Corporate Pride

As we celebrate Pride month, the annual criticism of corporate involvement has begun. Some of this is valid. There are companies that wrap themselves in the Pride flag for June, and ignore the LGBTQ+ community for the rest of the year. We should not forget that the origins of Pride lie in protest, including protest against the inequalities meted out by companies. But we should still celebrate corporate involvement in Pride.

We often dehumanise companies. "Corporates" are seen as alien things - a top-hat wearing cartoon capitalist. The reality is that around 10% of the global population are LGBTQ+, and most will work for a company. The corporate floats in Pride parades are populated by real people, enjoying the opportunity to publicly celebrate their sexuality in a way they feel comfortable.

Many companies go well beyond applying a rainbow tinted filter to their logos in June. The HRC lists companies that are committed to support of the LGBTQ+ community all year round. This must be more than meeting legal requirements - ticking boxes on a form does little to tackle the unconscious bias of a company. But companies were supporting marriage equality in the US as early as 2013, showing that support for LGBTQ+ rights can be part of a company’s culture.  

The strongest argument for supporting corporate involvement in Pride is that the LGBTQ+ community will need powerful allies in the years ahead. The structural changes of the fourth industrial revolution are likely to increase prejudice in society. Companies have a powerful incentive to oppose prejudice; prejudice harms profits. Profit is never the most important argument for inclusion, but it is an argument. Companies want to hire the best person for the job – and it does not matter who that employee happens to be in love with. Companies must also to fight for a more inclusive society, if their staff are to reach their full potential. Politics is susceptible to the forces of prejudice – as we are seeing in the backtracking on LGBTQ+ rights in the US and UK. Companies are more powerful if allied, rather than alienated.

Profit and Prejudice - the Luddites of the Fourth Industrial Revolution