Category Archives: All

By Brian Grim, Ph.D.

On November 26, I shared the following thought on balancing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and gender non-discrimination in the workplace. This was part of a virtual session for the European Commission on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and non-discrimination in the workplace. The session is organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

1. Adopt Clear, Inclusive Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): Ensure your policies explicitly prohibit discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Religious Accommodation Policy: Include guidelines for reasonable accommodations (e.g., flexible scheduling for religious observances, dress code adjustments, diet, etc.).

2. Foster a Culture of Respect

Training & Awareness: Provide regular training on religious diversity and gender inclusion. Emphasize that respect for differences is a core value.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Support ERGs for faith-based groups and women’s groups to promote dialogue and mutual understanding.

3. Implement a Structured Accommodation Process

Interactive Dialogue: When an employee requests accommodation (religious or gender-related), engage in a collaborative process to find reasonable solutions.

Consistency: Apply accommodations fairly and consistently to avoid perceptions of favoritism or bias.

4. Avoid Coercion or Hostility

Proselytizing or Harassment: Make clear that employees can share beliefs respectfully but cannot pressure others or create a hostile environment.

Safe Reporting Channels: Provide confidential ways to report concerns without fear of retaliation.

5. Align with Legal Standards

Title VII (U.S.): Requires reasonable accommodation for religious practices unless it causes undue hardship.

Article 21 (Europe): Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights prohibits any form of discrimination.

Gender Non-Discrimination Laws: Comply with local and national laws protecting gender and expression.

6. Promote Dialogue and Education

Interfaith & Inclusion Events: Host voluntary sessions that celebrate and educate employees on different perspectives.

Conflict Resolution Mechanisms: Train managers to mediate when religious and gender rights intersect.

7. Leadership Commitment

Top-Down Support: Leaders should model respect for both religious freedom and gender equality.

Communicate Values: Reinforce that inclusion is not about choosing one right over another, but honoring both.

Added resource: Track and benchmark progress using our Faith-Friendly Workplace REDI Index.

Nominations for the 2026 Awards will be in London.

History: The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards have been given since 2016. They were originally awarded in tandem with the Paralympic Games as part of former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s UN Global Compact Business for Peace initiative in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Seoul (2018) and Tokyo (2021).

They were then given in Washington DC and in New Delhi in 2023 in tandem with the G20 Meetings hosted by India, supported by our founding patron King Husein and global partner American Airlines.

India hosted the awards in 2023 and 2024 as part of Dare to Overcome-Global. In 2025, the Awards were back again in Washington DC. The 2026 Awards will be in London.

By Brian Grim

On November 26, I’ll be part of a virtual session for the European Commission on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and non-discrimination in the workplace. The session is organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Exploring Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and Non-Discrimination in Today’s Workplace

As workplaces become increasingly diverse, the intersection of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and non-discrimination is one of the most pressing issues for employers and employees alike. At our upcoming session, we’ll dive into these complex questions, exploring both challenges and opportunities.

I’ll begin by tackling a question that often arises: Does promoting FoRB in the workplace risk creating obstacles for women’s rights? Some argue that religious accommodations could unintentionally reinforce gender-based job segregation. I’ll share insights on how organizations can safeguard women’s rights while respecting religious freedom, ensuring that accommodations do not perpetuate inequality.

Another key area I’ll address is proselytism in the workplace. Should employees be empowered to talk about their faith at work? While open expression can foster inclusion, it can also make colleagues uncomfortable if boundaries aren’t clear. I’ll outline practical strategies for organizations to encourage respectful dialogue without crossing into coercion.

Finally, I’ll explore one of the most sensitive questions: When should religious accommodations override an employer’s other commitments to creating a workplace where all feel welcome? I’ll propose criteria organizations can use to evaluate religious objections—such as those related to participation in Pride events or pronoun usage—while balancing strategic goals and anti-discrimination policies. Should consistency be the guiding principle, or should flexibility prevail? I’ll share why a nuanced, case-by-case approach often works best.

