The Fortlage Collective - Promoting Global Inclusion and Leadership Development
Company Profile
The Fortlage Collective is a multi-faceted organisation promoting global inclusion, leadership development, and empowerment through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI&B). We offer tailored consulting services, mentorship, and thought leadership through our books and writing platform.
Award-winning
Vision Statement
To create a world where diverse individuals and communities thrive, contributing authentically to a society built on dignity, respect, and psychological safety. Through inclusive leadership and transformative change, we envision a future where every person’s true self is embraced and diversity is celebrated globally.
Mission Statement
The Fortlage Collective exists to create psychologically safe and transformative environments rooted in the principle of acceptance without understanding, where everyone feels empowered to thrive and contribute authentically. We champion dignity, respect, and human rights for all by addressing the complexities at the intersection of human rights, sexuality, gender, and privilege.
Our mission is carried out through three interconnected entities working in harmony.
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The Inclusion Collective empowers organisations to foster inclusive leadership and embed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI&B) into their cultures through bespoke consulting and training programmes.
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Transitions & Truths fosters understanding and drives meaningful change by leveraging storytelling in impactful written works, including books, special reports, and articles.
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The Acceptance Foundation leads our audacious mission to teach 1 billion people the transformative power of acceptance without understanding by 2050, fostering global empathy and connection.
Together, these entities advance a vision of global empathy, equity, and belonging, creating a more inclusive and thriving world.
Meet Cynthia Fortlage – In Her Own Words
This short video was originally created for a TEDx application, but it captures the essence of my leadership philosophy and why Acceptance Without Understanding is more important now than ever. If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you.
Transcript of the video above:
Title: Meet Cynthia Fortlage - In Her Own Words
Hi, I'm Cynthia Fortlage, a former technology executive, now a global speaker and inclusion strategist. I've worked with over 500 organisations in more than 30 countries, helping leaders create spaces where everyone can belong.
The idea that I want to share is “acceptance without understanding™ .”
It came to me during a turning point in my life, after 28 years of marriage, when I realised that even love can fall short if acceptance is missing. We're taught to think we need to understand someone in order to accept them.
But what if we flip that script?
My goal is to show that acceptance can come first, and that shift can change lives, relationships and even workplaces. When we accept first, we create the space where empathy and real connection can grow.