IBM NAMED MOST LGBT-FRIENDLY EMPLOYER IN THE WORLD

For the third year in a row, tech giant IBM has been named the world’s most LGBT-inclusive employer by Amsterdam-based Workplace Pride Foundation.

This is the third year that Workplace Pride has compiled its Global Benchmark Survey – to which companies submit themselves for consideration. The evaluation of each company is carried out with support from the University of Leiden.

The 2015 Global Benchmark looked at 21 companies, but this grew to 30 organizations for the 2016 survey.

Between them, the companies account for some 3million employees in over 100 countries.

The top ten companies, and their respective benchmark scores, were as follows.

1.   IBM: (US) 89.11%

2.   Dow: (US) 86.00%

3.   Shell: (NL) 84.89%

4.   Accenture (US) – 83.78%

5.   KPN: (NL) 80.44%

6.   BNP Paribas: (FR) 79.78%

7.   Cisco: (US) 73.33%

8.   ING: (NL) 70.0%

9.   Post NL: (NL) 69.44%

10.                     Sodexo: (FR) 66.44%

The Global Benchmark was created partly so that companies could track their progress with regards to LGBTI diversity and inclusion, and Workplace Pride says that those organization that took part in the survey scored a median of 61% in 2016 – up from 58% in 2015 and 51% in 2014.

The highest scoring new entrant on the 2016 benchmark was Accenture, with its score of 83.78%.

In September, Accenture took the number one position, and IBM the seventh, in a top ten ranking of LGBT-inclusive employers in Ireland.

IBM scored the top mark of 100 in the most recent HRC Corporate Equality Index in the US – where it was a vocal opponent of the anti-LGBT HB 2 legislation in North Carolina.

It has also been active in promoting its values in other parts of the world. It’s a member of Pride Connection Mexico and was one of only a handful of organizations to sponsor this year’s Pune Pride in India – a country where same-sex sexual activity is illegal.

In May, it was one of the participating countries in China’s second LGBT Talent Job Fair.

‘This year’s Global Benchmark saw a 40% increase in the number of participants,’ said David Pollard, Executive Director, Workplace Pride in a statement.

‘We congratulate IBM and all of the 2016 Global Benchmark participants as they are making good on their commitments to create workplaces around the world where LGBT people can be themselves.’

IBM have been approached for comment.

SOURCE: GAY STAR NEWS