WorkPride 2023: Businesses: How to be Welcoming of LGBTQ+ Customers

Speakers:

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  Cynthia Fortlage

  Founder CEO
  CAF Services

  Award-Winning Leader | Intersectional Gender Diversity Advocate Creating Safe Spaces | Championing Human Rights | Driving Psychological Safety I am Cynthia Fortlage, an award-winning leader with over 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions across IT and marketing. I have a unique perspective on tackling the complexities of gender diversity, which I believe lies at the intersection of human rights, sexuality, gender, and privilege. I currently serve on the board of Outright International, a global LGBTIQ human rights organisation and UN Secretariat for LGBTIQ issues. Through my board roles, I have passionately advocated for the rights and well-being of individuals from diverse gender identities and expressions. My mission is to create safe spaces where everyone feels they belong. I firmly believe everyone deserves to be treated with unwavering dignity and respect, irrespective of gender identity or expression. As a certified mentor and a seasoned expert in diversity and inclusion, I possess an in-depth understanding of the challenges organisations face. I have collaborated with over 400 organisations of all sizes in over 30 countries, assisting them in cultivating inclusive and welcoming workplaces. With a unique lens of two genders of experience, I offer insights and guidance to navigate gender diversity challenges effectively. Driven by a desire for a just and equitable world, I believe gender equality is paramount. Together, let's shatter barriers and foster environments where all individuals thrive. Renowned for my ability to captivate audiences on every level, I have been hailed as "an amazing lecturer and teacher for those in hearing distance." Whether delivering inspiring speeches online or in person, I use the power of storytelling to share knowledge, vulnerability, and passion. Board Experience: Driving Transformational Change National Board Chair: Women's March Canada Board President: Rainbow Resource Centre Board Member: Outright International Recognitions 2020 Yahoo! Finance & Involve Leading 100 LGBT+ Executives 2019 Finalist: CIO of the Year by Women in IT Awards 2016, 2017, 2018 Financial Posts & Involve Leading 100 LGBT+ Executives 2016: Named One of the 20 Most Influential CIOs by CXO Talk

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  Dan Littler

  Biosampling Project Leader
  AstraZeneca

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  Andrew Stanley

  Senior People Manager
  HSBC

  I am a finance professional with extensive experience in people management, governance and risk mitigation, complex HR processes, and stakeholder management. Known for being particularly passionate about achieving challenging business objectives whilst ensuring fair outcomes for our people. I joined HSBC (or Midland, as it was then) in 1999, and have had a wide range of roles including Senior People Manager (HR), Senior Regulatory Transformation Manager (project manager), Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, Sales and Service Manager. My career path is now focussed on HR. I’m addition to my main role, I am also Co-Lead for the Birmingham chapter of our Pride Employee Resource Group (for LGBTQ+), and Chief of Staff for our national Pride network, as well as being a member on working parties for Diversity & Inclusion for race and LGBTQ+, and on the committee for the HSBC UK Choir. Outside of work, I have a mischievous little dog called Taquito who keeps me busy. My main interest after him is music, primarily singing. I am the lead singer for a covers band in London, a karaoke regular, and I am slowly (and badly) learning to play the guitar.

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  Nikki Phinyapincha

  Founder
  TransTalents Consulting Group

  Nikki Phinyapincha (she/her) is the founder of TransTalents Consulting Group, Thailand's first LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace consulting firm, aiming to help transform the future of inclusive businesses by empowering LGBTQI+ employees through an ESG and sustainability framework. She helps multisectoral businesses to reframe their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) policy and practices to thrive profitably and purposefully. She believes in the power of communication to connect and collaborate people for "all" people. As a former PR director for 8 years specializing in branding and communication, she becomes a DE&I speaker, advocating for transgender professional leadership on both the national and international stage, challenging the status quo of traditional social stigma and the business community. She is also the chair of the PRCA APAC Pride Network, the country director of the ASEAN Youth Advocate Network, Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Program (YSEALI PFP) 2022 awarded by US government and recently the Future List 100 by Koktail magazine. She also plays basketball and competes in the Spartan Race, fills her brain with people and power management books/podcasts, and has a network obsessed with growth.

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  Jane Grammer

  Diversity and Belonging Champion
  Dorchester Collection

  Growing up with a sibling with complex learning and physical disabilities and later coming out as bisexual, championing diversity and belonging has always been a personal mission for me. This mission began in my university days as a journalism student where I wrote articles and blogs advocating social and environmental justice as well as championing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalised groups. This mission continued into my professional career as an eLearning designer for a corporate ethics and compliance training provider where I was a DEI Subject Matter Expert. I helped global organisations foster inclusive work environments through award winning diversity and inclusion training programs, curriculums and communication strategies to drive transformative behavioural change. In my current role, I oversee Dorchester Collection's global CSR/DEI strategy, leading initiatives to not only attract and retain the diverse talent that make us legendary, but nurture inclusive and psychologically safe work environments where people are encouraged to be their authentic selves. One such initiative launched is the year-long BELONGING campaign. This was designed to move beyond general awareness and deeply explore the diverse identities that exist in our workplace and the challenges they experience so we may nurture an empathetic and compassionate workplace. I also co-lead the Corporate Office Engagement Committee.

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  Diego Lazaro

  Founder & Consultant
  Be Diverse LGBT+ Corporate Tra

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