The conference will also feature discussions on several critical issues:

FoRB and Women’s Rights: How can workplaces create space for religious expression without undermining gender equality?

Managing Complaints: If an employee feels pressured to convert or participate in religious activities, what steps should managers take before it escalates into a formal complaint?

Global Conflicts and Workplace Cohesion: With emotionally charged events—such as the conflict in the Middle East—impacting employees, how can employers protect Muslim and Jewish staff from rising hate incidents while maintaining workplace harmony?

Limits of Expression: When does legitimate expression of political or religious views cross the line into hate speech or incitement?

FoRB and LGBTIQ Rights: How can employers design anti-discrimination policies that protect vulnerable groups without unduly limiting sincere religious or non-religious expression?

Opportunities Beyond Challenges: What unique strengths and insights do religious employees bring to the workplace, and how can organizations leverage these to build a better, more inclusive environment?

This conference promises to be a thought-provoking dialogue on how businesses can uphold freedom of belief while fostering respect for all employees. Stay tuned for key takeaways and actionable strategies that will help organizations navigate these complex issues.

By Brian Grim, Ph.D.

In an era of rapid technological advancement, the ethical and moral implications of innovation have become increasingly significant. At the “Technology for Goodness” Forum in Hong Kong, I will explore this theme through the lens of faith-based traditions, focusing on how religious worldviews shape the development, application, and governance of technology. Drawing on both Dharma traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) and Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), my presentation compares and contrasts their perspectives on technology’s role in human flourishing, ethical boundaries, and spiritual responsibility.

Dharma traditions emphasize harmony, karma, and the interconnectedness of life, often advocating for technologies that promote balance and reduce suffering. Abrahamic traditions, rooted in stewardship, justice, and divine purpose, stress the importance of using technology to serve humanity while remaining accountable to God.

I will identify key ethical concerns. These include surveillance, AI autonomy, environmental degradation, and digital inequality. It discusses how faith-based principles can guide responsible innovation. Ultimately, I argue that religious ethics offer a vital framework for ensuring that technology serves the common good, respects human dignity, and fosters a more compassionate and just society.

In today’s world, we are faced with a host of interconnected and complex challenges: extreme disasters driven by climate change, persistent inequality in the distribution of resources, worsening humanitarian crises, and ethical dilemmas arising from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. These “wicked problems” can no longer be addressed effectively by any single sector or organization alone. Instead, they demand integrated, cross-disciplinary thinking and collaborative solutions.

As an international humanitarian organization grounded in the core value of altruism, the Tzu Chi Foundation draws its founding principles from the compassion of Buddhist teachings and puts altruism into practice throughout society. Master Cheng Yen, the founder, has called on professionals from all walks of life to join in advancing humanitarian care and social ethics.

“Technology for Goodness” emphasizes the integration of care, empathy, and ethical considerations into the application of technology. Whether in disaster response, healthcare, equitable education, or environmental sustainability, using technology ethically and for goodness of society is a vital pathway for fostering cross-sector collaboration and addressing the pressing challenges facing humanity.

The 10th Tzu Chi Forum, themed “Technology for Goodness,” explores how we can harmonize humanistic values with modern technology and promote interdisciplinary collaboration. The forum seeks pathways to balance technological advancement with human-centered care, and to develop innovative solutions rooted in altruism and common goodness. By advancing ethical technology, social welfare, and sustainable development, the forum aims to address the world’s most complex challenges.

For those in Hong Kong, register here.

By Brian Grim

In the coming months, I’ll be participating in some milestone events as well as laying the groundwork for new global initiatives and partnerships. You can see the details below. I look forward to seeing some of you along the way!

This week before U.S. Thanksgiving holidays, I’ll be part of a virtual session for the European Commission on Freedom of Religion or Belief-FoRB and non-discrimination in the workplace. The session is organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. I’ll also participate in the Faithforce Light Talks series during champion month for the global Faithforce community at Salesforce.

During the first week of December, I’ll be in Taiwan and Hong Kong to speak on “Faith-based Perspectives on Technology.” I’ll be hosted by the world’s largest Buddhist charity, Tzu Chi. Drawing on both Dharma traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) and Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), my presentation compares and contrasts their perspectives on technology’s role in human flourishing, ethical boundaries, and spiritual responsibility.

