Leading leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder and Out Leadership, the first and only global platform for CEOs and multinational companies to advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, announced a partnership aimed at promoting LGBTQ+ representation at senior levels of business.

Egon Zehnder will be the newest member of Out Leadership’s coalition, which includes such companies as P&G, Publicis Sapient, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Mastercard, National Australia Bank, Nomura, KPMG, Citi, Coca Cola, Dow Chemical, and LVMH. The two firms will work together on advisory and executive search services, thought leadership, and events, with the goal of building a more robust pipeline for senior leadership positions and Board appointments. 

Jill Ader, Chair, Egon Zehnder stated, “At Egon Zehnder, we understand that diversity of background and thought is an imperative for business success. We are thrilled to partner with Out Leadership on our joint commitment to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community is represented at the top levels of business and elsewhere in society.”

As per the agreement, Egon Zehnder will become a member of Out Leadership's business network and will be the exclusive search firm partner/sponsor of Quorum, Out Leadership’s brand covering all events and thought leadership initiatives related to promoting LGBT representation on corporate boards.

Todd Sears, Founder and CEO of Out Leadership said, “The push for broader diversity on boards globally has too often excluded LGBTQ leaders, both in policy, placement, and practice. Out Leadership, and our Quorum initiative, have been striving since 2010 to increase LGBTQ inclusivity--especially at the board level where the greatest impact often is made. We're proud to have Egon Zehnder as our newest partner and the first of the major leadership advisory firms to recognize the importance of LGBTQ diversity both in the U.S. and around the world.”

The first joint effort between the two firms will involve the copromotion of Egon Zehnder’s Global Board Diversity Tracker, which will be released December 8th and which for the first time will involve analysis beyond gender, including research provided by Out Leadership. Ultimately the two organizations will develop proprietary research, events, and other joint projects. The partnership illustrates that promoting diversity in global leadership is the need of the hour.