Last Friday, June 10, Fundación Diversidad participated in the LGBT-Friendly Business and Institutional Congress, presenting concrete practices to promote Diversity management among organizations.
Among the topics discussed, we explained the origins of Fundación Diversidad, as well as the principles on which the Diversity Charter is based.
We also explained that the Foundation's main objective is to create work environments free from prejudice in employment, training, and promotion, by disseminating the principles of the Diversity Charter, presenting awards, and networking. However, our work at Fundación Diversidad does not end when organizations sign and commit to the Charter; that is only the first step.
Through its ongoing relationship with organizations, the Foundation has developed the White Paper on Diversity, whose content is intended to serve as a reference source on action mechanisms through which differences in origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion, customs, age, or disability are treated as resources and sources of innovation. It reflects both the non-discrimination principles we defend and the perspectives of experts in workplace diversity management, as well as the reality of companies that have processes and actions in place to manage their diversity.
At Fundación Diversidad, we firmly believe that organizations themselves are the ones that truly bring about social change through the diversity actions and policies they implement. For us, it is gratifying to see that commitment to workforce diversity is becoming a reality in more and more companies every day. Some might think that good practices should not be recognized because they are simply the way things should be; however, recognizing good practices in diversity management is another of our main areas of work. Last year, we presented the first Diversity Management Awards, which enabled us to identify the actions that many organizations put into practice.
With regard to LGBT diversity, it is important to highlight that organizations have already launched a range of initiatives, such as support campaigns for LGBT groups, Pride Month celebrations, and global and local networks in specific international companies for LGBT groups...
There are also numerous awareness-raising activities, such as specific awareness sessions focused on this group, general inclusion campaigns aimed at all forms of diversity within the company, ensuring that all employees feel included regardless of their diversity, and training courses...
Similarly, organizations have implemented internal procedures to create inclusive environments, such as establishing good practices in the recruitment process by not asking candidates about any personal factors; using public procedures known to all members of the organization; creating specific protocols through which employees can seek support freely; and using inclusive language in both internal and external communications issued by the company...
These are examples we highlight when meeting with organizations that do not consider it necessary to launch initiatives or activities to help manage LGBT diversity among their workforces because they believe there is no point in taking each worker's sexual orientation or identity into account. This lack of visibility can contribute to discriminatory situations occurring in the workplace.
Fundación Diversidad's vision for the future of LGBT management
At Fundación Diversidad, we have a clear vision of LGBT diversity in the workplace:
Regardless of full compliance with, review, and improvement of current legislation, and of the work carried out by trade unions, we believe that within organizations, the first step in managing LGBT diversity is to make the existence of this group visible in the workplace, in order to raise awareness among company employees and put an end to all types of discrimination that occur, including direct, indirect, vertical, and horizontal discrimination.
In many workplaces, simply making comments, jokes, or what are intended to be humorous remarks—but are not—can make a worker feel inhibited and even prevent them from enjoying the rights to which they are entitled as a member of the company, such as requesting parental leave, marriage leave, sick leave, or time off for a medical appointment.
It is everyone's responsibility—not only as workers but as human beings—to create inclusive environments in which no one has to endure discriminatory situations.
Photo gallery
EGF Congress Interview - Carmen Fernández Vargas, Project Coordinator at Fundación para la Diversidad
LGBT visibility in workplace environments
Last Friday, June 10, Fundación Diversidad participated in the LGBT-Friendly Business and Institutional Congress, presenting concrete practices to promote Diversity management among organizations.
Among the topics discussed, we explained the origins of Fundación Diversidad, as well as the principles on which the Diversity Charter is based.
We also explained that the Foundation's main objective is to create work environments free from prejudice in employment, training, and promotion, by disseminating the principles of the Diversity Charter, presenting awards, and networking. However, our work at Fundación Diversidad does not end when organizations sign and commit to the Charter; that is only the first step.
Through its ongoing relationship with organizations, the Foundation has developed the White Paper on Diversity, whose content is intended to serve as a reference source on action mechanisms through which differences in origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion, customs, age, or disability are treated as resources and sources of innovation. It reflects both the non-discrimination principles we defend and the perspectives of experts in workplace diversity management, as well as the reality of companies that have processes and actions in place to manage their diversity.
At Fundación Diversidad, we firmly believe that organizations themselves are the ones that truly bring about social change through the diversity actions and policies they implement. For us, it is gratifying to see that commitment to workforce diversity is becoming a reality in more and more companies every day. Some might think that good practices should not be recognized because they are simply the way things should be; however, recognizing good practices in diversity management is another of our main areas of work. Last year, we presented the first Diversity Management Awards, which enabled us to identify the actions that many organizations put into practice.
With regard to LGBT diversity, it is important to highlight that organizations have already launched a range of initiatives, such as support campaigns for LGBT groups, Pride Month celebrations, and global and local networks in specific international companies for LGBT groups...
There are also numerous awareness-raising activities, such as specific awareness sessions focused on this group, general inclusion campaigns aimed at all forms of diversity within the company, ensuring that all employees feel included regardless of their diversity, and training courses...
Similarly, organizations have implemented internal procedures to create inclusive environments, such as establishing good practices in the recruitment process by not asking candidates about any personal factors; using public procedures known to all members of the organization; creating specific protocols through which employees can seek support freely; and using inclusive language in both internal and external communications issued by the company...
These are examples we highlight when meeting with organizations that do not consider it necessary to launch initiatives or activities to help manage LGBT diversity among their workforces because they believe there is no point in taking each worker's sexual orientation or identity into account. This lack of visibility can contribute to discriminatory situations occurring in the workplace.
Fundación Diversidad's vision for the future of LGBT management
At Fundación Diversidad, we have a clear vision of LGBT diversity in the workplace:
Regardless of full compliance with, review, and improvement of current legislation, and of the work carried out by trade unions, we believe that within organizations, the first step in managing LGBT diversity is to make the existence of this group visible in the workplace, in order to raise awareness among company employees and put an end to all types of discrimination that occur, including direct, indirect, vertical, and horizontal discrimination.
In many workplaces, simply making comments, jokes, or what are intended to be humorous remarks—but are not—can make a worker feel inhibited and even prevent them from enjoying the rights to which they are entitled as a member of the company, such as requesting parental leave, marriage leave, sick leave, or time off for a medical appointment.
It is everyone's responsibility—not only as workers but as human beings—to create inclusive environments in which no one has to endure discriminatory situations.
Photo gallery
EGF Congress Interview - Carmen Fernández Vargas, Project Coordinator at Fundación para la Diversidad
