Community Business

As the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women we are thrilled to be joined by Priya Varadarajan, a dedicated advocate for gender justice and the founder of Durga. With over 23 years of experience in governmental affairs and civil society, Priya shares her insights on empowering women and girls to build agency and combat sexual violence in public spaces.In this episode, we discuss:• The inspiration behind Durga and its mission to prevent sexual harassment.•The normalization of inappropriate behaviour and the need to shift societal narratives around women's safety.•The importance of education and awareness in preventing violence against women, particularly focusing on sensitivity building among men.•How Durga addresses intersectionality by working with the most vulnerable members of society.•The role of corporate environments in safeguarding against violence and promoting awareness.Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about advocacy, community engagement, and the essential steps needed to create safer public spaces for everyone!

Inclusion in American Politics | Up for Discussion with Brian SimsOn the eve of the US elections, we have an exciting episode discussing the ins and outs of US politics and its impact on diversity, equity and inclusion around the world. In this episode of CB Up for Discussion, we’re thrilled to welcome Brian Sims, a former Pennsylvania legislator and passionate civil rights attorney. Join us as Brian shares his journey from disability law to becoming a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, providing a unique perspective on the shifting landscape of inclusion across different political administrations. As we approach the upcoming elections, Brian emphasizes the critical role that local politics play in shaping our everyday lives and the importance of civic engagement. We also discussed • The evolution of LGBTQ+ rights under the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations.• The significance of local elections in influencing civil rights.• Insights on the future of affirmative action policies.• The role of social movements in reshaping political conversations.• The importance of active participation in democracy.Tune in for an engaging conversation about advocacy, empowerment, and how each of us can contribute to a more equitable society!

Nearly 50% of Hong Kong can’t swim. Which is why programmes like Splash are needed in our community. In this episode of CB Up for Discussion, we're excited to welcome Simon Holliday, co-founder of the Splash programme, and Daisy Luscaw, a senior swim coach who has transitioned from participant to leader. Splash is more than just a swimming initiative; it’s a transformative programme that empowers marginalized communities, particularly migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. Through swimming, participants not only gain essential life skills but also build confidence, social connections, and a sense of belonging. Join us as Simon and Daisy share their personal journeys and the impact of Splash on mental well-being and social mobility. We’ll discuss: The significance of swimming as a life skill and its implications for social mobility The holistic benefits of physical activity on mental health Inspiring success stories from participants who have found community and purpose through Splash This episode is a celebration of resilience, connection, and the ripple effects that come from creating inclusive spaces. Tune in to discover how we can all contribute to a healthier, more supportive community!

As we approach World Mental Health Day this week, it's a perfect time to highlight the importance of visibility and support for LGBTQ+ youth. In particular, overcoming obstacles and maintaining positivity in the face of challenges. In our next episode of Up for Discussion, we are thrilled to welcome Abbie, the inspiring 15-year-old founder of the Rainbow Shoelace Project.Abbie started this initiative to combat bullying and promote acceptance among young people. With over 280,000 packs of rainbow beads distributed globally, her project has become a symbol of pride and community for LGBTQ+ youth.Join us as Abbie shares her personal journey, the challenges she faced in a small town, and how she turned her experiences into a powerful movement. We’ll discuss:The significance of representation and visibility in schoolsThe impact of bullying on mental healthAbbie’s vision for a more inclusive futureThis episode is not just about advocacy; it's about creating safe spaces where everyone can feel accepted and loved. Tune in to learn how we can all contribute to a brighter future for LGBTQ+ youth!

