Qantas boss Alan Joyce’s support for legalising same-sex marriage in Australia has seen him top a list of the 100 most influential LGBT executives and allies in 2017.
Mark Anderson, Virgin Atlantic’s executive vice-president – customer and Hoseason’s boss Simon Altham were also named on the Top 100 LGBT+ Executives list, which is compiled by the Financial Times and LGBT networking group OUTstanding.
Each nominee was scored on the seniority and influence of their role, their impact on LGBT inclusion inside and outside the workplace and their business achievements.
Joyce, who joined Qantas in 2000, was described as a "passionate advocate for LGBT+ rights" by OUTstanding for his “very public stance” in campaigning in favour of marriage equality.
Anderson, formerly managing director of Virgin Holidays, was praised for creating a “central philosophy of ‘bringing your whole self to work’”, allowing staff to be “their true, authentic self in the workplace”.
Altham received acknowledgment for his position as a “passionate promoter of diversity and inclusion across the travel sector”.
He was singled out for helping to spread diversity across Hoseasons and parent group Wyndham Vacation Rentals UK with initiatives such as the introduction of gender-neutral toilets in offices; encouraging staff to support local events and marches and improving the domestic operator’s Workplace Equality Index ranking.
Suki Sandhu, founder and chief executive of OUTstanding, said: “There is no doubt that 2017 has been a difficult year for the LGBT+ cause. Yet the increased diversity within the lists and abundance of new faces shows the impact and power of role models across the globe.
“I’m so proud to be celebrating more role models than ever before, and to be expanding our reach beyond the corporate world and into the public sector. When asked where I see the future of OUTstanding, I always say a world where we’re no longer needed. While we’re not quite there yet, the work of our incredible leaders is taking us in the right direction.”