Business Enterprises and LGBTQ+ Inclusion: What is India’s Position?

The author of this paper aims to clarify, interpret and understand the international and Indian tolerance level towards the LGBTQ+ community in the legal, organisational, and societal contexts. The study relies on external sources and Indian findings from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), ILGA World, Pew Research, and Godrej India Culture Lab. The research focuses on the most significant changes in the law, companies’ actions, and public perceptions of today’s situation. Primary research outcomes show that the legal rights and corporate inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer people vary significantly around the world. While North American and Western European countries can boast of the extensive legislation against discrimination and more and more companies’ policies, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and some Asian countries still have legal and cultural barriers. In India, homosexuality was legalised in 2018; however, people face issues on account of negligible anti-discrimination laws and social resistance in rural areas. The policies of corporate companies in India are diverse; for some, the changes are already being made actively, while others remain conservative. The author also suggests augmenting legal rights by changing existing legislation, improving anti-discrimination legislation, and legalizing same-sex marriage where it is prohibited. This paper also proposes that business enterprises LGBTQ+ policies should be increased, educational campaigns should be encouraged, and the use of media to enhance social acceptance should be encouraged. These measures aim to ensure that full integration of the LGBTQ+ communities occurs by developing a gap between legal work and social integration to ensure that the entire world becomes a better place for LGBTQ+ persons. Keywords: LGBTQ+; Corporate policies; Discrimination; Legal frameworks; Workplace inclusion; Global trends; India.