On December 9th, I’ll be at American Airlines headquarters in Dallas to give the keynote at the 30th anniversary celebration for their Christian Employee Business Resource Group. It’s been an honor to work with Chief Flight Dispatcher, Fr. Greg McBrayer, who is the global lead for the CEBRG, as well as working with all of their faith-based EBRGs. I’m especially grateful to have American Airlines as the official airline for our U.S. and international Dare to Overcome conferences, including in India.

I’ll be back in India early next year to help promote our Business Skills & Human Rights high school curriculum as a project that India-based companies can support as part of their CSR initiatives. In mid-December, Robert Rex who volunteers with our foundation, will be laying additional groundwork for this when he visits our partner in the project, the MIT World Peace University in Pune.

And I’m extremely excited to announce that our next Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards will be October 13, 2026, in the City of London. If you know any business CEOs who are championing interfaith understanding, religious freedom and peace in their company, philanthropy or advocacy, please consider nominating them.

The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards are now named in honor of our patron, philanthropist and business leader King Husein, who will be on hand to congratulate the new honorees.

In today’s world, we are faced with a host of interconnected and complex challenges: extreme disasters driven by climate change, persistent inequality in the distribution of resources, worsening humanitarian crises, and ethical dilemmas arising from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. These “wicked problems” can no longer be addressed effectively by any single sector or organization alone. Instead, they demand integrated, cross-disciplinary thinking and collaborative solutions.

As an international humanitarian organization grounded in the core value of altruism, the Tzu Chi Foundation draws its founding principles from the compassion of Buddhist teachings and puts altruism into practice throughout society. Master Cheng Yen, the founder, has called on professionals from all walks of life to join in advancing humanitarian care and social ethics.

“Technology for Goodness” emphasizes the integration of care, empathy, and ethical considerations into the application of technology. Whether in disaster response, healthcare, equitable education, or environmental sustainability, using technology ethically and for goodness of society is a vital pathway for fostering cross-sector collaboration and addressing the pressing challenges facing humanity.

The 10th Tzu Chi Forum, themed “Technology for Goodness,” explores how we can harmonize humanistic values with modern technology and promote interdisciplinary collaboration. The forum seeks pathways to balance technological advancement with human-centered care, and to develop innovative solutions rooted in altruism and common goodness. By advancing ethical technology, social welfare, and sustainable development, the forum aims to address the world’s most complex challenges.

For those in Hong Kong, register here.

🌍 Coming Soon: Groundbreaking Global Research to Be Unveiled at Dare to Overcome 2026

What truly drives the world’s most successful companies?
At a time when corporate inclusion efforts face new challenges, a bold new study is set to reshape the conversation—revealing a powerful and often overlooked force at the heart of corporate values: faith and belief.

This landmark research, spanning 400 of the most successful companies across the U.S., Europe, Southeast Asia, and China, uncovers a striking global convergence around a single core value—integrity—and traces its roots to the ethical and spiritual traditions that shape billions of lives.

From boardrooms to breakrooms, this study explores how employees’ deepest convictions—whether grounded in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Humanism, or other traditions—are quietly fueling cultures of trust, excellence, and purpose.

Why does integrity matter so universally?
How do faith and belief identities shape corporate success?
And what happens when workplaces embrace—not suppress—these identities?

Join us at Dare to Overcome 2026 for the exclusive unveiling of this transformative research. Discover how faith-and-belief friendly workplaces are not just more inclusive—they’re more resilient, innovative, and ethically grounded.

This is more than a report. It’s a call to action.

Be there when the future of values-driven business is revealed. May 20-21, 2026.

>> 2-for-1 early bird tickets now available

>> Sponsorships available

Your Voice Matters – Join the Radius Global ERG Impact Survey

We’re excited to invite all Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) members across the globe to contribute to a groundbreaking initiative: the 2026 Radius Global ERG Impact Report. In partnership with the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, Radius Networks is gathering insights from ERGs, networks, and communities worldwide to showcase how they’re shaping the future of work through inclusion, innovation, and cultural transformation.

