The 1st Inclusive Philippines Business Summit: Envisioning a Nation Where no One is Authentically Left Behind

The 1st Inclusive Philippines Business Summit envisions to reduce systematic differences in opportunities or distribution related to population characteristics such as age, SOGIE, income, place of residence or ethnicity through the transformative role of Philippine businesses. 

A landmark study released by the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce in 2018 revealed that, in the workplace, policies are often anything but inclusive*. In the Philippines, where MSMEs comprise 99.58% of the of the 2021 List of Establishments, the goal to achieve an inclusive economy poses an even greater challenge in terms of reach, strategy, and attainment.

Presented by the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce, co-presented by Babaylanes, Inc and Youth Voices Count – Zoom Cares in partnership with the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) and Big Dreams for Little People Philippines Inc (BDLP), the Inclusive Philippines Business Summit (IPBS) is a multisectoral platform to bring forward the transformative role of businesses in achieving genuine socio-economic inclusion where no one is left behind.

This Summit is expected to bring in representatives across various marginalized groups, from persons with disabilities (PWDs) to persons engaged in the informal economy; to entrepreneurs and business innovators representing the business excellence of women, LGBT+ people, young people, and many more.

The objectives of the 1st IPBS is to inaugurate the Inclusive Philippines platform, which will work towards crafting a unified roadmap for an inclusive Philippines; raise awareness about the need for a multi-sectoral approach to inclusivity; become a collaborative incubator for inclusive businesses; and provide an opportunity for brands and leaders to elaborate key issues, review business cases, and expand their knowledge base in relation to the dynamics and realities of inclusion.

With major themes such as Embodying an Inclusive Economy (March 2023 Summit), Intersectional Inclusivity (April and May round-table discussions) and Inclusivity in the Grassroots (June 2023 summit), the IPBS envisions to be a long yet fruitful glimpse into an inclusive economy we all hope for.

Following the 1st summit day on March 22, 2023, at SMX Aura Convention Center Hall 1 (BGC, Taguig City).  Followed by the March plenary will be two intimate roundtable discussions in April and May 2023 with esteemed partners and interested participants, to articulate applicable emerging practices that would help organizations and businesses transform their leadership into a more inclusive stance.

The learnings that will be harnessed during the roundtable discussions will be shared on the culminating plenary to be held on June 28, 2023. Aside from these topics, the culminating activity will highlight specific pressing concerns on inclusion that affect a broader audience. The final plenary will raise awareness on how the public can involve themselves in the call to embrace inclusion in their own capacities and channels.