5 must reads for your weekend

We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know.?

1. Progress isn't always linear

May 17th marked International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). It serves as an important reminder that LGBT+ people around the world still face high levels of social exclusion, discrimination and sometimes violence and incarceration, simply for being themselves. When it comes to LGBT+ inclusion, there’s a general assumption that progress is linear. But recently, progress toward LGBT+ equality has been slipping. Why? Three EY leaders tell us that there has been a surge in transphobia and politicization of transgender issues, in countries once seen as beacons for progress.?Homosexuality also remains illegal in 64 countries, and in many more, being an “out” LGBT+ professional is simply impossible. In 2022, Open for Business found that almost 30% of global cities received lower ratings on LGBT+ inclusivity, while only 7% improved. EY people are often asked what companies and individuals can do to remove barriers for LGBT+ people at work.?Moriaki Kida, Terri McDowell and Gina Mills share six ways to get started.?

To uplift social equity, action is needed now on LGBT+ inclusion

2. The future of work is green

Our society and planet are counting on it. The global climate crisis is one of the most significant existential threats in human history with?half of the world's population?facing the imminent threat of water shortages or extreme weather events, according to the latest report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It’s time to take action. As the impact of climate change escalates, businesses will have no choice but to transform. So, what are businesses doing about it? More than 3,900 companies have announced pledges to lower their GHG emissions. However, the demand for talent with the green skills needed to meet these targets will far exceed our?supply. Given the scarcity of the green skills needed to support climate change goals, chief human resource officers (CHROs) need to think differently about how they will source and develop those skills. Organizations that thrive in the sustainability revolution will be those with the talent, skills and culture that can inspire new, bold visions and transformative innovation. ?

The future of work is green ?

3. Digital is transforming the consumer

Amid the continued cost of living pressure, economic worries and social disruption, consumers worldwide are trying to remain resilient. Increasingly embracing technology, they’re changing the way in which they shop, live and work differently - often with a focus on making their lives more affordable. The pace of digital innovation and adoption is often so rapid now that consumers can quickly become dependent on new tools, without noticing they’ve become part of their daily experience. From managing their budgets, to staying in touch with friends and tracking their health - the list goes on. According to the latest EY Future Consumer Index, 33% of consumers use facial recognition on their cell phone and 42% use a smart device to track their exercise, for example. But consumers can have paradoxical relationships with new technologies. Whilst they readily embrace them, they can become highly reliant on a tool, causing concern about the risks to both their mental and financial wellbeing.

How to serve consumers who rely on tech, but don’t trust tech

4. The enormous potential of inclusive design

Inclusive design has enormous potential for nearly every business - and all professionals should know about it. Creating in an intentionally inclusive way from initial development through launch can reduce the need for time-consuming, costly adjustments, help identify new potential users, improve employee and customer experiences, optimize productivity, spur innovation and elevate brands. To give a specific example, the EY Doberman Design Studio in Sweden built an app for teens with intellectual disabilities, that set new standards for sex education. Creators spent lots of unstructured time with the students to build rapport, so they’d be more comfortable discussing sensitive topics most had never openly talked about. A central principle was that the app should be available to as many people as possible to use in private so they could explore issues related to the body, sexuality, relationships and feelings without the presence of adults. The app was built for a target audience of 5,000 special needs teens; thus far, 900,000 young people - with and without disabilities - have used it. Here are six questions to consider when designing inclusive products and content.

How inclusive design uplifts equity: foundational to transformational

5. Getting money to those that need it – and fast

Wages are modest for most of those who work in childcare and early learning. So when the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a blow to those programs, instructors - whose pay was already at or below minimum wage - across the US endured severe financial struggles. In just the first six months of the pandemic, the nation’s childcare and early learning industry shrank by 20%. In 2021, legislators in a southeastern state initiated a grant program to provide disaster relief funds to the state’s childcare and early learning instructors. Transferring the money required a process that in addition to being secure, was streamlined, flexible and swift. EY were approached for help and quickly deployed an external-facing portal, where directors could apply for relief funding on behalf of their instructors. In just five weeks, more than 80% of the relief money reached tens of thousands of instructors. “The teachers were completely appreciative, and a few were in tears when they found out that they were able to get this funding after all” said a director from the State Division of Early Learning.

How a state distributed $162.3m in aid to early learning workers

If you do one thing:??

Explore somewhere new.

Don’t miss a must read, find all the issues of the?weekly must reads newsletter by EY on LinkedIn here .