Scotiabank adopts LGBTI business rights
(CNS): Scotiabank has adopted the UN Global LGBTI Standards for Business and signed onto the Women’s Empowerment Principles, demonstrating its continued commitment to diversity and inclusion, officials said in a release last week. “Scotiabank is committed to being an inclusive employer and an advocate for women and members of the LGBTI community,” said Brian Porter, President and CEO of the bank. “We aspire to be the employer of choice for a globally diverse workforce and pleased to endorse these two initiatives.”
The bank said that the UN LGBTI Standards complements the efforts of Scotiabank Proud, the employee-led group dedicated to ensuring that everyone feels safe and open to be their true selves, free of discrimination.
The principles outlined in the WEPs offer businesses like Scotiabank guidance on how to empower women throughout their daily lives, not only in the office, and the bank said it aligns well with the initiatives offered at Scotiabank through its Employee Resource Groups and the Scotiabank Women Initiative.
According to the release, in 2016 it was the first Canadian bank to adopt its own Human Rights Statement and respect for human rights was fundamental to the way the bank operates.
Signing the UN WEPs is consistent with that commitment, the bank said, and being the first Canadian bank to sign the UN Global LGBTI Standards for Business allows Scotiabank to continue its work around human rights, where it stands against violence, discrimination and harassment, and promotes equality for LGBTI people.
“Scotiabank becomes the first Canadian Bank to join 253 early supporters of the UN Global LGBTI Standards for Business, showcasing its leadership role on human rights of LGBTI people,” said Fabrice Houdart, United Nations Human Rights Officer and co-author of the Standards. “The private sector has a key role to play in respecting and protecting the human rights of LGBTI people and, as one of the leading global banks, Scotiabank’s support sends a powerful signal.”
“We wish to congratulate Scotiabank for signing onto the Women’s Empowerment Principles and for their commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace,” added Anna Falth, Manager for Women’s Empowerment Principles Secretariat and WE EMPOWER programme of UN Women, the European Union, and the International Labour Organization.
See the UN Standards of Conduct for Business on Tackling Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Intersex People and the Women’s Empowerment Principles website.
Category: Banking & money, Business
Excellent demonstration of corporate social responsibility! I am not a customer but I am a straight as an arrow Caymanian who refuses to condone any form of descrimination whether it is based on race, age, gender, economic clout or sexual orientation and I applaud BNS for this commitment.
I sure hope Seymour doesn’t start saying GayTM Machines. You know, for lolz. Sigh.
At least Scotia is honest – look at the slogan in large letters on the wall inside the banking hall – “the Bank where you spend most of your time”!.
Meanwhile foreclosing on a house near you. Scotia should also care about customer rights and not taking peoples homes.
Or don’t buy a home if you can’t afford it!
Scotia Bank,!! What a pile of bull. Spend your time and energy looking after your staff and clients in ways that really matter. Speed up the line, drop some of the ” don’t make any sense” fees and stop publishing rubbish.
DILIGAF is a phrase that comes to mind.
Do I care about the sexual preferences of their staff when I go to cash my pay cheque? No because I am too busy fuming at their long lines and incompetent processes!
Scotiabank is the worst bank ever.
I’m sorry, the bank that forces an employee to wear anything on their person especially if it is not wanted is abusing that employee not and cannot continue to have me as a customer.
I believe in freedoms, yes, but this isn’t freedom; this is financial and psychological abuse, neither of which are acceptable to me.
I’m closing my account.
I HATE thick long jeans in this weather, but I’m forced to wear them as per my work’s policies.
Big deal.. looking for any rubbish excuse to put a company that supports equality in a negative light. You’re the worst type of person.
Close your account.. I just opened one in your place so they won’t miss ya.
Good luck with the Jamaica branches.
Plenty of LGBT in Jamaica don’t fool yourself
I’ll continue to bank with Banks that focus on their quality of service to their customers, rather than how politically correct they are, or socially acceptable they are to the UN.