Walking With Pride: How 10 Companies Are Showing Pride Year Round

“As a nonbinary individual at Duda, I feel comfortable being who I am, wearing the outfits that I want and sharing my human experience with colleagues in a judgment-free space.”

In the coming years, Gen Z and millennials — including Duda Social Media and Community Manager Scotty Strehlow — will dominate the workforce. 

The statistics are telling. In the United States, 7.6 percent of adults identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.  For Gen Z and millennials combined, that number is over 30 percent. 

As these generations of tech talent storm the space in growing numbers, they’re empowered like never before to seek not just a career fit, but acceptance of their whole selves at work. 

Companies are faced with two options: walk with talent or watch talent walk. 

Built In sat down with Strehlow — along with team members from Chime, Justworks, Gusto, MarketAxess, Level Access, DISQO, Strive Health, Rocket Travel and Carrot Fertility — to understand how companies like Duda are walking with the community and showcasing pride year round. 

 

 

 

Duda is a web design platform for companies offering web design services to small businesses. 

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Duda has a very strong core value of inclusivity. This is seen in the day-to-day interactions that we have. No matter what sexuality or gender, people are treated with respect.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

I love that there is a feeling of inclusivity. 

On employees’ first day at Duda, they’re greeted with a ton of swag — including “Duda Pride” and “Duda Ally” shirts with a customized Duda Pride flag. Duda also ensures that part of the onboarding process includes reviewing guidelines for using and respecting every individual’s pronouns with team members and external customers. 

 

 

 

Chime is a fintech company that offers banking services to consumers through its app. 

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

At Chime, we support and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community in several ways beyond June. 

We offer our Chime members chosen names for their in-app and customer support experiences.

Additionally, employees often run donation and volunteer campaigns with LGBTQIA+ nonprofit organizations, like the Transgender Law Center and Muhlaysia Booker Foundation, to amplify their missions and visions for the community.

Lastly, Chime offers our office space to host events with LGBTQIA+ organizations that aim to increase the community’s representation in the technology space. In 2023, we hosted Lesbians Who Tech’s Pride Happy Hour. 

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

Our LGBTQIA+ ERG, OutChime, is a foundational component to creating safe spaces for community, expression, connection and identity to be one’s true self at the workplace. We also work hard to evaluate our demographic categories, including how Chimers self-identify, annually to ensure we’re inclusive of all identities in our employee base. Our benefits team also looks at our providers to ensure we’re choosing providers inclusive of gender identity in their services — and changing those that aren’t.

To foster an inclusive workplace, we offer companywide diversity, equity and belonging foundations training for all Chimers to drive us towards building a more inclusive culture and have a DEB Resource Hub for Chimers to further their education and understanding of topics related to allyship, microaggressions and other behaviors.

When interacting with each other digitally, we encourage everyone to include their pronouns and name pronunciation on Slack, Zoom and email so Chimers know how to correctly identify their colleagues. Whenever we host in-person events with name badges, we have pronoun pins or stickers for people to express their preferred pronouns.

 

 

Third-party trademarks referenced for informational purposes only; no endorsements implied.

 

 

Justworks is a technology company that levels the playing field for small businesses. 

 

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Justworks focuses on opening space for honest feedback, and elevating the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ in the workplace. Most recently, Justworks updated language used within its app and platform to further recognize the nuances of the LGBTQIA+ experience in healthcare.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

Cultivating an inclusive and equitable workplace, workforce and ecosystem is a top priority for Justworks.

LGBTQIA+ members are encouraged to bring their full selves to work, and it is highly encouraged that managers open space for different lived experiences. All Justworks managers participate in an inclusive people management training focused on relationship building, social identity in leadership and disrupting interpersonal bias. 

Year round, LGBTQIA+-owned businesses can participate in our JustThrive program, offering credits for admin fees to create access around critical business tools Justworks offers for entrepreneurs hard at work.

 

 

 

Gusto is a technology company that provides online administration and payroll software for small businesses and startups.

 

We collaborate closely with our PRIDE Affinity Group Leadership and engage the larger community to ensure our programming is authentic and inclusive. Together, we’ve chosen the theme “Honoring Queer Creativity, Liberation, and Joy” to uplift the LGBTQIA+ community. To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, our events are crafted for both in-office and remote Gusties, embodying liberation, infusing joy and sparking creativity for all. 

