The discrimination of LGBT persons in the workplace continues to be a major problem in Poland. According to LGBT Business Forum Foundation’s research results, around 40% employees encounter discrimination on sexual orientation or gender identity grounds. As many as 4% of LGBT persons suffer physical violence at work. On the other hand, many companies worldwide take action to prove that they are employers open to all. In Poland, the phenomenon remains extremely rare.
The project purpose was to promote good practices in giant corporations and in small and medium-sized enterprises alike. This is how companies’ attitudes can be changed, making diversity policies a permanent component of their work.
Actions taken included diversity management training for 135 company representatives; related educational materials (publications and multimedia) were produced.
The project included seminars titled “LGBT Persons in the Workplace. The How and Why of Protecting Diversity”, delivered in Warsaw, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Cracow for small and medium-sized enterprises. Two two-day workshops titled “Gain with Diversity. The How and Why of Creating LGBT Person-Friendly Workplaces” addressing large companies were attended by 20 persons representing entities from a variety of sectors. Four publications were produced: a good practices manual of employing LGBT persons in Poland (500 copies + online version), and translations of 3 British manuals on the same topic (300 copies of each + online versions). Moreover, results of a study of the LGBT persons’ situation on the job market and at the workplace were published, the study carried out on a sample of over 1,300 LGBT persons. The report is available in print and online. Four animations summarising the issue and explaining the importance of creating workplaces open to LGBT minorities were produced to the purpose of promoting good practices in employing LGBT persons more efficiently.
Project beneficiaries included 135 workshop and seminar participants.