ADIM LGBT+ Guide. Inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity diversity in businesses and organisations

Abstract

The European Project "ADIM - Advancing the management of LGBT diversity in the public and private sector" has been implemented by the General Directorate for Equality of Treatment and Diversity of the Ministry of the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations and Equality of Spain, together with the Commission for Ci izenship and Gender Equality of Portugal and Complutense University of Madrid. This project is funded by the European Union and involves the participation of 16 businesses and 8 public universities in Spain and Portugal who are seeking to improve respect and inclusion in the work- place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people and other members of sexual minorities, including intersex, asexual and gender non-binary people, who we will include in this guide under the umbrella term LGBT+.

This objective has taken the form of specific aims: to produce a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of organisa- tional inclusion-related environments and policies at dif- ferent businesses and universities, as well as to identify the perceptions and experiences of employees at these organi- sations with respect to the LGBT+ community. The evaluation consisted of an internal assessment of LGBT+ diversity and inclusion policies and the production of a questionnaire ad- ministered to employees. It should be noted that the ques- tionnaire was sent to 53,667 employees, 16% of whom re- sponded to it (N=8.557). Out of all the responses, 13.4% were from LGBT+ people (N=1.147), which represents one of the largest available samples worldwide in terms of identifying this group’s experiences in the workplace.

The ADIM LGBT + Guide contains the main results of this evaluation, as well as various proposals to promote the inclusion of sexual diversity and gender identity in companies and organizations.

This guide explains why, despite legal recognition, it is still necessary to work on sexual, family and gender identity diversity in the workplace. Thus, it presents the situation of LGBT + people at work and why companies and other employing institutions must take this reality into account.

The guide reflects on the need to articulate specific policies for this group, ranging from tactical to strategic, arguing whose responsibility it is to include LGBT + diversity and inclusion in companies and institutions. There are also some clues about the challenges that will arise, as well as the possibilities to generate a cultural change regarding LGBT diversity and specific proposals on what companies and institutions can do to promote an inclusive work environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.