The New Zealand authors of a new guide to diversity and inclusion in the workplace believe that they may have set a world-first standard on the subject.

Wellington-based Standards New Zealand specializes in publishing guides to workplace standards – in areas such as health and disability, environmental management, legal risk, information technology, sport and recreation.

Standards New Zealand is the operating arm of the country’s Standards Council; an appointed body that features ministerial appointees among further representatives from a wide range of sectors.

One of Standards New Zealand’s latest guides – which has been produced in consultation with agencies including Rainbow Wellington, Affinity Services, gQ Network, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, and others – is Rainbow-inclusive workplaces: A standard for gender and sexual diversity in employment.

The 28-page booklet – NZS 8200 – sets out voluntary standards that business can aim for if they wish to be viewed as an ‘inclusive and safe workplace for people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.’

In a statement, Michelle Wessing, Acting Chief Executive of Standards New Zealand, said, ‘International research shows that people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, takatÄpui, queer, and intersex (LGBTTQI) communities still face discrimination and exclusion in the workforce; in recruitment, retention, training, and advancement opportunities.

‘There is also research that indicates that workplaces that support and encourage staff to be authentic and bring the whole of themselves to work perform better than those where people feel they must hide a central aspect of themselves. Application of our standard will enable organizations to be assessed as safe and inclusive.’

TakatÄpui is a Maori word meaning a devoted partner of the same sex.

‘The standard sets out five categories of criteria to be met and can be applied across organizations of all sizes. It is an important step in the process of achieving equity in employment.’

Michael Stevens, Program Director, The Rainbow Tick, who was chair of the development committee for NZS 8200, said, ‘We know for a fact that many Rainbow community members do not currently feel able to be themselves at work and waste time and energy in pretending to be someone they are not.

‘Members of our community still report incidents of bullying and discrimination at work. Given the legal obligation of employers to provide a safe working environment, this should be of concern.

‘Implementing this standard will help employers create safe workplaces where their staff can be themselves, be happier at work, and thus be more productive.’

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