U.S. Chamber Foundation and Gill Foundation Announce 'Inclusion Incorporated' Initiative
Research and Education Initiative Will Help Businesses Foster Inclusive Workplace Policies and Culture
WASHINGTON, D.C. | DENVER, CO — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and the Gill Foundation today announced the launch of “Inclusion Incorporated,” a first-of-its-kind research and education initiative established to demonstrate the corporate and community value of LGBT-inclusive workplaces.
The Inclusion Incorporated initiative will go beyond existing research to identify the characteristics of companies that incorporate LGBT inclusive policies, the facets of corporate culture that help companies benefit from these policies, and the importance of businesses engaging in external efforts that support LGBT inclusion.
“The business community is a powerful voice and network that can drive LGBT inclusion and empowerment,” said Marc DeCourcey, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “The Chamber Foundation is proud to partner with the Gill Foundation to help advance equality in the workplace, while also supporting companies of all sizes understand the value inclusion brings to business.”
Over the next year, USCCF and the Gill Foundation will build an online resource platform and education initiative to engage companies at various stages of instituting LGBT supportive policies and provide the necessary tools to act. The initiative will help build a system for businesses to learn and understand best practices for establishing inclusive policies, including participating in cross-sector conversations at the state and local level about the equal treatment of LGBT employees.
“At a time when discrimination against LGBT people is legal in 30 states, companies play a critical role in protecting their LGBT employees, both inside of the workplace and as part of the broader community,” said Brad Clark, CEO of the Gill Foundation. “Gill Foundation applauds the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for recognizing the business value of creating workplace policies that support the LGBT community at work and at home, while helping to attract and retain LGBT talent and customers.”
The U.S. Chamber Foundation and the Gill Foundation announced the initiative today at USCCF’s Annual Corporate Citizenship Conference: Better Together. In early 2019, the partnership will release its initial research on how to implement inclusive policies—documenting the benefits that a company experiences in its culture when it pursues LGBT supportive policies.
These research findings will be followed by the launch of an online resource platform and regional forums, in partnership with local chambers of commerce. These regional forums will enable greater discourse and continue to develop the resources, best practices, and case studies addressing how inclusive policies can take shape.
Learn more about the Inclusion Incorporated initiative here.
About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF)
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness. We educate the public on the conditions necessary for business and communities to thrive, how business positively impacts communities, and emerging issues and creative solutions that will shape the future.
About the Gill Foundation
The Gill Foundation is one of the nation’s leading funders of efforts to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The foundation makes tax-deductible grants to nonprofit organizations that advance equality by doing research, educating people, developing model policy recommendations, and working within the legal system. The Gill Foundation focuses on securing change to administrative policies at the state level, and actively pursues collaboration with other philanthropists and funders.