At adtech platform provider Magnite, Pride isn’t just reserved for members of the LGBTQIA+ community — in fact, it’s largely geared toward those outside of it.
“We want everyone at the company to feel as though Pride is also for them in the sense that our ultimate goal is bringing people together,” Emily Walsh, learning and leadership development manager, told Built In.
The company unites LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies through both in-person and virtual events, enabling them to learn from each other — and support — each other. Walsh believes that building this sense of community is key to creating a workplace where everyone is given space to thrive.
“Headless commerce” pioneer commercetools also strives to empower all of its people, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, to succeed. According to Head of Customer Success Engineering Mike Stevenson, the company considers an inclusive culture key to “collective success,” which is why the organization hosts Pride-focused events across its office hubs in addition to upholding its LGBTQIA+ ERG.
“When everyone feels valued, regardless of their identity, it strengthens our bonds and encourages more effective collaboration across all our teams,” he said.
For Magnite, commercetools and four other organizations, Pride isn’t just a cultural initiative — it’s a business imperative. Below, Walsh, Stevenson and four other individuals describe what Pride means to them, how their employers foster it year-round and how this bolsters their companies’ cultures.
Magnite’s platform enables publishers to sell advertising on their terms and across every channel and format, including connected TV, mobile and audio.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
Pride is a really big word. What I mean by big word is that I can’t pin down one aspect of my life that encapsulates what Pride is. I start to think about when I was younger, how proud I was of making friends for the first time as an “out” person. I think about Pride in terms of the way I was able to find and build community on my college campus and within my sports teams. I call to mind all the different Pride events I have attended and participated in over the course of my life. I have a true physical feeling of Pride when I look at my wife and daughter and the way our little family is growing and adventuring together. Beyond all of that, I recognize that Pride brings with it many emotions, many different meanings and moments.
What does Pride look like at Magnite? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
Pride at Magnite is all about community. Our events and activities aren’t necessarily centered around having to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. In fact, we shoot for the opposite. We want everyone at the company to feel as though Pride is also for them in the sense that our ultimate goal is bringing people together. We offer both in-person and virtual/remote opportunities for folks to engage, given that our offices are spread out across the globe. We often do a live-streamed event, whether it is bingo or trivia, have a food- or drink-based event, and are sure to decorate our physical office locations in the interest of making things bright and inviting for the month! We do have an ERG, Prism, that meets throughout the year and acts as a hub for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to connect.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does Magnite get right?
As with any identity, it is critical for people to bring their whole selves to their work. There is such a beautiful aspect of the LGBTQIA+ identity that is an additional layer to all other identities as well. Our community is so rich and diverse in the sense that it connects and resonates with everyone, regardless of who you are and where you come from. Magnite has always been exceptionally good at supporting Prism initiatives. The company provides the space and resources without question and encourages us to continue to support our employees. Our benefits package is incredibly inclusive and provides resources from insurance all the way to fertility and adoption options. Our culture, our company and our people are welcoming and embracing in every way.
Founded in 2010, commercetools is the company that made “headless commerce” mainstream, offering a platform that enables teams to build and scale e-commerce experiences at their own pace.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
As a parent of children in the LGBTQIA+ community and the leader of an LGBTQIA+ ERG, I believe Pride is about actively working to create inclusive environments in both my personal and professional life. When my children were in high school, they were part of their school’s LGBTQIA+ group. This group offered a vital space for support and connection. Eventually, my wife and I opened our home, creating a safe and welcoming environment where teens and young adults could feel truly seen. Many of these young people were navigating complex challenges at school, work and even at home. While some, like my own children, had supportive parents, many others in the group did not, forcing them to hide their authentic selves.
Through these gatherings, I learned a profound lesson: it wasn’t about perfectly understanding every individual’s pronouns or identity. What truly mattered was ensuring they felt seen and supported the moment they walked through our door. I believe the same actions and compassion apply to my professional life. These principles aren’t about achieving perfection; they’re about being intentional in our actions each day.
What does Pride look like at commercetools? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
At commercetools, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for everyone. We champion this through our active ERG framework and by organizing a variety of Pride-focused events. We typically support in-person Pride events in our office hubs, including Berlin, Boston, London, Melbourne, Munich and Valencia. Our employees actively participate in these local Pride celebrations to show their support for their communities. Beyond local events, commercetools also supports our internal LGBTQIA+ community through a series of virtual events. This year, we’re excited to host a virtual Pride tour to learn about the history of important LGBTQIA+ landmarks in the United States. We’ll also be hosting other virtual events throughout June, including trivia and panel discussions.
