OU earns its fifth Gold rating in a row in PRIDE Index 2023!

Osaka University has received the highest rating of Gold in the PRIDE Index^*1 2023 for its efforts related to LGBTQ+.

*LGBTQIA+: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more.

The university received a Gold rating in the PRIDE Index for five consecutive years starting in 2019, a first for universities in Japan.

Endeavors at Osaka University

Announcement of the declaration and principle

In 2017, Osaka University issued the “Osaka University’s Principle on Diversity in SOGI” for OU community members (faculty, staff, and students). In this principle, Osaka University uses the term of SOGI (short for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), which was the first attempt for a national university, based on the idea that everyone has their own sexual orientation and gender identity.

In 2020, President Nishio and other executives at the university made the "Iku-Boss Declaration" & "SOGI Ally Declaration."

Later in 2021, inheriting the idea of the declaration and principle described above, Osaka University announced Osaka University Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Declaration in order to create a society in which people can find meaning and purpose in life and indicated its stance by declaring the improvement of an environment where diversity is honored and all individuals are respected.

Creating a More Inclusive Environment

• All Gender Restroom Sign
• SOGI Diversity Guidebook
• LGBTQ+ Library (link in Japanese)
• Counsultation Service (link in Japanese)

Raising SOGI Awareness

• Workshop for Understanding SOGI Diversity
• Activity to Expand the SOGI Ally Community

The efforts listed above earned Osaka University its fifth consecutive Gold rating. We will continue our efforts as a university that accepts and respects all forms of diversity.

(*1) The PRIDE Index was formulated by work with Pride^*2, a private organization, in 2016 with the aim of realizing workplaces in which LGBTQ+ individuals can work comfortably beyond the framework of corporations and organizations in Japan.

Efforts by corporations and organizations are scored on the following 5 indicators and rated on a scale of gold, silver, or bronze.

PRIDE index

Each letter represents of the five pillars in the index: Policy, Representation, Inspiration Development and Engagement.

• Policy (action declaration),
• Representation (building LGBTQ and Allies network),
• Inspiration (raising awareness),
• Development (human resources management policy and programs), and
• Engagement/Empowerment (social contribution/public relations activities)

(*2) An organization that supports promotion and establishment of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, genderqueer, and more)-related diversity management practices.

work with Pride was established to provide information to companies in Japan so that they will create workplaces where LGBTQ+ employees can work with dignity and motivate these companies to take proactive approaches to create such workplaces. In 2016, they formulated the PRIDE Index as the first effort in Japan to evaluate workplace LGBTQ+ initiatives.