Although the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village didn’t start the gay rights movement, it certainly was an igniting force for LGBTQ+ activism in the U.S.
The riots, which stemmed from decades of discrimination toward members of the LGBTQ+ community, led to the formation of various gay rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and more.
On June 28, 1970, the 1-year anniversary of the riots, thousands of people marched the streets of Manhattan from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park, officially marking the country’s very first Pride Parade.
Now, over 50 years later, Pride is recognized, supported and celebrated all year long. And in the same U.S. city where so much progress has taken place, many companies today are taking action to build cultures and work environments where people of all backgrounds and identities feel valued, included and heard.
Below are just a few of those companies. Built In NYC connected with leaders from Addepar, Skillshare, Harry’s and White Ops to learn what they’re doing to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome and supported.
As a way to help LGBTQIA+ employees feel supported at work all year long, Addepar, a fintech software company, offers a variety of training programs and resources, Senior Solutions Consultant Christy Hastings said. But in honor of Pride Month last year, they sent rainbow-filled boxes to employees.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
At Addepar, we embrace a culture of acceptance and have the full support of leadership. We’ve formed an AddePride affinity group, run by members of our LGBTQIA+ community and allies. The AddePride mission is to provide an inclusive environment that encourages Addepeeps to bring their true authentic selves to work daily, and to foster an accepting environment within the firm, in our communities and in our interactions with clients. Approximately 25 percent of the Addepar community is active in the AddePride affinity group.
For new parents, Addepar offers a generous 10 weeks of caregiver leave regardless of employee gender, tenure or how the child is welcomed into the family. We also offer a variety of training programs throughout the year to help promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
And you can’t forget the swag. Last year, we sent rainbow-filled boxes to our AddePride members to celebrate Pride!
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
Each year, Addepar conducts an engagement survey to anonymously gauge satisfaction within the workplace. This offers all employees the opportunity to share their true thoughts on the Addepar culture. To further support LGBTQIA+ employees, the AddePride affinity group sponsors a multitude of events year-round, which are open to everyone. The diverse range includes happy hours, story time for those with children, fundraisers, Peloton group rides, movie-of-the-week suggestions, blog posts, songs of the summer, town hall presentations, an employee-curated art gallery, educational facts and figures and more. We obviously know how to have fun.
The AddePride mission is to provide an inclusive environment that encourages Addepeeps to bring their true authentic selves to work daily.”
In addition to events, Addepeeps are encouraged to participate in the AddePride Slack channel and provide feedback in AddePride-sponsored surveys. Finally, as part of the AddePride 2021 kickoff, subcommittees were created to allow all Addepeeps to feel more empowered and involved in the idea generation and planning.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
In 2020, AddePride adapted to the rise of remote events and completed two fundraising events to benefit the LGBTQIA+ community. The AddePride team raised $2,863 for AIDS Walk NYC by virtually walking to support the cause. In November, we celebrated Transgender Awareness week — in partnership with our BOLD affinity group — raising $1,360 to benefit the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, with the help of employee-donated raffle prizes. We are currently in the planning phases for additional community outreach activities, including a virtual volunteer opportunity and fundraising event for 2021.
As part of its efforts to ensure LGBTQIA+ employees feel supported in the workplace, education technology platform Skillshare launched a LGBTQIA+ employee resource group. Senior People Operations Manager Elise Felker said that the focus of the ERG is to highlight the intersectionality of identity.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
At Skillshare, we strive to create both a diverse and inclusive company, where each person feels like they can bring their whole self to work. As part of this effort, we provide guidance around creating ERGs, in which team members decide to come together around a shared identity or background.
We offer an LGBTQIA+ ERG that creates a safe space for LGBTQIA+ employees to come together and build community. This was our first ERG that launched and it’s paved the way for others. A big focus of our LGBTQIA+ ERG is to highlight the intersectionality of identity, often partnering with other ERGs and allies across the organization. Pride is a staple cultural moment for the Skillshare team annually, with programming, initiatives and resources that empower the team to share in the celebration of Pride. Last year’s signature Pride event featured a special guest, a top contender on season 13 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
We also have communication guidelines and norms in place (i.e. Slack code of conduct) to ensure we’re using inclusive language in the workplace. We’re big believers in adding our pronouns to our Slack handles as well as email signatures.
