Madrid, June 10, 2019.-  The Spanish Development Finance Institution, COFIDES, S.A., S.M.E., has approved a policy for the protection and support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in the business world.

This new procedure includes all the workplace measures that COFIDES implements to guarantee real and effective equality of opportunity for LGTBI people. The basic principles that have inspired the company's LGTBI Policy are a corporate culture that favours inclusion, non-discrimination, equality and diversity, including the elimination of unfair or abusive treatment in the workplace.

The COFIDES chairman, José Luis Curbelo, said that "COFIDES is an inclusive company that respects the diversity, freedom and rights of LGTBI people in the both the COFIDES environment and in all of its activities and relationships with third parties”.

The procedure includes several areas of action, among which are measures to prevent labour discrimination, support to improve the work environment, the prevention of violations of individual rights by third parties, as well as travel recommendations for LGTBI staff, in order to avoid or minimise risks.

COFIDES has developed this LGTBI policy within the framework of the initiatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; the Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality; the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organisations (CEOE); Forética (association of companies and professionals in corporate social responsibility) and REDI (the Business Network for LGTBI+ Diversity and Inclusion), which have presented the "United Nation's Standards of Conduct" in Spain to address discrimination against LGTBI people in the business world.

COFIDES is a public-private company which has been offering financial support to Spanish companies investing abroad since 1988. It is accredited with the EU to manage Community budgets, allowing it to structure transactions with a high impact on development. It is also accredited with the UN’s Green Climate Fund and can structure operations on climate change mitigation and adaptation with the GCF. It is the exclusive manager of FIEX and FONPYME funds on behalf of the Secretariat of State for Trade attached to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and supports AECID in managing FONPRODE funds. Shareholders include Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell and CAF-Development Bank of Latin America.