"LGBTQ+ individuals have significant health needs that we actually have not really looked into or not widely addressed in places like Hong Kong.”In this episode of Up for Discussion, we are excited to welcome Professor Edmond Choi from the University of Hong Kong, a leading expert in mental and sexual health, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Join us as Professor Choi shares his journey into LGBTQ+ healthcare research and discusses the unique health challenges faced by this community in Hong Kong. We will explore critical topics, including:- The current state of healthcare access for LGBTQ+ individuals in Hong Kong- The importance of inclusive sexual health education- The impact of societal stigma on mental health and healthcare utilisation- Strategies for improving health outcomes through better policies and practicesProfessor Choi emphasises the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare solutions that cater to the diverse needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on how we can advocate for better health resources and support for the LGBTQ+ community, fostering a more inclusive society for all.Learn More: www.communitybusiness.org

On this World Suicide Prevention Day, we invite you to join us for a heartfelt and important episode of Up for Discussion. We are honored to welcome Jess Hulton, Director and Founder of The New Normal (TNN) charity in Hong Kong, and Désirée Fong, Director of Equity and Inclusion on the TNN HK board.In this episode, Jess and Désirée share their personal journeys that led them to establish TNN, a charity dedicated to challenging mental health stigma and providing peer support to those in need. With over 1,200 individuals benefiting from their services, TNN is making a significant impact in the community.We will explore critical topics, including:- The importance of peer support in mental health- The cultural challenges surrounding mental health discussions in Hong Kong- The alarming rise in suicide rates and the factors contributing to this crisis- Practical strategies for preventing suicide and supporting those in distressJess and Désirée emphasise that suicide is one of the most preventable issues we face, and they share their insights on how open conversations and empathetic listening can save lives.Tune in for this essential discussion as we shed light on mental health, the power of community, and the steps we can all take to support one another.If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, we encourage you to reach out for help. Your mental health matters, and you are not alone.Resources:Hong Kong: Caritas 24-hour Crisis Line 18288Singapore: Institute of Mental Health 6389 2222India: 1Life +91 78930 78930Mainland China: Crisis 800–810–1117 (for landline callers) or 010–8295–1332 (for mobile and VoIP callers)Philippines: National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline 1553Japan: TELL Lifeline 0800-300-8355Other resources: www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/

Financial Literacy for Kids | Up for Discussion with Will Rainey Did you know that 86% of people say their financial situation has worsened their mental health? In our latest episode of Up for Discussion, we welcome Will Rainey, author of Grandpa's Fortune Fables and a passionate advocate for teaching kids about money. Will shares his journey from investment consultant to empowering parents to educate their children about financial management. We explore: - The importance of financial literacy for kids - Societal taboos surrounding money conversations - Practical tips for fostering healthy money habits - How financial education shapes career choices and wellbeing Will emphasizes the power of financial knowledge: "If children know how to manage their money when they're young, it empowers them to make so many different decisions when they're adults." This episode is essential for parents, educators, and anyone interested in breaking the cycle of financial illiteracy. Join us for an insightful discussion on raising financially savvy kids and creating a more secure future!

This Olympics made history with 193 openly out athletes winning a total of 42 total medals, ranking 7th if they were a country. In this episode of Up for Discussion, we have Alan Lang, the co-chair of Gay Games. He led a team of 270 volunteers, successfully raised 3.4 million USD, and organised 18 sports events along with opening and closing ceremonies. A true feat of LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. In this episode, we discussed:- Unique challenges LGBTQ+ athletes face in professional sports- Transphobia in sports and how to educate people about this topic- The recent controversy surrounding boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting- How to create a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ athletesLearn More: www.communitybusiness.org

How can we create impactful change in the world of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I)?In this episode of Up for Discussion, we welcome Jeiz Robles, Director of DE&I at Community Business and one of Involve's Top 20 Global LGBTQ+ Future Leaders. Jeiz, a Filipina, bisexual, neurodivergent woman, shares her journey from the corporate world to leading DE&I initiatives in Asia. We explore:- The evolution of DE&I practices- Pandemic's impact on employee wellbeing- Emerging trends in workplace inclusion- Importance of community building- Supporting diverse identities in organizationsJeiz offers a fresh perspective on measuring DE&I success:"The real measure is when people can freely talk about their experiences, ideas, and themselves without second-guessing."This episode is essential for anyone seeking to understand DE&I's critical role in creating equitable workplaces. Join us for an insightful discussion on fostering inclusivity in the modern workplace.