Our team recently launched the Pride in Unity ERG initiative. This ERG is dedicated to cultivating a truly inclusive and equitable environment where we celebrate our LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. We’ll work year-round to ensure everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does commercetools get right?
While many organizations are pulling back on their commitment to ERGs, DEI initiatives and support for the LGBTQIA+ community, commercetools continues to actively champion these efforts. We understand that fostering an inclusive culture isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s absolutely essential for our collective success.
In today’s competitive job market, a truly inclusive culture is a powerful magnet for a diverse range of talent. LGBTQIA+ individuals, along with their allies, actively seek out workplaces where they feel safe, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Companies that don’t demonstrate genuine inclusivity risk missing out on valuable skills, unique perspectives and the kind of innovation that drives progress.
When our employees feel seen, supported and psychologically safe, they’re more engaged, more productive and less likely to experience the stress that comes from having to hide who they are. This allows everyone to focus their energy on their work and contribute to their fullest potential. Ultimately, an inclusive culture builds stronger trust and deeper empathy among our team members. When everyone feels valued, regardless of their identity, it strengthens our bonds and encourages more effective collaboration across all our teams.
At commercetools, we're not just talking about inclusivity; we’re actively living it, because we know it makes us stronger, more innovative and a better place for everyone to thrive.
Cohere Health offers intelligent prior authorization in an effort to align patients, healthcare providers and health plans on an optimal care path that drives the best possible outcomes without high costs and burdensome administrative tasks.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
Pride Month is very important to me because it is a vibrant celebration of identity for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a reminder to embrace and love your genuine self. It also honors the history, resilience and progress of the community while recognizing the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion. Pride is a powerful reminder that love is love, and everyone deserves to live authentically without fear or discrimination.
What does Pride look like at Cohere Health? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
Pride Month at Cohere is continuously evolving and growing. It started off as a small ERG to create a sense of community in our remote-first environment by celebrating characters in TV shows, books, and movies in addition to figures in pop culture and LGBTQ+ health care news. This year, we’ve super-charged Pride month by leading weekly meetings in the month of June geared toward specific topics, such as “Parenting Queer Children,” “Inclusivity in Language and the Workplace” and recognizing queer history.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does Cohere Health get right?
Cohere Health attracts and celebrates diversity across the nation! In order for us to help people receive the right care at the right time, in the right place and with the right value, we need to make sure that our employees are also taken care of. Cohere is open to feedback and adapts inclusive language in our internal messaging.
Grow Therapy’s platform enables independent therapists to launch and grow in-network private practices, offering support with credentialing, marketing, billing and more.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
Pride means a lot to me and to most queer people I know. For me, it means being proud of who I am — wherever I am in my life — for being myself and living authentically. During a time when America seems to be moving backward on social issues, including the targeting of transgender people for simply living their truths, I think Pride means more this year than it ever has. Most LGBTQ+ people know the origins of Pride, but it’s worth mentioning that the rights I enjoy today were fought for by black transgender women like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, gay men during the HIV/AIDS crisis and Freedom Fighters who fought because they knew a better future was possible. Despite how things have moved backwards the past few years, I still think a better future is possible as the giants of the Pride and LGBTQ+ Rights Movement did in the 1960s onward. Why? Because there are good people in the world, and love, authenticity and substance win over hate. Every. Single. Time.
This year, Pride means having fun and feeling joy. It also means centering the experiences of our trans siblings given the onslaught of legislation and hate against them. I intend to do both.
What does Pride look like at Grow Therapy? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
Pride@Grow was the first ERG at Grow Therapy and was founded by myself and Derek Lee in the summer of 2022. As a company of around 60 people then, we didn’t have a large LGBTQ+ employee base, but we knew it would grow as Grow’s message of expanding access to insurance-covered therapy to all — including queer and trans people from all walks of life — became a reality. Three years later, our ERG sits at nearly 60 members itself and represents more than 10 percent of Grow’s employee base.
