Stocks from LGBT-inclusive companies outperform the market, according to new research from Credit Suisse. Since 2010, the bank’s “LGBT basket” every year saw returns 3% better than the MSCI All Country World Index.
Credit Suisse’s “LGBT basket” consisted of 270 firms that have openly LGBT leaders and/or senior management, are ranked as top LGBT employers by groups like Pride in Diversity or Stonewall, and/or have a large number of employees in LGBT employee engagement networks. Nearly 60% of the companies in the index (by market capitalization) are in the technology, financial and consumer industries.
According to Stefano Natello, a co-author of the report and Credit Suisse’s Global Head of Research, the study revealed that “having the policies is not enough. You have to want the culture.”