How is Social Mobility Advancing DE&I in Asia? Our guest, Holly McGhee, Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness Director at EY Asia Pacific, dives into the intricacies of socio-economic status in Asia. She shares her personal journey with social mobility, how it can make an impact in the workplace and why now is the right time to further this conversation. She also shares insights on the Community Business’ upcoming research on social mobility.  We would like to become a place where people who come from different socio-economic backgrounds can thrive, can really bring their full selves; the different perspectives that they have and their different experiences, together adding value to our organization.  - Holly McGhee, Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness Director at EY Asia Pacific Learn More: www.communitybusiness.org

This episode of Up for Discussion features Cattreeya Thithiwongsawet, Asia Regional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader at Seagate Technology.Watch the video to learn about:1) Cat's journey to becoming a DE&I leader 2) Some pivotal experiences that shaped Cat's approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion?  3) How did Cat navigate the complexities of promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion in a region with diverse cultural, religious, and legal contexts?

This episode of Up for Discussion features Meenu Bhambhani from State Street, delves into the topic of disability inclusion and the rapidly advancing AI and accessibility landscape, in conversation with our Executive Director Sandhya Manoj.Watch the video to learn about:👉 How lack of accessibility affects the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace👉 Use of accessibility tools in the workplace and the apprehensions around them👉 What organisations need to do to empower, enable and support people with disabilities, while making workplaces more accessible

"There is a lot of conversation around raising awareness... I think we've done a lot in terms of raising awareness. I think now is the time to take action. If we're not going to take action, we're going to be raising awareness for the next 20 years and nothing is going to happen." - Manisha Wijesinghe, Executive Director, HELP for Domestic WorkersAhead of International Domestic Workers Day on 16 Jun, we invited Manisha Wijesinghe, Executive Director of HELP for Domestic Workers to join us on Up for Discussion. Manisha's knowledge and expertise on migrant workers' experiences in Hong Kong brings a different perspective to understanding systemic inequality in the market, as well as encouraging the future of DE&I to broaden its horizons.Watch the video to learn about:👉What migrant domestic workers mean for the care economy👉What role migrant domestic workers play in Hong Kong's society👉How DE&I leaders can think more broadly about including the Care Economy in their initiatives and policies

Period Equity and Creating Social Impact: Insights from the Found of LUÜNA NaturalsThis episode of Up for Discussion features Olivia Cotes-James, the Founder and CEO of LUÜNA Naturals sharing insights about:👉The importance of destigmatising menstruation👉Creating social impact and the social enterprise business model👉How increasing awareness about periods benefits the entire workforce👉Successful programmes LUÜNA has run that have had a positive impact on society#impactxasia #gender #genderequality #periods #period #periodpoverty #socialimpact #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship

Empowering LGBT+ Equality: Insights from Jerome Yau | Hong Kong Marriage Equality & AIDS Concern“Corporates can play a role in elevating and improving employees’ wellbeing... It’s important for leadership to [demonstrate] that as a company, we care, it’s beyond a slogan or a piece of policy.” -Jerome Yau, Co-Founder, Hong Kong Marriage Equality This episode of Up for Discussion features Jerome Yau from Hong Kong Marriage Equality and AIDS Concern sharing about his role in these two NGOs and the road to equality for LGBT+ people in Hong Kong, as well as the wider region. Our Senior Programme Manager of the LGBT+ Campaign Scot Jones asked Jerome about: 👉How Hong Kong Marriage Equality was founded 👉Jerome’s observations about societal shifts in Hong Kong 👉AIDS Concern Hong Kong’s objectives 👉The role that corporates can play in improving the lives of LGBT+ individuals Watch this episode to learn more about the LGBT+ landscape in Hong Kong and Asia from a leading figure in this space. #IMPACTxAsia #LGBT #LGBTQ #LBGTQIA #Equality #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #HongKong #IDAHOT #IDAHOBT #Pride #Marriageequality

