John Browne, former CEO of BP and one of the UK’s most admired business leaders, examines the risks and rewards of coming out in business.
Lord Browne argues that individuals, the businesses they work for, and economies will thrive only when employees are able to realise and contribute their full potential, as their authentic selves, free from prejudice and anxiety because of who they are.
But the corporate world is still notoriously closeted, with only one Fortune 500 and one FTSE 100 CEO who is openly gay. Linked to the book, theglasscloset.org is a movement to enable employees to share their experiences of being gay in the modern workplace.
Following the recent General Election, the UK now has the largest number of LGBT MPs in the world. What, then, can business learn from politics?