SAO PAULO, Brazil – Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s largest non-profit dedicated to achieving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workplace equality, today announced details of its 2016 Out & Equal Brazil Forum, which will take place Nov. 17 in São Paulo. Out & Equal Founder and CEO Selisse Berry will deliver the keynote address at the Forum – sponsored by J.P. Morgan – and panelists and participants will discuss global trends and best practices in workplace equality for LGBT employees.
150 participants from more than 100 Brazilian and multinational organizations will participate in the Forum, making it the largest event to take place on LGBT workplace equality in Brazil. Panelists represent major corporations and organizations, including J.P. Morgan, Dow, Accenture, Ambev, Bloomberg, Microsoft, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Google, Goldman Sachs, Monsanto and Instituto Ethos.
“I am so proud to be bringing together some of the largest corporations in Brazil and across the world to celebrate LGBT workplace equality and discuss how to make the workplace a better place for the LGBT community,” said Out & Equal CEO and Founder, Selisse Berry. “The huge response to this event illustrates the great interest in and commitment to workplace diversity and inclusion here in Brazil.”
Research by the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles demonstrates that LGBT-supportive policies and workplace climates are linked to greater job commitment, improved workplace relationships and increased job satisfaction for LGBT employees.
“There is a tremendous momentum in Brazil with respect to LGBT inclusion in the workplace, with many firms exploring how they can mobilize or take their efforts to the next level,” said Ken Jannsens, Board Member, Out & Equal and Managing Director, J.P. Morgan. “This event will bring together all that energy in one place for an entire afternoon so we can learn from each other and ensure that these 100 companies lead the way for all of corporate Brazil.”