"At some point, it would be more efficient, if we were to be focusing on how to design our businesses and our processes in a universal way, much like architects or interior designers do universal design... How do we make how we do business more inclusive for everyone without having to go back and then put on these Band-Aids? - Noelle Sinclair, Founder, Diverse MindsNoelle founded Diverse Minds and helps organisations leverage neurodiversity to enhance team performance and business outcomes, offering specialised neurodiversity training for professionals and developing strategic plans, frameworks, and tools to address current gaps in neurodiversity practices. In this episode of Up for Discussion, our Client Solutions Manager Len Nguyen interviews Noelle about the intersectionality of Neurodiversity and Gender.Watch this episode to learn about:👉Noelle's personal experience 👉Gender biases in the history of ADHD and ASD diagnosis👉What organisations can do to support neurodivergent employees#impactxasia #neurodiversity #autism #adhd #diversityandinclusion #diversityequityinclusion #esg #business #universaldesign

Our CEO Janet Ledger recently joined our GIDA partners for a presentation on Centring Marginalised Voices at Work at the NGO CSW68, a forum run in parallel to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Janet provided an Asian perspective, reflecting that, "the research we do at Community Business equally advocates for engagement with and listening to those with lived experiences to shape any DE&I strategies with ‘voices’ at the heart of work." As well as presenting at the forum, watch this episode of Up for Discussion to learn more about:👉SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals and how crucial this pillar is in meeting the SDG targets👉The relationships between funders and NGOs and how to demonstrate allyship in a partnership👉The interrelationship between the climate crisis, economic crisis and care crisis #IMPACTxAsia #GenderEquality #partnerships #esg #business #ngo #gender #caregiving

Struck by the slow progress on gender equality in her industry, Nasrine co-founded the Hong Kong Board Directors Investor’s Initiative in 2018 with the goal of influencing the investor/investee sphere to act on the important topic of board diversity.She is passionate about driving change at the top levels in Hong Kong when it comes to board diversity, using both her day job to highlight the corporate governance aspects of board diversity, as well as the Investor’s Initiative to drive the conversation at the wider level.Listen or watch our CEO Janet Ledger interview Nasrine about:👉The need for board diversity👉What companies in Hong Kong with all-male boards should focus on to meet HKEX’s target👉Evaluating the success of voluntary and mandatory quotas

“Humanising difference is important, because when we start to humanise difference, people start to realise actually we’re all the same.”-Shalini Mahtani, Founder and CEO of The Zubin Foundation, Founder of Community BusinessShalini Mahtani, the founder of Community Business, is a pioneering and much sought-after voice for good in the DE&I, CSR and wellbeing space. Her accolades speak for themselves. In 2009, Shalini was honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and a year prior she was awarded an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her services in corporate social responsibility in Hong Kong.Today, Shalini is the founder and CEO of The Zubin Foundation, a charity devoted to reducing suffering for Hong Kong's ethnic minorities, racial integration and special education needs of local non-Chinese speakers.Our Director of DE&I Dimuthu de Silva hosted this episode and spoke to Shalini about:👉The origins of The Zubin Foundation and Shalini’s personal journey👉The Hong Kong context around racial inequality👉The initiatives The Zubin Foundation runs to improve the lives of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong👉What organisations can do to accelerate equality for ethnic minorities in Hong KongSubscribe to our YouTube channel to watch the video, or catch the audio versions on Apple Podcasts, Castbox, SoundCloud or Spotify.Learn More: www.communitybusiness.org/#IMPACTxAsia #Racism #Race #EthnicMinority #EthnicMinorities #Equality #SDG10 #SDG5 #Intersectionality #Equality #Equity

“There are so many amazing skillsets and the more you harness that and the more you bring that together, it will bring even more change, social justice, social impact for so many more people.” - Catherine Husted, Head of Social Impact, Allen & Overy Our first Up for Discussion episode features our CEO Janet Ledger interviewing Catherine Husted on the power of partnerships between corporates and NGOs. Drawing on her experience spearheading Allen & Overy’s CSR activities as pro-bono partner, as well as her work with the Zubin Foundation, this episode features discussions about: 👉Catherine’s experience on both sides of a corporate and NGO partnership 👉The benefits for both parties in a partnership 👉How to get the most out of your partnershipLearn More: https://www.communitybusiness.org/