As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to reflect on the incredible achievements of our member organizations. Each one has contributed to fostering diversity, inclusion, and equality in their respective regions. Here’s a snapshot of the highlights:
Legebitra (Slovenia)
- Celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023 and marked the occasion with a garden party for membership, business and project partners, and other guests.
- Received a small grant from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, allowing them to host a workshop for employers to learn and exchange good practices about making workplaces inclusive to trans people.
- In collaboration with project partners Common Zone and LORI, Legebitra successfully concluded a two-year CERV project LGBTIQ+ Work Equality Alliance with a hybrid conference in Zagreb, Croatia. The two-day conference provided insights into several aspects of LGBTIQ-inclusive workplaces.
- Co-hosted the 2023 ILGA-Europe Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
L’Autre Cercle (France)
- Celebrated the 5th anniversary of the L’Autre Cercle Role Models at the Grand Rex in Paris on October 10 with 2000 persons attending the events,now reaching 500 role models in France.
- Increasing number of employers, both public and private sectors, signed the LGBT+ Charter of L’Autre Cercle, reaching now nearly 300 companies and covering 2,5 millions of employees.
- Published a dedicated report on invisibility of lesbians in the workplace, together with a unique study on this topic.
- EU Project Submission: Actively contributed, as project coordinator, to file a collective request for subsidies on June 20 for a EU project under the Equal-CERV program, for better inclusion of LGBT+ people in the workplace.
- Advocacy in Brussels: Participated on November 29 in a mission with EPBN members and EGLCC to Brussels, advocating for policies and standards to enhance workplace and business inclusion.
REDI (Spain)
- Celebrated 5th Anniversary: REDI marked its fifth year as Spain’s pioneer corporate network for LGBTI diversity and inclusion.
- Research Milestone: Published the first-ever research on how companies in Spain manage LGBTI diversity and inclusion. The study, in collaboration with BBVA andUN Global Compact, revealed a significant increase in the inclusion of LGBTI diversity in corporate programs but still far from needed.
- Recognition: Introduced the first list of LGBTI executives and allies in Spain, acknowledging their contributions to creating diverse, respectful, and inclusive workspaces.
- Web Portal Launch: Launched a comprehensive intranet for associates, providing easy access to training, events, workshops, resources, and a platform to connect LGBTI individuals and allies.
Pride Business Forum (Czech)
- Annual Conference: Hosted the annual conference titled “Taste of Equality,” featuring renowned speakers, workshops, and the announcement of LGBT+ Friendly Employer Award winners.
- Independence: Transitioned into an independent organization, establishing the Pride Business Forum Fund to support LGBTQ+ people beyond the workplace.
- Toolkit Launch: Introduced the “Fostering Transgender in the Workplace Toolkit” to provide practical advice for creating transgender-friendly work environments.
EDGE (Italy)
- IBA Programme Launch: Launched the Italian Business Alliance (IBA) Programme to promote the advantages of registering in the European database managed by EGLCC to Italian SMEs.
- Advocacy in Brussels: Participated in EGLCC’s joint mission with EPBN to Brussels, advocating for policies and standards to enhance workplace and business inclusion.
Network (Switzerland)
- Network Award: Recognized Curdin Orlik for his historic coming out as the first top athlete in Switzerland to publicly disclose his sexual orientation.
Network & WyberNet (Switzerland)
- Swiss LGBTI-Label: Newly founded 2023 as an independent organization with a more professional profile, supported by Network and WyberNet. Eleven organizations received awards for the first time and another eleven renewed their award, bringing the total to 75 companies and institutions.
AGPRO (Austria)
- 25th Birthday Celebration: Celebrated the 25th birthday in the Austrian Parliament with messages from Austria’s Head of State and keynotes from prominent political figures.
- On November 9, Pride Biz Austria (Umbrella association of AGPRO and QBW) presented the 8th annual “Meritus” awards at a festive gala in Vienna. Winners included “Windkraft Simonsfeld AG” (SME category), the “City of Graz” (Public Sector), and “EBCONT Group GmbH” (Large Enterprise). The awards, recognizing excellence in diversity management, were hosted by Dr. Harald Mahrer, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
Völklinger Kreis (Germany)
- Project X: Initiated “Project X,” a structured and controversial member discourse aimed at renewing the association.
- Lobbying Initiatives: Advocated for the gender self-determination law and a more inclusive change of Article 3 of the German constitution.
Wirtschaftsweiber e.V. (Germany)
- 25th Anniversary: Celebrated the 25th anniversary with guests from politics, business, and society, acknowledging a quarter-century commitment to lesbian visibility in the workplace.
- Mentoring Program Launch: Introduced a mentoring program for lesbian and queer women in the workforce to strengthen professional development.
Znaki Równości (Poland)
- Inclusive Job Fairs: Hosted the first Polish Inclusive Job Fairs – BeyondLabels during Transgender Awareness Week, showcasing 9 trans-inclusive companies and conducting seminars for trans/LBT individuals.
Congratulations to all our members for these incredible accomplishments. Together, we continue to pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive future.
To wrap up, we’d like to share our own, the EPBN achievements recap. From fostering collaboration to impactful webinars and a transformative EU project proposal, here’s a summary of EPBN’s noteworthy achievements:
Exchange of good practice information and knowledge:
- Virtual Meetings: Organized monthly virtual meetings and an annual meeting in Rome to facilitate knowledge exchange and discuss LGBTIQ workplace equality.
- In person meetings: Organized two day EPBN Board meeting in Zagreb, where we had a chance to get to know our member organization Common Zone. Organized EPBN Annual Members Meeting in Vienna on the 25th anniversary of our member organization AGPRO.
- Webinars: Launched webinars focusing on topics like LGBTIQ refugees, workplace equality in Croatia and Slovenia, and the situation of transgender people in European workplaces.
- Empowering Pride Project: Submitted a project proposal to the EU for financing, aiming to address the inequality faced by LGBTIQ individuals in employment across Europe. The project emphasizes promoting workplace equality and building a robust network of civil society organizations, employers, and LGBTIQ professionals.
Communication activities:
- Website: Launched www.epbn.eu, providing essential information about the network, members, and governance. The website includes a News section for updates on events.
- Social Media: Established LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, witnessing substantial growth in engagement, reactions, and followers.