Member Article

World’s first free LGBT professional network launches

SuitLink exits beta with 2,500 members in 35 countries and prominent UK Lord as an investor

SuitLink, a global network for LGBT professionals, has launched this week with the aim of helping improve equality in professional industries. Lord Cashman, the former MEP and now Labour Party’s special envoy on LGBT issues, is a major investor in the initiative.

SuitLink, which was founded by 21 year old Edward Johnson, provides a platform with recruitment, networking, social and business collaboration services. Following a successful beta launch, SuitLink already boasts members from 35 countries including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and South Africa.

The platform is free for both members and companies to join and hosts professionals from a range of industries such as HR, art and design, law, financial services and government. SuitLink also aims to collaborate with leading global companies to improve equality in the workplace with an events platform offering, recruitment solutions and company pages too. Equally, heterosexual ‘LGBT allies’ are encouraged to join SuitLink via its online service.

Edward Johnson, CEO and Founder of SuitLink, said: “I currently work in a company that has a very open, diverse and inclusive environment, however, I know that’s not the case in a lot of businesses.

“The purpose of SuitLink is to provide a global network for people who face similar challenges at work to collaborate on projects, network and socialise – this is something that doesn’t currently exist. It’s not simply a ‘LinkedIn for gays’, because our overarching goal is to challenge inequality in professional industries.”

Lord Cashman, investor in SuitLink, who was recently appointed as the Labour Party’s special envoy on LGBT issues worldwide, said: “I decided to invest in SuitLink because I realised that there is a real need for a global network that spans every professional industry for the LGBT community. Some companies are excellent at promoting equality, but we know that more work can be done. By raising awareness of the differing attitudes to equality in each industry and company we can hopefully go some way to help level the playing field.”

Edward, who currently also works at data science consultancy Profusion, launched an invitation-only beta version of the site in 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Edward Johnson .