Kenya

• Re-framed LGBT+ inclusion from only a moral debate – it was discussed as a business and economic issue in the Kenyan national media for the first time

• Report shows that LGBT+ discrimination costs Kenya up to $1.3 billion per year, or 1.7% of GDP – equivalent to 144% of government spending on healthcare

• Headlines in major Kenyan media and 13 million impressions on social media

• Fuelled a new dimension of advocacy – supporting local activists and civil society organisations by providing them with a new data-driven argument for LGBT+ inclusion

The Vatican

• Facilitated an important new level of dialogue with the Vatican on the human rights abuses propagated by the criminalisation of same-sex acts

• Secured initial support from the Catholic Church – the Secretary of State of the Vatican welcomed the conversation, condemned all forms of violence against all persons around the world and signalled his intention to look for common ground to collectively move the conversation forward

• Prepared a new report aimed at framing a continued dialogue with the Vatican on LGBT+ rights, which has been shared with His Holiness Pope Francis

• Working with the International Bar Association to secure a statement from the Vatican supporting the decriminalisation of same-sex acts in close to 70 countries around the world, potentially changing the lives of millions of LGBT+ people

Taiwan

• Developed an Economic Brief to support the Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan in their successful campaign to secure marriage equality

• The Economic Brief was signed by a mix of Open For Business coalition partners and local Taiwanese businesses

• This intervention made national media coverage, and the report was placed directly into the hands of legislators

The Freedom to Love

In response to Brunei’s April 2019 implementation of new laws that made gay sex and adultery punishable by stoning to death, Open For Business collaborated with the Virgin Group and the B Team to coordinate corporate action. As part of the international reaction, we published a letter entitled “Freedom To Love” that was signed by 21 CEOs and global leaders who condemned the anti-LGBT+ laws that currently exist in close to 70 countries around the world and called on other business leaders to collectively take action to advance LGBT+ inclusion globally.

The New Global Champions

• Report shows that since 2015 support for LGBT+ inclusion has doubled in emerging market companies – even when they’re based in countries that are hostile or dangerous for the LGBT+ community

• Contrary to common misconceptions, emerging market companies do not suffer any adverse financial consequences for supporting LGBT+ inclusion. Fears that talking about LGBT+ will somehow damage business are unfounded

• LGBT+ inclusive companies see significantly higher portions of revenue come from international sources than non-LGBT+ inclusive companies

• Strong media coverage (Bloomberg and the Economic Times) with pieces in Argentina, Brazil, Singapore, Canada and the US – close to 14 million impressions on social media

• Following the report launch in New Delhi with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), we are looking to host events in Brazil and China