Lenovo Signs the Amsterdam Declaration, Demonstrating the Company's Commitment to LGBTIQ+ Employees
Lenovo has signed the Declaration of Amsterdam in honour of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), reiterating its commitment to building an inclusive workplace for its LGBTIQ+ employees.
The Declaration of Amsterdam, developed by Workplace Pride in 2011, aims to make significant progress for LGBTIQ+ individuals worldwide by eliminating workplace discrimination, harassment, and discomfort. Accenture, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, and Microsoft are among the companies that have previously signed the declaration, besides Lenovo.
David Pollard, Executive Director, Workplace Pride, said:
"We applaud Lenovo for this step as they now join other leading organisations who make LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion a priority. Such a commitment is inspirational for all employees and a transformative step in the right direction."
The Declaration of Amsterdam commits organisations to ten basic principles, including building safe and inclusive workplaces, committing to continuing assessment to track LGBTIQ+ inclusion progress, and sponsoring LGBTIQ+ initiatives and Employee Resource Groups. Evaluation and an opportunity for organisations to suggest areas for development are also included in the Declaration.
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Calvin Crosslin, Chief Diversity Officer, Lenovo, said:
"Signing the Declaration of Amsterdam on IDAHOBIT demonstrates Lenovo’s continuing commitment to building an equitable and inclusive workforce. Partnering with Workplace Pride will help ensure we’re continuing to transform our organisation and continually measuring our performance and progress.”
Lenovo emphasises that its employees should reflect the global clients it serves as a diversified global company. It is also true in India, as evidenced by their multiple diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at improving women's and LGBTIQ+ community representation.
They recently received the accolade for having a 'Gender Balanced Organisation' at the Ask Insights Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit 2022, demonstrating their dedication to being an inclusive and varied representative.
To support the LGBTIQ+ community, Lenovo India has expanded their employee health insurance coverage to spouses/partners. In addition, it is increasing support for women's talent in male-dominated industries such as manufacturing. Currently, women make up 30% of the workforce at the Pondicherry manufacturing factory, with one of the three production lines being entirely run and managed by women.
Bhavya Misra, Director, Human Resources, Lenovo India, commented:
"Lenovo has always strived to be an inclusive organisation that stands by its commitment to increasing equality representation and opportunities for all. At the core of our functions, we aim to provide a supportive environment where all employees feel equally represented and valued. For our Indian employees, Lenovo’s Health Insurance Plan has been expanded to include domestic partners, including LGBTQIA+ partners, in line with Lenovo’s global approach to diversity & inclusion. We also offer progressive benefits to employees, including Gender Transition Support through medical, mental health, and pharmacy policies. Our Ask Insights DE&I award win demonstrates our determined progress in this direction for the LGBTQ+ community and women.”
Lenovo PRIDE, Lenovo's LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, is active in several regions, with chapters in numerous countries spanning North and South America and Europe, to assist members in professional development through networking and mentorship.
Signing the declaration reflects Lenovo's commitment to corporate citizenship excellence, including diversity, equity, and inclusion, which has been acknowledged by the Financial Times, the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, and the Human Rights Foundation, among others.
Source: Technosports
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