Results of a survey released this week by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce shows that companies with one or more LGBTQ persons in senior leadership roles perform significantly better in a number of categories.
The survey, which was conducted in partnership with Dr. Jennica Webster, an associate professor at Marquette University’s Department of Management, looked at 88 member organizations of the Chamber. Data was collected between May and July of this year.
61% of companies reported having one or more LGBTQ persons working in a top leadership position. The fact that only Chamber members participated in the survey likely affected this number.
Companies with at least one LGBTQ person in a top leadership position scored significantly higher in the survey’s “Social Corporate Social Responsibility,” “Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility,” “High Performance HR Practices,” “Quality of Workforce” and “Firm Performance” categories. The “LGBT Supportive Policies and Practices” category showed almost no difference between companies with or without at least one LGBTQ person in a senior leadership role.
“This study supports what we have been saying for years—having LGBT people in leadership positions, whether it as a CEO, a business owner, a part of senior management or on the Board of Directors, is good for a business’s bottom line,” said Jason Rae, President & CEO of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce in a press release. “Simply put, diversity is good for business.”
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You can read the full report here.