Spotlight: A Gay-friendly Business Environment

When a delegation from Charlotte, North Carolina, visited Seattle recently, one of the visitors asked Steve Johnson, director of Seattles Office of Economic Development, how Charlotte should go about creating a welcoming environment for gay and lesbian entrepreneurs and workers.

Underlying the question was the recognition that in a world where economic success is increasingly driven by competition for talented people, an environment where all individuals feel free to be themselves is a distinct competitive advantage, says Johnson.

The Williams Institute at UCLA, for example, estimates that Washington states recent passage of a law supporting marriage rights for gay couples will lead to $88 million over three years in additional spending, mostly from increased tourism.

Business groups can open doors [to equality] effectively, says Louise Chernin, CEO of the Greater Seattle Business Association, whose mission is to expand economic opportunities for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. They have a different voice and a different standing. People already have relationships with businesses and know they have a positive impact.

Gay business associations often start by supporting issues such as equal benefits but develop political relationships that allow them to influence broader issues. Says Chernin, Theres no such thing as a little bit of equality.