Corporate Pride – 20 years of people power

Corporate Responsibility
Jun. 13, 2024

The month of June is a time to honor the LGBTQ+ community's achievements and contributions. We stand among companies that support LGBTQ+ all year, but Pride Month holds special significance.

When did June become pride month?

Many countries around the world celebrate Pride in June to recognize and celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion, commemorating the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 which sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

The riots of course were not the beginning of the story, the first LGBTQ+ rights organizations were founded in the 1950s and public protests were taking place from the mid-1960s. Without this groundwork from the brave individuals who had the courage to speak out when it could cost each individual their job, family and home, the stonewall riots would not have been such a monumental turning point in history.

Why do companies get involved with Pride?

We can only speak for ourselves. We want our employees to feel that they belong at Sodexo. We involve our employees in pride celebrations to spread that message of inclusion across our organization.

For Sodexo, Pride Month goes beyond waving flags and wearing rainbow-colored clothing; it is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of creating an inclusive and safe workplace for every member of our team, utilizing the power of togetherness to create change and acceptance for all.

Throughout the month, we organize events that raise awareness and show our support. These include panel discussions, workshops, and guest speaker events that educate employees about LGBTQ+ history, rights, and challenges. We also encourage our employees to participate in Pride events, allowing individuals to express their identity, celebrate diversity, and support LGBTQ+ rights.

This year marks the 20th year that our teams in the United States have been celebrating Pride.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since 14 of us were brought into a conference room at HQ in Gaithersburg to talk about what it’s like to be LGBTQ+ at Sodexo, and we walked out having formed PRIDE. I’ll never forget that day when Dr. Rohini Anand told us “what’s important to your community is important to Sodexo, and your needs are our needs.” These words have sustained me in my 34 years with Sodexo, and I credit my involvement with PRIDE for not only many career growth opportunities and successes, but also some of the most memorable connections and best friendships in my life.

David GaughanSenior Director Solution Design and one of the founding members of Pride USA

The United States are just one of our country teams getting involved, every year there are several other events organized across Sodexo. Colleagues from a range of countries across Europe and Latin America celebrate pride each year.

Sodexo: A Safe Haven for LGBTQ+ Employees

Our commitment to promoting equality and respect doesn’t stop when Pride Month ends – it’s something we’re working on every day so everyone feels accepted for being themselves we want everyone to come to work knowing that their identity and experiences are respected and valued in our workplace. This approach is fundamental to our values. At Sodexo you are able to belong, act and thrive.

By prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, we champion LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Transparency and effective communication of these policies ensure that our employees understand their rights. Furthermore, we provide LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and support networks, offering a platform for LGBTQ+ employees to connect, share experiences, and provide mutual support.

We are proud to be one of the companies that support LGBTQ+ all year round. We’ve implemented several initiatives globally, such as:

Offering training programs to raise more awareness on inclusion in the workplace
Growing the Sodexo Pride Networks across our regions to elevate awareness and nurture an inclusive culture for all LGBTQ+ employees, allies and community members
Building partnerships with external organizations, such as Workplace Pride, Stonewall UK, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and PFLAG, to provide opportunities for professional development and advocacy for LGBTQ+ communities

And we’ve been recognized for the progress we are making. For the fourth consecutive year, we have earned the top LGBTIQ+ inclusion achievement from the Workplace Pride Global Benchmark which measures LGBTIQ+ inclusion practices of internationally active employers.

Corporate Pride – 20 years of people power

When did June become pride month?

Why do companies get involved with Pride?

Sodexo: A Safe Haven for LGBTQ+ Employees

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