We extend a warm invitation to allies, friends and supporters to join us in celebrating a vibrant and educational Pride Month.

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Our dedication to supporting and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community is a year-round commitment filled with positivity and inclusivity. In partnership with our PRIDE Affinity Group, we proudly host a diverse array of events such as a speaker series, where distinguished individuals share their experiences and insights, fostering inspiration and empowerment within the PRIDE community. 

We also recognize the importance of intersectionality by collaborating with other Affinity Groups to ensure that our events and initiatives are inclusive of all identities and experiences. We raise awareness by shining a spotlight on and commemorating significant milestones such as National Coming Out Day and Transgender Day of Remembrance, ensuring that every member of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum receives the visibility and recognition they deserve.

Moreover, we continuously offer enriching educational opportunities through workshops, training sessions and resources, cultivating understanding, allyship and equity throughout our organization.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

We’re all about empowering our LGBTQIA+ team members by fostering an inclusive and engaged culture. One way we achieve this is through our selection process for Affinity Group Co-Leads. We encourage colleagues from all corners of the organization to step up and express interest in leading any of our Affinity Groups. This inclusive approach ensures that diverse voices are heard and valued in our decision-making processes. 

Additionally, we provide comprehensive benefits tailored to the needs of LGBTQIA+ employees, including healthcare coverage that encompasses gender-affirming care, mental health resources and family planning support. 

The results speak for themselves: our approach has brought about genuine connections, transparency and authenticity. It’s all part of creating a vibrant sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ members and allies alike. 

 

 

 

MarketAxess is a financial technology company that operates an electronic trading platform for institutional investors and broker-dealers.

 

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

MarketAxess’ leadership has encouraged and helped structure the creation of our ERG for queer-identifying employees and any allies who wish to join. The firm has also laid out official benefits for LGBTQIA+ individuals, reviewed by members of Amplify.

 

 

 

 

Level Access provides technology accessibility compliance solutions for corporations, government agencies and leading educational institutions.

 

 

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

Beyond Pride month, our Proud @ Level Access ERG provides ongoing, year-round support and resources for LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies. Proud @ Level manages a private group for LGBTQIA+ employees to provide a safe and affirming space for those who may not be out at work, and a public group that welcomes allies. Proud @ Level leaders also host a variety of educational and community-building activities, ranging from speaking sessions and panel discussions to informal coffee hours. 

The ERG’s executive sponsor, Chief Marketing Officer Ian Lowe, acts as a mentor to ERG leaders and helps advocate for Proud @ Level’s mission and goals within broader company leadership. The executive team at Level Access is firmly committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and actively supports our Proud @ Level ERG. They demonstrate this by allocating resources for group initiatives, participating in events and promoting inclusive policies.

Level Access’ commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion is embedded in our companywide operations. We promote visibility by including pronouns as an option in our default email signature template and enabling employees to share their pronouns in other company systems such as Slack or Teams.

Inclusion starts before someone is officially part of the company. Our Talent team leverages the tool Textio to remove gendered language and coding in our job posts and provides training for recruiters and managers to foster an inclusive hiring practice. We encourage all candidates to share their pronouns and how to pronounce their name before speaking with the team. Honest feedback about candidates’ experience with the recruitment process helps us continually improve inclusivity.

Our benefits packages are designed with every team member’s needs in mind. We offer benefits for domestic partners and paid parental leave for all parents, and our healthcare options cover gender-affirming care, mental health resources and growing family support.

 

 

 

DISQO is an audience insights platform where members share information that improves human experience.

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Our U.S. benefits broker offers an advocate line that provides employees additional support and guidance on topics related to the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, we’re pleased to offer domestic partner coverage through our benefits plan, extending comprehensive health coverage to our employees’ partners. 

DISQO has also partnered with Do the WeRQ — a community elevating LGBTQIA+ creativity and representation in the ad industry — on an annual report for the last four years, providing insights that help brands deliver content for and inclusive of LGBTQIA+ audiences. Our findings aim to educate brand marketers about how they can show up with integrity and impact year round. 

