While significant progress has been made to further LGBTIQ+ inclusion, much remains to be done. Unfortunately, as of 2021, 69 UN Member States still criminalize consensual same-sex relationships, and few countries legally recognize the identity of transgender people. Businesses have an important role to play and a responsibility to respect the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people, including their own workforce and beyond. 

Through showcasing good practices for advancing LGBTIQ+ equality around the world, providing an opportunity to measure progress over time, and leveraging resources for continuous improvement, the Tool helps businesses meet their human rights responsibilities and become active agents of change.

About the UN LGBTIQ+ Standards Gap Analysis Tool

The UN LGBTIQ+ Standards Gap Analysis Tool (Tool) guides companies on their journey to implement the UN Standards of Conduct for Business in Tackling Discrimination against LGBTIQ+ People (the Standards for short), which was published by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2017 and serves as the first internationally-accepted set of Standards regarding the private sector’s role and responsibility to support LGBTIQ+ communities in the workplace and beyond. The Tool is a free, user-friendly, and a strictly confidential online platform that helps companies assess current policies and programmes, highlight areas for improvement, and identify opportunities to set future corporate goals and targets. Furthermore, the Tool is meant to provide companies with a roadmap to further align their practices, policies, and procedures with the UN Standards of Conduct.

The Tool was developed by BSR, the Partnership for LGBTIQ+ Equality (PGLE), the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Global Compact and the World Economic Forum (WEF), with the generous support from Boston Consulting Group. 

To learn more about the Tool, please watch the video below: