Press release
International Day Against Homophobia: local businesses stand to gain by making their workplaces more inclusive for the LGBT community
Montréal, May 17, 2012 – To mark the International Day Against Homophobia, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal will be holding a business luncheon entitled Benefitting from Sexual Diversity, in partnership with the Fondation Émergence. The luncheon will be an opportunity for the business community to attend a roundtable made up of Marie Lamarre, President of the Commission des lésions professionnelles, François Côté, President of TELUS Québec and TELUS Health Solutions, Murillo Rego, Senior Manager, Marketplace Services for Deloitte, and Sylvain Hogue, Executive Director, Business Development at IBM Global Services. The discussion will shed light on the importance of including sexual diversity in corporate policies, particularly when it comes to recruiting stronger talent, personnel retention, conflict management and productivity.
“It is important for the Board of Trade to be part of this Fondation Émergence initiative, whose slogan for the 2012 campaign is ‘Sexual diversity in the workplace ¯ it pays off!’ Our city is an open one, and its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community contributes to its wealth and appeal,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “Many companies are aware of the importance of providing a working environment where sexual diversity is not just tolerated, but indeed accepted.”
“As demographic challenges create labour pressures, we have to make sure that we tap into all the talent available to contribute to our development,” says Mr. Leblanc. “This is why we are encouraging employers to draw on best practices in human resources to help the talent within their companies reach its full potential. The city needs the contribution of the approximately 10% of its labour force who identify as LGBT.”
More information about the business luncheon
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Karine Abdel
Interim Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
kabdel@ccmm.qc.ca
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