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

By way of our values, we encourage open and transparent communication. This includes speaking up if someone is being mistreated or harassed. Our employee handbook specifically calls out diversity and inclusion, in line with our vision to be a welcoming and supportive community. We maintain an open-door policy, where employees can freely express concerns and rely on support from DISQO leadership and People Ops team. Ultimately, we want our employees to bring their whole, authentic selves to work, and DISQO will continue to foster a workplace culture free from mistreatment, discrimination or judgment.

 

 

 

Strive Health is a built-for-purpose, value-based kidney care solution for innovative healthcare payors and providers.

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Through Strive Forward, we continue to support and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community by working with internal teams to update the language we use in our policies. This creates a more inclusive culture and ensures equity to resources across our policies. 

This year, we are also opening up a mentorship program, giving participants the option of being paired with other LGBTQIA+ leaders within the organization. We also measure employee feedback on equity and inclusion through a biannual employee engagement survey. This allows us to monitor and action on feedback from employees to intentionally sustain an inclusive and equitable culture.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

The company continues to be at the forefront of inclusive employee benefits and policies with inclusive language and policies related to transgender and non-gender conforming employees. Strive Health encourages all employees to bring their full selves to work and promotes the inclusion of pronouns and preferred names and identified genders in employee profiles. 

Strive Forward, with support from the diversity, equity and inclusion committee, has grown to over 60 employees and is actively promoted to new hires for support and belonging early in an employee’s career. Strive Forward is made up of members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as allies that help elevate an inclusive culture with diverse ideas and people.

 

 

 

Rocket Travel by Agoda helps travelers earn loyalty rewards by booking travel so they can travel more.

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Rocket Travel by Agoda is actively engaged in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the year. Employees have the opportunity to donate $250 annually in charity credit to a charitable organization of their choice. 

Last year, the company brought in a speaker who highlighted the intersectionality between Black and queer experiences for Pride and Juneteenth. 

During last year’s company summit, RTA partnered with the Oasis Center, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness in Tennessee, to host a volunteer event for our employees.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

There are several ways that members of the LGBTQIA+ community are empowered to be their authentic selves at work. Employees can join the #RocketPride Slack channel which includes conversations about a wide variety of subjects including book and movie recommendations, current events and volunteer opportunities. 

Rocket Travel by Agoda also has a culture ambassador program that pairs Rainbowteers or LGBTQIA+ employees with candidates during the interview process. This program offers diverse applicants a safe space to learn more about our culture. 

Additionally, upper-level employees participate in an inclusion training program sponsored by our parent company, BHI, and there is additional training being planned this year. 

These learning opportunities equip our leaders with the tools and resources to reinforce our culture of inclusion and belonging.

 

 

 

Carrot Fertility is a global fertility care platform, serving people of every age, race, income, sex, sexual orientation, gender, marital status and geography.

 

 

What are some examples of ways your company supports or advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community beyond the month of June?

Carrot’s mission is to provide fertility care for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. More than just a benefits platform, Carrot is committed to personalized support for our LGBTQIA+ community through holistic care that empowers our members on each of their unique journeys. 

With Carrot, members can explore options such as adoption, gestational surrogacy, IVF and gender-affirming care, backed by curated resources and one-on-one consultations with our medical experts. Our partner clinics and providers are specifically vetted to be LGBTQIA+ friendly. Our members do not need an infertility diagnosis to use the benefit, removing a common barrier for those seeking to grow their families through fertility treatments. 

Our team is committed to advocating for our members year round, allowing them to achieve their family-building and hormonal health goals.

 

How does your company support and empower the LGBTQIA+ members of your team? 

At Carrot, we prioritize our employees’ well-being through our Carrot-4-Carrot benefit, which provides substantial financial support and resources for fertility treatments, various family-building journeys and gender-affirming care by giving our employees access to the Carrot platform. Our comprehensive medical insurance benefits extend beyond spouses to cover domestic partners, and we ensure fair and equitable parental leave for all team members, regardless of gender or how their family is formed. 

We also cultivate inclusivity through initiatives such as promoting inclusive language and pronoun usage across the company, in all communications. 

As part of Carrot’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, our team members have the opportunity to join any of our ECGs. Rainbow Carrots is our LGBTQIA+ group that hosts monthly meetings and events that offer opportunities for growth and connection to our LGBTQIA+ team members. Carrot’s leadership and internal teams support ECGs like Rainbow Carrots in our mission to connect employees beyond our day-to-day work.