I believe APCOM is uniquely positioned to shape how the private sector meaningfully engages with LGBTQI+ health, rights, and wellbeing, beyond symbolism and toward lasting structural impact. I am committed to contributing to that shift with clarity, courage, and integrity.
Miranda Poolpakdee
How can communities working on health, rights, and wellbeing leverage the private sector, particularly in the current political and funding climate?
In today’s constrained political and funding environment, the private sector is not just a funding source—it is a platform for scale, sustainability, and systemic change. Communities can leverage the private sector by positioning inclusion, health equity, and human rights as business imperatives rather than charitable causes. This includes aligning advocacy with outcomes that matter to organizations—workforce wellbeing, talent retention, risk mitigation, ESG performance, and market relevance. Strategic partnerships, co‑designed initiatives, and data‑driven impact narratives allow communities to move from dependency on grants to shared‑value models that survive political shifts and funding volatility.
What challenges exist in engaging the private sector, and how can communities overcome them?
A key challenge is misalignment, private sector timelines, incentives, and risk tolerance often differ from community realities. There is also performative allyship, where support exists at a surface level without structural commitment. Communities can overcome these barriers by being clear on non‑negotiables, grounding engagement in evidence and outcomes, and demanding accountability beyond branding. Building fluency in business language, metrics, ROI, governance, and scalability, strengthens credibility while maintaining values. Importantly, communities must enter partnerships as equals, not beneficiaries.
Suggestions for APCOM’s upcoming annual LGBTQI+ Biz Forum under the RELENTLESS strategy.
Under RELENTLESS, the Forum should move decisively from awareness to execution. I would recommend:
- Shift from panels to playbook. Practical case studies, toolkits, and implementation frameworks that companies can take back and operationalize.
- Center lived experience with business outcomes. Showcasing how LGBTQI+ inclusion directly impacts productivity, innovation, and resilience.
- Cross-sector accountability spaces. Closed‑door dialogues where corporations, policymakers, and community leaders commit to measurable actions.
- Regional realism. Addressing political backlash, regulatory risks, and funding constraints honestly, while highlighting adaptive, locally grounded solutions.
The Forum should leave participants not just inspired, but equipped and accountable.
Anything else to add or highlight?
As an Ambassador, my advocacy will be intentional and principled. I will champion initiatives and narratives that I genuinely believe in, grounded in equity, dignity, and social justice, while engaging constructively with diverse stakeholders. I believe APCOM is uniquely positioned to shape how the private sector meaningfully engages with LGBTQI+ health, rights, and wellbeing, beyond symbolism and toward lasting structural impact. I am committed to contributing to that shift with clarity, courage, and integrity.
About Miranda:
Miranda Poolpakdee is an Operations Manager and Pride Lead at Accenture Thailand, recognized for driving inclusive, people-centered transformation across the organization. With nine years of corporate leadership experience, Miranda specializes in People and Culture, and actively collaborates with external partners to advance awareness and advocacy in HIV education, LGBTQ+ rights, nature conservation, and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) inclusion. In recognition of sustained impact and allyship, Miranda was honored with the Hero Award for Business Ally. A respected voice in the inclusion space, Miranda is a frequent speaker on the critical role of workplace equity, psychological safety, and inclusive leadership in building high-performing organizations.
In 2025 Miranda is the Recipient of the APCOM HERO Awards for the Business Ally category.
