(VNF) - The Work with Pride dialogue kicked off a nationwide campaign on lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) equality in the workplace in Hanoi on October 14th and Ho Chi Minh city on October 15th.

The campaign, co-organized by Viet Pride Hanoi and ICS Center, aims to raise awareness of persity, in particular sexual orientation and gender identity, and encourage corporations to take action to cultivate an LGBT-friendly environment in the workplace.

At the launch, a range of implementation ideas were introduced to the representatives from different corporations and organizations, and included a discussion on how to address the concerns that prevent businesses from becoming LGBT champions.

Clayton Bond, spouse of US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius noted that support from the business community to create more open and tolerant working environments helps drive greater change in society as a whole.

The turnout of the dialogue indicates that readiness of the business community for supporting LGBT is still in the incipient stage but seeds for change, most notably PwC, Baker & McKenzie, Google, and KPMG, hold a great potential for a future LGBT corporate movement in the nation.

While Cas van der Horst, Chargé d’affaires of the Netherlands Embassy in Vietnam shared: “A tolerant working environment enables employees to become more productive. That is why businesses need to pay attention to the special needs of their LGBTI staff members. This gives dignity to the inpidual and also makes sense from a business point of view”.

These companies are at the forefront and taking significant steps in making their workplace environment friendly and respectful for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Work with Pride campaign is supported by Civil Rights Defenders, the US Mission to Vietnam and the Dutch Mission to Vietnam./.

( VNF )