengthen advocacy for equality. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 73% rating the session 5 out of 5 stars. 🤝 Throughout the conference, our team met with civil society organizations from Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia—as well as with global NGOs including Freedom to Marry and Outright International. These conversations offered valuable insights into the global LGBTQ+ landscape alongside new and creative ways to make progress for LGBTQ+ rights. While the conference took place amid challenging times for the sector, it was an important reminder of the strength and resilience of our community. #ILGAEurope #OpenForBusiness #LGBTQInclusion #Equality #Community

Thank you, Thomson Reuters Foundation for having us this week at the Trust Conference! It was an energising space, with global attendees spanning the media, tech, and non-profit worlds, with fantastic panels on topics ranging from the future of AI in media and journalism, and how to plan effective digital engagement strategies for Gen-Z audiences. Our Director of Communications Matt Horwood also caught up with Enrique Anarte Lazo to talk about the global state of affairs for LGBTQ+ people, and the role that business has to protect and improve that. We look forward to 2026! #TC2025

🚨 New research announcement: Our Uruguay economic briefing - The Economic Case for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Uruguay - has officially launched. The case of Uruguay shows that LGBTQ+ inclusion is not just a human rights imperative but a tangible driver of national competitiveness. This is an important piece of work that businesses, governments, and civil societies across the world can learn from. A progressive legislative framework, combined with active policies for innovation, entrepreneurship, talent retention, and safe tourism, has transformed the country into a regional hub capable of attracting investment, boosting strategic sectors, and reducing brain drain. 📊 ➡️ The data is clear: greater productivity, more innovation, and a global positioning that translates diversity into an economic advantage. Uruguay proves that inclusion generates returns, not only socially but also economically, and sets a precedent for Latin America and the world 🇺🇾 💙 Read the full report in both Spanish and English: https://lnkd.in/ervz9ugP