Hong Kong's Top 10 Employers For LGBT Inclusion Announced

HONG KONG, May 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Business, a not-for-profit organisation focusing on corporate responsibility and a thought leader on Diversity & Inclusion, today revealed the results of its inaugural Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index. The Top 10 Employers in Hong Kong for LGBT Inclusion 2015 and winners of various LGBT Awards were announced at an Awards Ceremony which took place at the Regal Hong Kong Hotel, in commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).

www.communitybusiness.org/events/2015/150515_HKLGBTX_Awards_Ceremony.htm

The Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index 2015 is the first and only benchmark on workplace inclusion practices and initiatives for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees in Asia.  Launched by Community Business, it is a pioneering initiative that provides companies in Hong Kong with a credible and robust tool to assess, progress and promote their efforts towards LGBT inclusion.

"Congratulations to Community Business on the first Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index. The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is delighted to support this initiative to advance equal opportunities for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in our city," said Dr York Chow, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission. "Indeed, LGBT workplace inclusion should be a key business concern for all companies aspiring to be employers of choice, and this index provides an important tool for benchmarking and measuring progress. Such innovative actions can play a key role towards fostering a truly inclusive society." 

Top 10 Employers in Hong Kong for LGBT Inclusion 2015
Goldman Sachs received the Top Employer for LGBT Inclusion Award, ranking number one in terms of its performance in the Index. The organisations ranked as the Top 10 Employers in Hong Kong for LGBT Inclusion 2015 were:

Award Winners
To recognise the significant contribution made by community organisations, companies and individuals in promoting LGBT inclusion in Hong Kong, Community Business also announced the winners of various LGBT awards, including:

"We extend our congratulations to the organisations that have made it on to our Top 10 Employers in Hong Kong for LGBT Inclusion 2015 as well as the winners of our various LGBT awards. In particular, we applaud Goldman Sachs for its outstanding performance and position as the number one ranking company," said CEO of Community Business, Mrs Fern Ngai. "However, we also want to congratulate and acknowledge all the companies that took part in this Index -- their decision to participate is a significant and critical first step. Regardless of performance, all these companies have shown they are committed to creating inclusive workplaces for LGBT employees in Hong Kong and we urge them to use the learning and insights gained through this process to focus their efforts and drive continued progress."

The LGBT Trailblazer Award is a one-off award to recognise an individual who has pioneered the way for LGBT inclusion in Hong Kong, and inspired and supported others to follow.  Mrs Ngai said, "Community Business is delighted to present this special award to Stephen Golden of Goldman Sachs who has shown personal passion and commitment to LGBT inclusion in Hong Kong from the beginning. Stephen has not only played a key role in driving our work on LGBT inclusion, but has advised and mentored many companies, NGOs and individuals."

Bronze, Silver and Gold Standards
In addition to the ranking of the Top 10 Employers, Community Business assigned Bronze, Silver and Gold Standards. These standards acknowledge the level of performance in the overall Index whilst protecting the anonymity of individual company scores. The following organisations, listed in alphabetical order, achieved a Bronze, Silver or Gold Standard in Community Business' inaugural Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index. Please note, not all companies were willing to be publically acknowledged, so this may not represent the complete list.

Bronze Standard:

• BNY Mellon
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
• Ove Arup & Partners
• Telstra
• UBS
• Wells Fargo Bank  

Silver Standard:

• Commonwealth Bank of Australia
• Credit Suisse
• Latham & Watkins
• MakerBay
• State Street  

Gold Standard:

• Top 10 Employers in Hong Kong for LGBT Inclusion 2015

Ms Dawn Hough, Director of Pride in Diversity, said, "We are delighted to be announcing the results of our Australian Workplace Equality index on the same day as Community Business announces theirs. We would like to congratulate all organisations that placed in either of these indices in addition to those who participated. The index is a valuable mechanism for organisations to gauge, monitor and drive internal inclusion initiatives. Leadership shown by those organisations participating is a testament to their commitment to Diversity and Inclusion."    

"We would particularly like to congratulate those organisations who ranked within both indices or who received their recognition: Goldman Sachs, HSBC, ANZ and Commonwealth Bank. We commend and congratulate Community Business for introducing this important measure of LGBTI inclusivity. We very much look forward to strengthening our relationship with Community Business moving forward," continued Ms Hough.

Key Findings
Analysis of the data of all the 35 Participating Companies revealed the following:

The average total score is 42.8 points and the median score is 40.0 points out of 100. Companies have made a good start in terms of creating inclusive workplaces for LGBT inclusion in Hong Kong. However, there is clearly room for improvement.

Best Performance

• Overall, companies perform best in Category 1: Equal Opportunity Policy, achieving an average of 9.4 points out of a possible 15 points (62.7%). This is particularly encouraging in light of the fact that Hong Kong currently has no anti-discrimination laws relating to sexual orientation and gender identity -- demonstrating that companies are taking the lead and generally going beyond what is legally required.
• Companies generally demonstrate robust performance in Category 3: Diversity Structure and Category 8: Community & Advocacy, showing that for the most part they have a structure in place to support their LGBT inclusion strategy in Hong Kong and that they are taking proactive steps to promote LGBT inclusion in the broader community.

Worst Performance

• Companies perform worst in Category 7: Monitoring, achieving an average of 1.4 points out of a possible 6 points (23.3%). This is not surprising, given that the majority of companies in Hong Kong are just starting out on LGBT inclusion in Hong Kong and taking steps to monitor LGBT employees reflects a more mature approach.
• However, the average scores for Category 2: Diversity Training and Category 6: Market Positioning are also low. The former is disappointing and points to a priority focus area for companies in Hong Kong, for providing LGBT-specific training to employees is critical to raising awareness and creating the supportive culture that is so critical for an LGBT-inclusive workplace.  The latter reflects that it is early days for companies in Hong Kong when it comes to proactively marketing their brand to the LGBT market from a client or business perspective.

Index Report
Community Business has published a Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index 2015 Report which presents the consolidated findings of all the participating companies in the Index. It looks at average performance in each category of the Index and highlights where companies are performing well and where there is room for improvement as well as references examples of best practice. As such, it provides a valuable benchmarking tool for companies looking to make progress on LGBT workplace inclusion. The report is available for purchase and download on the Community Business website from Friday 29 May 2015. For details about the Hong Kong LGBT Workplace Inclusion Index, please visit: www.communitybusiness.org/hklgbtindex/.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Participating Companies (listed in alphabetical order)
(* 8 companies participating in the Index chose to remain anonymous.)

Media Contact:
Joy TSANG
Head of Marketing & Communications
+852-2201-1818; +852-9486-4364; joy.tsang@communitybusiness.org

About Community Business
Community Business is a not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to lead, inspire and support businesses to have a positive impact on people and communities. Recognised as a thought leader in corporate responsibility in Asia, Community Business conducts research, facilitates networks and events, leads campaigns and provides consultancy and training. With a focus on Responsible Business, its key areas of expertise include: Community Investment, Diversity & Inclusion and Work-Life Balance. Founded in 2003 and based in Hong Kong, Community Business works with companies of all sizes and from diverse industries across Asia, harnessing the power of business to drive social change. For more information, visit www.communitybusiness.org.