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Growing Support for the Freedom to Love

CooperVision, J.P. Morgan, PARKROYAL and The Gunnery join Google and Barclays to lead Pink Dot’s list of corporate and community supporters for 2013

SINGAPORE, 23 May 2013 – Global financial firm J.P. Morgan, local hotel PARKROYAL on Pickering, popular contact lens specialist CooperVision and audio branding agency The Gunnery, have come on board as Corporate Contributors of Pink Dot 2013, an annual event campaigning for diversity and inclusiveness while fostering understanding for the basic human need to love and be loved, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. They join a growing list that includes search engine giant Google and international banking group Barclays.

For some contributors, supporting Pink Dot is part of their internal diversity programme as well as a way to reach out to the diverse communities they support.

“Diversity at the workplace is an essential component of the culture at Google. Possessing the best talent is just one facet of being a great company, and Google firmly believes that having a diversity of viewpoints and beliefs can lead to some really brilliant and inspiring ideas that will benefit us all in the long term,” said Keerthana Mohan, APAC Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Google, Pink Dot’s Pioneer Contributor since 2010. “With the world becoming more interconnected, we recognise and appreciate the sheer diversity of the world around us by supporting a worthy cause like Pink Dot’s.”

Barclays – committing itself to supporting Pink Dot for the second year – likewise believes in offering equal opportunities to employees. Simon Croxford, who is Asia Co-Head of Barclays LGBT employee network Spectrum and is based in Singapore said: “It is becoming more evident that companies with diverse teams make wiser decisions and better reflect the clients they serve and communities they are part of. We at Barclays pride ourselves on our belief that employees should be respected for their talents and contributions and that everyone deserves to be offered the same opportunities to be successful, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Four headlining new corporate contributors – J. P. Morgan, PARKROYAL on Pickering, CooperVision and The Gunnery – likewise share in the vision of an inclusive and diverse Singapore in which Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Singaporeans can happily call Home.

“J.P Morgan is committed to promoting and creating an inclusive work environment because we understand that with diversity comes strength. Employees with different perspectives and experiences are essential for firms if they are to succeed. J.P. Morgan has an open culture that respects all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity and we are very proud to be associated with the Pink Dot event this year,” said Paul Echart, J.P. Morgan’s Chief Administrative Officer for Singapore”

“CooperVision believes in and embraces diversity. We value the uniqueness of each individual. It is through varied perspectives combined with an open environment that our people produce great ideas and creative and inspiring solutions. This belief is reflected in our company’s tagline “Live Brightly!”. We encourage our people to shine in their individuality and be passionate in bringing this positive spirit to enliven our customers and the communities we serve,” said Ms Jo-Ann Choo, Director of Marketing, CooperVision. “Supporting Pink Dot is one way to share our beliefs.”

“As a local creative audio branding agency, our love of music and sound translates into inspired results. We are proud to be helping Pink Dot broadcast its message of love and acceptance to a growing number of Singaporeans every year,” said Mr Azmi Jaffar, Executive Producer, The Gunnery.

For PARKROYAL on Pickering, supporting Pink Dot is a natural extension of being a new member of the vibrant community that surrounds the iconic Hong Lim Park.

“PARKROYAL on Pickering is an award winning hotel located right in the heart of Chinatown and across from the historically rich and diverse Hong Lim Park,” said Mr Lee Kin Seng, PARKROYAL on Pickering’s Director of Marketing Communications. “We promise our guests a local connection to the community around us. This is the first Pink Dot that PARKROYAL’s guests will be able to view from our rooms and we are excited at being able to partake in and share this spirit of diversity and inclusiveness with our guests.”

Pink Dot 2013’s corporate contributors are joined by food & beverage sponsors like ShareTea and Nando’s, as well as companies who have offered their pro bono services like Positive Events and founding sponsor Fridae.com.

The aid of contributors – both corporate organisations and individual donors – go a long way toward helping mitigate logistical and operational costs of organising Pink Dot.

“The growing number of companies who are coming out and supporting social movements like Pink Dot is humbling,” said Paerin Choa, spokesperson for Pink Dot Sg. “Increasingly, corporate entities are recognising the importance of values like inclusiveness and diversity, not just in the creation of a good working environment for employees, but also as a gesture of goodwill to clients and customers.”

View our 2013 campaign video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1dQCsfEJ5o

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/pinkdotsg

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pinkdotsg

Website: https://pinkdot.sg/pinkie

Photos can be obtained from Pink Dot’s Dropbox:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z2lqpd10ogp7gce/lBmFaMMF73

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Wong Mobile: (65) 9199 3623

Email: [email protected]

About Pink Dot Sg

Pink Dot Sg is a non-profit movement started by a group of individuals who care deeply about the place that LGBT Singaporeans call home. Why Pink? Because it is a blend of red and white – the colour of Singapore’s flag. It is also the colour of our national identification cards. More importantly, Pink Dot Sg stands for a Singapore in which all Singaporeans, regardless of their sexual orientation, are free to love and be loved. 2,500 people supported this cause in 2009. In 2010, this nearly doubled to 4,000. In 2011, over 10,000 participants turned up, while 2012 saw the largest number of Singaporeans and permanent residents turning up to date, at 15,000. This consistently ranks Pink Dot as the largest gathering since the inception of the Speakers’ Corner in 2000.