The Retention Factor: Why Boards Need to Prioritize LGBT+ Inclusion | Emma Codd, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Deloitte

The Better Boards Podcast Series

When LGBT+ employees feel their employers aren't doing enough to support LGBT+ inclusion, many are prepared to look elsewhere for organisations that do. This is one of the many stark findings from Deloitte's recently released 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work report, which explores the experiences of more than 5,400 respondents across 13 countries through the lens of both sexual orientation and gender identity.

The survey findings reinforce that when organisations foster diversity and demonstrate a commitment to LGBT+ inclusion, it can positively impact the lives and experiences of all employees in the workplace. This is why boards need to recognise the importance of inclusion and move beyond lip service to ensure companies have the necessary strategies to ensure their organisations cultivate environments where LGBT+ employees and all employees can thrive.

In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses the 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work report and why boards need to prioritise LGBT+ inclusion with Emma Codd, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the professional services firm Deloitte. Emma leads the firm's strategy on gender balance, LGBT+ inclusion, mental health, disability inclusion, neurodiversity, and the development and delivery of thought leadership aligned to this strategy, including the annual 'Women@Work – a Global Outlook' report. In 2021 Emma was awarded Honorary Membership by the UK's ICAEW for her work championing diversity and inclusion of women

Key statements

"LGBT+ inclusion and the willingness for people to be out in the workplace is a barometer for other aspects of inclusion"

"The survey shows us how important it is to LGBT+ people that their workplace is inclusive for them"

"If they are their true selves in the workplace, they're worried they'll be discriminated against, that they'll be harassed, they'll be disrespected, but then they're also worried about their personal safety"

"The importance of LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace is more important, according to this data, for Generation Z and millennials"

"One in 10 of respondents that experienced these non-inclusive behaviours said that they were exposed to physical aggression"

"Do you know how many of your employees actually are willing to give you their personal data in the first place?"

The three top takeaways for effective boards from our conversation are:

1. This is important to your business.

2. For one day try not referring to your partner by their pronouns to see just how difficult that could be for somebody who cannot be out at work, and therefore the impact on their performance.

3. Understand that culture is everything, and doesn't just impact LGBT+ inclusion. It impacts everything - and boards have a responsibility here. Try and understand how your people are feeling, what they are experiencing, non-inclusive behaviours, and what needs to happen to deal with them properly.