The Economist Events Launches Pride and Prejudice, a Global Initiative and Conference Examining the Economic and Human Costs of Discrimination against the LGBT Community

• Events in Hong Kong, London and New York will each bring together more than 200 leaders from the worlds of business, politics and civil society to examine LGBT business issues 
• The global gathering will feature new research from The Economist Intelligence Unit that highlights corporate perceptions surrounding LGBT diversity and inclusion in business 

(New York, London, & Hong Kong) –The Economist Events is hosting its first global event focused on helping business better understand key issues related to LGBT people - as customers and as employees.

Three Pride and Prejudice events will be held across the globe during a 24 hour period on March 3rd, 2016 - starting in Hong Kong, followed by London and New York.

Many leaders from the world of business are confirmed to attend.

The event has a key focus the divide that exists globally on LGBT rights - between places where LGBT people have many (or all) rights that all citizens have compared to places where homosexuality may be against the law, sometimes punishable by death.

"The issues around LGBT inclusion are something any truly global business needs to be focusing on,” said Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor in chief, The Economist.  Pride and Prejudice will encourage fresh thinking among policymakers and industry leaders on the LGBT movement and its impact on business around the world.

The event seeks to answer a fundamental question: what is the cost of LGBT discrimination and will call upon an impressive roster of speakers from business, government and culture, including:

New York:

• Jim Yong Kim – President, World Bank Group 
• James R. Fitterling – Vice-chairman and chief operating officer, The Dow Chemical Company
• John Brennan – Director, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Jason Collins – Former professional athlete, NBA
• Arne Sorenson – Chief executive and president, Marriott International

London:

• Ivan Gazidis - Chief Executive Officer, Arsenal Football Club
• Benny Higgins - Chief Executive Officer, Tesco Bank and Group Strategy Director, Tesco
• António Simões - Chief Executive Officer UK and Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management Europe, HSBC
• Sir Martin Sorrell - Chief Executive Officer, WPP
• Howard Ungerleider - Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice-president, The Dow Chemical Company

Hong Kong:

• Joel Simhkai, founder and chief executive officer, Grindr
• Alan Joyce,  Chief executive officer, Qantas
• Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, Rajpipla Gujurat, India
• Sol Aragones, congresswoman, The Philippines
• Rod Leaver, chief executive officer, Asia, Lendlease
• Pride and Prejudice is sponsored by Global Advocate IBM, Global Supporter AXA, Regional Champion Accenture, Regional Allies ABN Amro, Avanade, Biogen and UNDP. 

Out Now, publisher of Agenda.LGBT, is a part of The Economist Events LGBT Thought Leadership Panel.

Additional details for the events, including the full programmes and a link to register for the conference - for the Hong Kong, London, and New York events - can be found on the Pride and Prejudice website.

Delegates can obtain a 20% discount on registration for London and New York events using the promotion code: PPOUTNOW when booking online.

Over the past several months, The Economist Intelligence Unit has conducted a global survey of executives aimed at providing a credible barometer of corporate attitudes around diversity and inclusion, as well as a better understanding of the drivers of sentiment and change around LGBT inclusion in the workplace. The findings, set to be released later this month, will consider challenges and opportunities around LGBT equality and inclusion in the workplace.