Pride, not prejudice

Accenture is proud of its support of Pride month. I have said previously that we at Accenture believe inclusion and diversity is extremely important because we want everyone to be comfortable in the work environment. Only then will we be able to get the best out of ourselves. For our company, diversity is a global activity.

Accenture in the UK has been recognized as one of Stonewall’s Star Performers for consistently delivering exemplary practices to support LGBT employees. We also made the Top Global Employer list for having best practices worldwide. In Japan, we recently launched our Life Partner program which provides identical employee benefits to same-sex and opposite-sex partners.

Recently I was participating in the official launch of our new LGBT Ally network to our global family in Indonesia. We now have 25 countries with a local LGBT network, as well as 17 additional countries that roll up into a regional network. We have close to 6,000 Allies globally, with formal Ally programs established in 19 countries.

With the leaders of the Dutch Accenture LGBT network we recently took part in the annual Amsterdam Dinner, which is dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS. We have come a long way but still have way to go, especially to fight HIV/AIDS. In the picture you can see it was a special evening, fun, but for a very serious cause.

We also collaborate with our clients on Inclusion & Diversity and partner with other organizations in the community in many of our geographies. We have to reflect the diversity of all our stakeholders to maximize our relationship with them, which is why we want to be a haven for inclusion. As companies adopt a strong LGBT agenda, they must reflect the diversity of their customers to best serve them, and a diverse workforce will serve them well if their employees are comfortable in the workplace.

Like many colleagues, I am hoping we will soon be able to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court decision on same sex marriage. This has been an incredible evolution conducted with great civility and respect, including support from the very top. I am both inspired and also humbled by what has taken place because I realize that while there is so much for me to be grateful for personally, there is much still yet to be done.

My partner Jorge and I got married December 2014 in New York City.  We had a simple civil ceremony at City Hall. It was a happy day of course and also a natural decision for us to take. I appreciate that the marriage is both a personal decision and public act.  And while I benefit personally I also try to play a more public role in my work life. By being out, LGBT leaders like me are able to support and reassure individuals that they are not defined by their gender identity in the organization. There is a groundswell of acceptability to be open and honest about LGBT matters.

Indeed, I am very proud of my company Accenture for being such a strong supporter of diversity and LGBT and for joining over 300 companies in signing the Amicus brief.   We signed the brief as it is consistent with our core values, has a strong business rationale and underscores our commitment to inclusion and diversity in the workplace. What I've learned in my own personal journey is to be open, honest and authentic.  When all these things align, I am at my best for my family, my colleagues, Accenture and for the LGBT community.  

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to the way we act at work and Pride is a great opportunity for us to celebrate the positive side of diversity. Happy Pride!