International Business Equality Index

One of the most influential international lesbian and gay organizations is calling for companies to step up to prove their diversity and equality credentials.


Ian Johnson, Out Now
February 5, 2009

TOPICS: IGLCC. Workplace equality and diversity policies. International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. International Business Equality Index.


The IGLCC is an increasingly important lesbian and gay organization.

They are currently inviting business from around the globe to take part in their inaugural International Business Equality Index.

The index sets its sights high in trying to figure out which is the most gay friendly business in the world.

The Index is a unique tool allowing corporations to draw external comparisons, which illustrate how their competitors are doing as well as internal comparisons that provide a better understanding of their own performance.

The deadline for completion of the survey online is April 30th 2009 with the results being announced during the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights held during the World Outgames in Copenhagen from July 25th to August 2nd, 2009.

"The International Business Equality Index is without a doubt one of the most important initiatives ever launched at the international level to advance LGBT diversity in the business world," says the Secretary General of the IGLCC, Pascal Lépine.

"It gives a concrete sign that a corporation supports the LGBT community by its dedication and commitment and provides vital access to our ever expanding market segment."

Out Now believes strongly in the important work that IGLCC is embarking upon, and encourages all international business to get involved.

Gays and lesbians in your workplace - and your gay customers - will thank you for it.

The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC) was founded in 2006 in Hamburg, Germany and is based in Montréal, Canada. The IGLCC is the world’s leading international LGBT business network.

If you would like Out Now to help you take your marketing to the leading edge, please do get in touch.

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Sweden Gay Marketing Forum

Much of the world is now awake to gay travel being a valuable market worth developing. We were recently honored to be invited to give a Gay Marketing Masterclass by Out Now in a small Swedish town called Gränna in Småland.


Ian Johnson, Out Now
February 5, 2009

Sweden. LGBT tourism market development. Out Now. IGLTA. Zurf. Gay marketing. Masterclass. LGBT market. Gay and lesbian marketing trends in 2009.



Pictured: (L to R) Christian Åberg, Zurf; Jörgen Andersson, Rica Hotels; Tobias Holfelt, IGLTA; and Ian Johnson, Out Now.



Growth in gay and lesbian marketing is becoming global.

One of the more long-term commitments to gay and lesbian people - certainly from a social perspective - is from the Swedish.

With a just-announced date for the beginning of full marriage rights for lesbians and gay men across Sweden - which complements one of the world's already most progressive civil unions schemes - this beautiful Scandinavian country could well be viewed as something of a paradise in the north for gays and lesbians.

So it was interesting to me to recently be invited to present the Keynote address to a seminar on gay and lesbian travel in a small, stunningly beautiful town called Gränna in Småland, in the south of Sweden.

This is a place situated on the shores of a large lake with scenery designed right out of central casting for a picture postcard. But it is also an area I confess I had never previously heard of.

For that matter, my knowledge of Stockholm - Sweden's capital - was only marginally better; and proved to be rather poorly informed by my pre-existing (and incorrect) assumptions about Sweden being all about ABBA, Volvo cars and IKEA.



Småland is So Gay
The imagery to promote the event was an homage to the very successful Out Now advertising campaign for Amro Worldwide in the UK market last Summer.

This groundbreaking Småland gay marketing event was organized by Christian from Zurf - a very impressive entrepreneur, as part of their regular Entreprenörsforum series, in association with Småland Turism.

Also presenting was the Sweden Ambassador for IGLTA, Tobias Holfet - who gave a great presentation.

There were representatives from a diverse range of organisations from hotel chains through to a Swedish Western rodeo themed B&B ranch - all keen to understand how their product can be tailored to meet the needs of the gay and lesbian travel market.

I spoke about the development of gay marketing during the past twenty years and gave some examples of Out Now's part in this development along the way.

We also discussed how a product like GayComfort has such power to transform mainstream product into lesbian and gay welcoming tourism product.

To top everything off I was privileged to enjoy a few days in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden as well, thanks to the Stockholm Gay Network - a terrific initiative of the Stockholm Visitors Board.

My visit to Sweden was so very impressive.

What was important is that there is no reason in the world why regional areas should not develop their product to welcome a gay and lesbian audience. And more of this is one of the trends we predict over the next decade.

If you have not yet discovered this beautiful part of the world - you really must add it to your 'to do' list.

It is quite unlike any other place to which I have ever been.

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