lbgt@work diversity day in Brussels
On October 23 the Holebifederatie, Belgian Business Association and IBM will jointly host the "lgbt@work, inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Belgium". During the event, there will be a press conference to announce the results of the GLBT Equality Survey 2007 and the rainbow award for most GLBT friendly employer will be awarded. There is also a speaker on 'lgbt discrimination on the workfloor' and a panel discussion.
Tuesday October 23 . IBM Forum . Bourgetlaan 42 . 1130 Brussels, enrollment via 09-223 69 29 or info@holebifederatie.be.
Bert De Coutere
in English, Sexual orientation
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2 Comments
Egma and IBM organise 1st Pan-European Gay&Lesbian Business Leader Forum
Today we would like to announce an event which egma is organizing jointly with IBM.
IBM & egma extend a special invitation to all decision makers to attend the
1st Pan-European Gay & Lesbian Business Leader Forum on "Diversity & Innovation"
8th & 9th October 2007 in Zurich, Switzerland
We have high-profile speakers to showcase best practices around GLBT Diversity and Innovation:
• Sir Michael Bishop CBE, Chairman of British Midland
• Bruno Di Leo, General Manager for Northeast Europe, IBM
• Out Executives from IBM and executives who are straight Allies
• Speakers from American Express, Shell, ING and UBS as well as Stonewall
Key Questions to be answered
• How are "Diversity and Innovation" key drivers for Innovation?
• Can being a "Diversity Champion" increase productivity within your organization?
• Why "Mentoring" works both ways and enhances collaboration?
• Want to learn more about tapping into a growing market segment worth an estimated $3B*?
• Why network with industry leaders about "Diversity"?
Purpose
In the European IT market the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community is a group of decision makers whose buying power is estimated at $3B. Through this exclusive forum, IBM and egma are enabling participants to network while experiencing a unique business event which promotes deeper understanding of new and emerging markets.
Benefits
• Learn how being a leader in "Diversity" can drive growth in your organization.
• Network with peers across European industries and borders.
• Learn how to integrate new technologies and innovation to serve client needs.
• Understand market trends and emerging opportunities.
• Learn how to increase productivity within your organization.
Information also can be found on our webpage: www.egma.eu/en/businessleader.htm
Bert De Coutere
in English, Sexual orientation
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1 Comment
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Corporate diversity training
Diversity training is increasingly on the radar screen of HR and learning departments. I came across this CheckPoint article that describes how Aviva created a 'Respect Diversity Toolkit' with training material and how they are sharing their experiences and best practices with other firms.
I think it is great this kind of training gets more attention, and even better that companies are sharing their experiences on the topic.
Bert De Coutere
in English
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Post a Comment
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Travelling with a disability remains an issue / Toujours pas facile de voyager quand on a un handicap
(Version française à la fin de cette page)
european disability forum
>>> Press release
An open sky for disabled passengers?
Although the first provisions of the EU Regulation on the rights of disabled
air passengers enter into force today, the European Disability Forum warns against the legislation shortcomings.
Brussels, 26 July 2006 – –"It took us more than three years to obtain this important piece of legislation and I would like to congratulate all those that have actively contributed to make it happen. The European Union has taken an important step forward to advance disability rights in Europe, but we need to continue to work together in order to overcome the current gaps of the Regulation", said today Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum.
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The overall aim of the Regulation is to guarantee equal treatment for all passengers, including ‘any person with reduced mobility or sensory impairment, intellectual disability or any other cause of disability, age, and whose situation needs appropriate attention and the adaptation to his or her particular needs of the service made available to all passengers’.
Only articles 3 (‘Prevention of refusal of carriage’) and 4 (‘Derogations, special conditions and information’) of the new Regulation enter into force today. The entire Regulation, which is directly applicable to European airports and airlines, will be totally effective in one year.
For the European Disability Forum, the umbrella organisation representing the interests of 50 million disabled people in the European Union that has lobbied the European union in favour of the Regulation, there is still room for improvement:
"We are worried that the exceptions established in Article 4 will be used to continue discriminating disabled air passengers. If we want the Regulation to be effective, the safety reasons that allow to deny the boarding of a disabled person need to be clarified", said Vardakastanis.
According to the Regulation, an airline can still refuse the boarding of a disabled passenger due to ‘Safety reasons established by national, Community or International law’. "We need the European Union to clearly define these exceptions and to agree on common safety reasons across Europe. Otherwise, a disabled passenger might be allowed to travel to a Member State applying certain rules, but not to come back!", stressed EDF President.