As you can imagine, Pride is a big deal for us! Year-round, Grow Therapy is proud to support LGBTQ+ Americans seeking therapy in all 50 states. Given the state of affairs today, therapy and medication management serve as important pillars of care for those seeking to calm their nervous systems, heal from trauma and PTSD and more. Throughout my journey as an out gay man, therapy has always served as a safe place and refuge. Beyond our offerings as a mental health provider, Grow hosts an annual drag show at our headquarters in New York, and Pride@Grow is proud to fundraise for organizations supporting the community. This year, we’re raising money for Advocates for Trans Equality and the Trevor Project.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does Grow Therapy get right?
LGBTQ+ inclusivity isn’t just part of Grow — it’s foundational to who we are. As a mental health company that provides therapy and psychiatric care, our goal is to serve as a partner in everyone’s mental health journey — regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race or socioeconomic status. As a team, Grow recognizes that to unlock the talents of our employees, instilling a sense of inclusion and belonging is essential. Without it, ideas can go unnoticed, ignored or simply unvoiced.
By prioritizing the well-being of all teammates through ERG programming, health care benefits and dedicated mental health mornings or afternoons, known internally as MHMs or MHAs. Grow creates a culture I’m extremely proud to be a part of. In sum, Grow gets a lot right. No company is perfect, but I imagine I’ll be here for a while, given our strong commitment to the mission of improving access to affordable mental health care, our emphasis on inclusivity and belonging and the many teammates I’m proud to call friends.
VelocityEHS’ software is designed to help organizations reach their environmental, health and safety goals, offering capabilities such as compliance management, regulatory reporting and risk analysis.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
Pride is a perspective on where our collective fight comes from. It invites people of all walks of life to reflect on how the fight for our humanity has intersected with their path. It is a reminder to embrace and showcase the depth, beauty, joy and impact of our communities. It is reassurance that we will always exist to fight for a better future. We are lifted on the shoulders of our LGBTQ+ ancestors and strive to strengthen the support for those who will inevitably come after us.
What does Pride look like at VelocityEHS? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
Our affinity groups provide peer-to-peer support and a place to feel seen. I am very fortunate to be able to collaborate with a great group of people in our PRIDE affinity group. This group of individuals from across the organization hosts our June PRIDE month engagement. From silly to introspective, we capture a wide variety of interests and hope to model supportive behaviors.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does VelocityEHS get right?
It shows a commitment to psychological safety for all to include the support and outreach that Velocity does. The culture is led by employees and fostered by our amazing people team.
InStride’s platform enables organizations to offer free, career-aligned educational opportunities for employees.
What does Pride mean to you? How does Pride make you think of history, the current moment or the future?
To me, Pride is all about authenticity and visibility. It is about honoring the struggle for the right to exist as your true self. It’s the reason why we are such a large and expanding community; we seek to allow people to exist and be themselves. In my professional life, there have been times when I’ve had to hide parts of who I am for my own safety, including when traveling to countries where identifying as LGBTQ+ is illegal or when I’ve faced discrimination simply because others perceived me that way. Pride reminds me that though the struggle remains, it is my right to exist and be who I am.
What does Pride look like at InStride? What is Pride Month typically like? Are there any specific ways Pride manifests year-round?
I feel fortunate to work at a company like InStride — one that doesn’t just acknowledge Pride Month, but actively creates space for employees to celebrate, reflect and learn together. Our culture committee brings Pride Month to life with events that inspire learning, joy and meaningful conversations.
Last year, we celebrated Pride Month with internal communications highlighting LGBTQ+ history, an interactive quiz during our all-company meeting honoring notable LGBTQ+ figures, a spirited “Drag Queen Trivia” competition, and a book club and movie screening centered around a popular LGBTQ+ story. All of these activities were open to everyone. I was so proud to see many InStride employees participating in these events. Having this kind of visibility during Pride Month makes me feel like I can be my authentic self every day of the year, without reservation or hesitation.
Why is it important for your team to include LGBTQIA+ inclusivity as part of its cultural makeup? What does InStride get right?
InStride doesn’t just throw on a rainbow logo for 30 days. Rather, the company is dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone who works here — all year long. That focus on inclusivity and hearing diverse voices is part of our company DNA. By making LGBTQ+ inclusivity part of our cultural makeup, InStride creates space for people to feel empowered and speak up. The company champions employees who wish to participate in the process of culture-building by letting us plan and execute programming to celebrate who we are as well as the experiences and interests that make us unique. We have amazing leaders who participate in these events, too. It’s not unusual to see our CEO or other members of our leadership team coming to and actively participating in LGBTQ+ events or other cultural opportunities. That kind of endorsement certainly makes it easier to be yourself at work.