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
Our LGBTQIA+ ERG is paired with an executive sponsor to act as a mentor and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community at Skillshare. The people operations team also meets with the leaders of our ERGs on a routine basis to cross-share initiatives and feedback.
To protect the privacy of folks who are not out within the organization, we provide anonymous and non-anonymous forums for feedback through surveys, office hours and live discussions and workshops that are optional to attend.
We also have communication guidelines and norms in place to ensure we’re using inclusive language in the workplace.”
In 2021, we are launching a DE&I Council that will aim to bridge the gap between people operations and ERGs. In an effort to make DE&I stick, our goal is to create more visibility around the day-to-day experience for underrepresented or minority employees, carve out paths for feedback and clear lanes for collective action across the organization.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
During Pride Month, we highlight the voices of our LGBTQIA+ teacher community — allowing our entire community of Skillshare students and employees alike to see how identity and expression impact creativity.
To support and empower its LGBTQIA+ employees, consumer packaged goods company Harry’s offers progressive benefits policies that are available to employees of all genders and sexual identities and extend to employees’ spouses and domestic partners of any gender, Senior Production Manager and Pride ERG Leader Nick Jones said. The company’s medical insurance also includes coverage for gender affirmation surgery.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
Harry’s has great benefits for all employees and we are proud to offer progressive benefits policies that are available to employees of all genders and sexual identities. For example, Harry’s parental leave policy applies equally to employees of all genders and all paths to parenthood.
Our health benefits (medical, mental health, dental and vision) extend to employees’ spouses and domestic partners of any gender. We have chosen medical insurance that includes coverage for gender affirmation surgery. We also have a healthcare concierge service that can help employees navigate the healthcare system and manage their individual needs.
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
Harry’s believes in the value of bringing individuals from all walks of life together and strives to have inclusive, equalizing policies.
Our hiring and anti-harassment policies include protections for people of all gender expressions and sexual identities. In 2019, we worked with our building and neighboring office tenants to change our floor’s restrooms to all-gender.
We have a Pride employee resource group for LGBTQ employees and our allies. The Pride group provides a sense of community as well as works to create development opportunities for its members and influence company policy.
And in general, Harry’s fosters a progressive culture that values intersectionality and encourages employees to bring their full selves to work.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
Harry’s sets aside 1 percent of sales each year to donate to organizations that share our ambition to bring quality mental health care to people everywhere — one group we specifically work to benefit is the LGBTQ community.
Harry’s believes in the value of bringing individuals from all walks of life together and strives to have inclusive, equalizing policies.”
Every June since 2018, we’ve created a limited-edition Pride razor and donated 100 percent of the profits to The Trevor Project, the nation’s leading crisis intervention and suicide prevention service for LGBTQ youth. To date, those donations have totaled over $300,000.
Harry’s has also taken a holistic, year-round approach to partnering with The Trevor Project by providing support to the organization’s crisis counselor training program, allowing them to reach hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth every year.
To help LGBTQIA+ employees feel supported in the workplace, security software company White Ops launched Pride Ops, an ERG focused on LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. SVP of Customer Success Operations Megan Baker said that the group has a dedicated group chat to plan events and share resources. Pride Ops has also hosted a handful events in conjunction with National Coming Out Day.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
While we do not have benefits carved out specifically for our LGBTQIA+ population, all employees have access to health coverage through Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, dental and vision coverage through Guardian, refinancing options through SoFi, gym reimbursement, pet insurance, travel assistance, discount program through SmartSpend, a company-sponsored Talkspace account, unlimited PTO and an employee COVID-19 reimbursement for internet and weekly lunch.
We offer quarterly all-company training on topics of diversity and inclusion, ranging from recognizing unconscious bias to building ally skills.”
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
Two years ago we launched our Pride Ops group here at White Ops, an ERG focused on our LGBTQIA+ population and allies.
Since inception, the group has hosted a handful of events including an internal conversation of personal stories in conjunction with National Coming Out Day as well as a talk with external guests about the transgender experience in the workplace. The group has a dedicated chat group within our inter-office communications tool which is used for planning of group events, sharing access to resources, articles or to simply vent in a safe place. White Ops also offers quarterly all company training on topics of diversity and inclusion, ranging from recognizing unconscious bias to building ally skills.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
Pride Ops has participated in the NYC Pride Parade and looks forward to finding additional ways to support the LGBTQIA+ community in the future.