As organizations increasingly invest in ERGs, the impact of these groups is being recognized by leading employers everywhere. Building on the success of last year’s report—which featured over 600 organizations including Tesco, BBC, Siemens, Virgin O2 Media, and Standard Chartered—this year’s study will highlight fresh data and stories from some of the world’s most inclusive workplaces.

We want to hear from you. Share your experiences, challenges, and successes by completing the short survey below:

👉 Take the Survey

Your insights will help shape a global understanding of how ERGs influence people strategies, foster belonging, and drive meaningful change. As a participant, you’ll be among the first to receive the 2026 report and have the opportunity to join our global launch events.

If you’d like to register your interest, please email: support@radius-networks.org.

Feel free to share this invitation with your wider ERG network. Together, we can amplify the voice and impact of ERGs around the world. You can see the 2025 report here.

Thank you for being part of this movement.

The Next Generation of Faith: A Paradigm Shift

The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life’s latest report, The Next Generation of Faith: Journeys, Meaning and Wellbeing, reveals a profound generational shift in how faith is experienced and understood in Britain. Among 18–34-year-olds, faith is increasingly seen not as a social inheritance but as a personal journey tied to emotional and mental wellbeing. This contrasts with older generations who continue to view faith as a stable, inherited framework for life. The report highlights how younger adults are more likely to engage with faith through digital platforms, seek personal transformation, and leave religious communities when they feel unsupported—signaling a more autonomous and emotionally driven approach to spirituality.

The report, authored by Rania Mohiuddin-Agir, draws on extensive survey data and offers a nuanced portrait of a generation reimagining faith on its own terms. It underscores the need for religious institutions and communities to adapt—not only to the digital habits of younger people but also to their emotional and existential needs.

Key Findings

In a time of rapid cultural and societal change, the role of faith in personal and communal life is undergoing a transformation—especially among younger generations. A new study released this week explores how Britons aged 18–34 are reshaping the meaning and purpose of religious belief.

The report finds that younger adults are increasingly approaching faith not as a tradition passed down through family or community, but as a personal tool for emotional resilience and mental health. This marks a significant departure from older generations, who tend to view faith as a source of stability and a lens through which to interpret the world. For older adults, faith remains a holistic and inherited worldview; for younger people, it is more fragmented, individualized, and therapeutic.

Among the most common reasons cited by 18–24-year-olds for entering or deepening their faith are a personal connection with the divine, a search for meaning and moral clarity, and a desire for healing or transformation. Mental health emerges as a central theme, with 27% of young adults identifying it as a key part of their faith journey. Notably, over half of those who linked faith to mental health reported a deepening of their spiritual life.

Digital engagement plays a powerful role in this shift. Individuals who primarily engage with religion through social media are overwhelmingly more likely to come into faith than to leave it. However, the report also shows that young people raised in religious households or exposed to faith through school are more likely to experience weakened belief or become atheist—suggesting that institutional or inherited forms of religion may not resonate as strongly with this age group.

The study also highlights the importance of community support. A lack of belonging or emotional support is a major factor driving young adults away from faith, with 18–34-year-olds more than twice as likely as older adults to cite this as a reason for leaving. This reflects a broader trend of increased personal agency among younger believers, who are less willing to compromise on negative experiences within religious communities.

Interestingly, while faith is often seen as a source of moral guidance, younger adults are less likely to find answers to global injustice or suffering through religion. In fact, among those who perceive the world as increasingly unfair, a significant majority move away from faith. This suggests that traditional religious narratives may be losing their explanatory power for younger generations grappling with complex global issues.

In sum, The Next Generation of Faith reveals a paradigm shift: faith is no longer primarily about tradition or doctrine, but about personal meaning, mental wellbeing, and emotional support. As Britain’s youth continue to navigate an uncertain world, their spiritual journeys are becoming more introspective, intentional, and deeply tied to their inner lives.

You can read the full report here.