Collaboration

Among workers, nearly 80% said they want to work for a company that values diversity, equity and inclusion in the most recent CNBC/SurveyMonkey Workforce Survey (April 2021).

For employers, a diverse approach to team building boosts organizational performance. In its 2020 report, Diversity Wins, McKinsey & Company studied 1,000 large companies across 15 countries and reported clear correlations between the diversity of an organization’s executive team and its likelihood to exceed financial performance projections. The study found organizations with the most diverse executive teams were 36% (ethnic diversity) or 25% (gender diversity) more likely to financially outperform those with the least diverse executive teams. Embracing what makes us different and the different perspectives that come with that unlocks opportunities that otherwise get overlooked.

Every June, Pride Month offers the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities a chance to do just that — come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. It’s also an opportunity for businesses to support the LGBTQIA+ community and celebrate its many contributions to diversity and success. Organizational diversity initiatives are regularly credited for improvements in creativity, innovation, decision making, professional development and other KPIs.

Built in Chicago kicked off Pride Month 2022 by profiling how six Chicago area companies support and honor their LGBTQIA+ colleagues during Pride Month and throughout the year inits June 1 feature, “More Than a Parade: How to Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Inclusion All Year Long.” The story highlights the rich history of Pride in Chicago and the exceptional work of these six companies in embracing Pride, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and building more diverse workforces. We encourage you to read the article in its entirety, but some highlights include:

• John Deere: This 185-year-old company embraces Pride wholeheartedly, from Pride Month celebrations to its commitment to “a culture of belonging and supporting colleagues in bringing their full selves to work, whether that is an LGBTQIA+ identity or another aspect of visible or invisible diversity, including mental or physical health.” Among Deere’s employer recognized groups (ERG), its Rainbow ERG is one of its largest, boasting 1,700global members.
• G2:This software marketplace leverages peer reviews to help people make smarter decisions when selecting software and celebrates LGBTQIA+ pride on a global level with “about one-third of G2’s employees” located outside the UnitedStates. Celebrating in Chicago, India and worldwide virtually, G2 aims “to be as inclusive as possible to avoid a purely American-centric view of LGBTQIA+representation.” G2 most recently “became a Qorporate member of Out In Tech to improve our company’s LGBTQIA+ employee representation and to identify mentoring and speaking opportunities that can benefit LGBTQIA+ techies who are seeking professional development.”
• Other profiled organizations support LGBTQIA+ causes through charitable donations, promoting LGBTQIA+ holidays and important dates, and other efforts.
• At least two common threads unite these organizations. They:
• Encourage employees and others to embrace their whole selves and all that makes them unique
• Spotlight their commitment to Pride and diversity in June but embrace these values year round

At Dept. 11, we partner with a diverse network of marketers with wide-ranging, in-demand skill sets. We embrace our clients’ team building initiatives and applaud diversity every chance we get. We celebrate PrideMonth, our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and the understanding that what makes us different makes us stronger.

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