EDF campaign on air passengers’ rights will therefore target the adoption of common safety rules in Europe, as well as the wide dissemination of the provisions of the law. The EDF will also concentrate its efforts to improve the Regulation, as well as to obtain similar legislation for all forms of transport.
EDF President: "Disabled people have new rights and they must apply them. It is important to inform them and to encourage them to complain if these rights are violated anywhere in Europe. This will ensure better quality for all passengers, with and without disabilities".
Forum europeén des personnes handicapées
>>> Communiqué de presse
L’espace aérien : ouvert aux passagers handicapés?
Alors que les premières dispositions du règlement européen sur les droits des passagers aériens entrent en vigueur, le Forum européen des personnes handicapées met en garde sur les lacunes de cette législation.
Bruxelles, 26 juillet 2006 – « Il nous aura fallu plus de trois ans avant l’obtention de cette importante législation et j’aimerais féliciter tous ceux qui ont contribué activement à atteindre notre objectif. L’Union européenne a fait un grand pas pour mieux protéger les droits des personnes handicapées, mais nous devons continuer à travailler ensemble afin de surmonter les lacunes de ce règlement », a déclaré aujourd’hui le Président du Forum européen des personnes handicapées, Yannis Vardakastanis.
–a déclaré aujourd’hui le Président du Forum européen des personnes handicapées, Yannis Vardakastanis.
Le but du règlement est de garantir l’égalité de traitement de tous les passagers, y compris « toute personne avec un handicap physique, sensoriel ou moteur, handicap intellectuel, ou avec toute autre cause de handicap, ou de l'âge, et dont la situation requiert une attention appropriée et l'adaptation à ses besoins particuliers du service mis à la disposition de tous ».
Uniquement les articles 3 (« Interdiction de refuser le transport ») et 4 (« Dérogations, conditions spéciales et information ») du nouveau règlement entrent en vigueur aujourd’hui. L’ensemble du Règlement, qui sera d’application dans tous les aéroports européens et sur toutes les compagnies aériennes, entrera en vigueur dans un an.
Pour le Forum européen des personnes handicapées, l’organisation faîtière qui représente les intérêts de 50 millions de personnes handicapées dans l’Union européenne et qui est derrière l’adoption de ce règlement, la législation devra être améliorée.
"Nous sommes préoccupés parce que les exceptions énumérées dans l’article 4 laissent la porte entrouverte à des futures discriminations envers les passagers handicapés. Pour que le règlement soit réellement effectif, il faudra clarifier les motifs de sécurité qui peuvent être invoqués lorsqu’une personne handicapée se voit l’embarquement refusé » souligne M. Vardakastanis.
souligne M. Vardakastanis.Selon le règlement, une compagnie aérienne peut refuser l’embarquement d’un passager handicapé suivant les exigences de sécurité applicables, qu'elles soient prévues par le droit international, communautaire ou national. « L’Union européenne doit clairement définir ces exceptions et se mettre d’accord sur des règles communes en matière de sécurité. Dans le cas contraire, un passager handicapé pourra voyager vers un Etat membre où ces règles le lui permettent, mais ne pourra plus rentrer dans son pays ! » rappelle le Président du Forum.
Les futures activités du Forum dans ce domaine cibleront l’adoption de ces règles harmonisées de sécurité, ainsi qu’une ample diffusion des dispositions prévues par la loi. Le FEPH concentrera également ses efforts dans l’amélioration du règlement. Il tentera aussi d’obtenir une législation similaire applicable à tous les autres moyens de transport.
Le Président du FEPH : « Les personnes handicapées ont aujourd’hui des droits et ils doivent les exercer. Nous devons les en informer et les encourager à porter plainte en cas de violation de ces droits sur le territoire de l’Union. Nous contribuerons ainsi à garantir un transport de qualité pour tous les passagers, avec ou sans handicap »
Yves Veulliet
in People with disabilities
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Gay and CEO
There are very few openly out top athletes. There are even less openly out CEOs. A few months ago we learned that BP CEO John Browne resigned his post, following his outing by a former lover. While the fact that Browne is gay and he had been hiding this aspect of this life for all his career, probably was just the last drop in a troubled relationship with the top of BP, it is still shocking to learn that something as trivial as this might trigger a step-down. Even if it is just perception.
You can read the full story on Newsweek.
Bert De Coutere
in Sexual orientation
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1 Comment
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