The Economic Case for LGBT+ Inclusion in Uzbekistan
Open For Business is excited to share our new research report on Uzbekistan, our first in the Central Asia region. The report continues to highlight our overriding belief that greater LGBT+ inclusion is good for economies, good for business and good for people. Our hope is that the report and its findings will stimulate more dialogue about the topic of diversity and inclusion within Uzbekistan businesses and the government, as well as among multinational companies and others investing in the country.
We are impressed by the pace of growth of the Uzbekistan economy over the past few years, and by the policy reforms and international outreach efforts the country has made to enable this growth. Yet we also recognize from the data we have collected and analyzed in Uzbekistan and in other countries that sustained growth cannot happen without more attention to and actions taken on diversity and inclusion.
Businesses around the world know that creativity and innovation are the drivers of growth and that innovation thrives when all workers, including LGBT+ workers, feel comfortable and included on the job. We look to Uzbekistan businesses to take a leadership role on LGBT+ topics, as many around the world have already done, using the ideas we have put forth in our report, Channels of Influence:
How Companies Can Promote LGBT+ Inclusive Societies and from the United Nations report, Standards of Conduct for Business: Tackling Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans & Intersex People. Businesses around the world use data and best practices to improve their performance and profitability, and we hope that our reports will stimulate new thinking on LGBT+ inclusion as a driver of growth in Uzbekistan.
Download report here