Currently, only 20 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have laws that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), an independent nonprofit organization that advocates for equality.
But thanks to Title VII’s prohibition on discrimination based on sex, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a slew of federal courts have extended protections across the country. However, even with the extended protections, LGBTQIA+ workers still report a high rate of discrimination when looking for work and on the job.
So what can companies do to help put an end to the discrimination and support and empower their LGBTQIA+ employees and the communities they serve? Built In Seattle caught up with two local leaders — whose companies are leading the charge for change — to find out.
We asked Kristin Benson, VP of global entertainment and editorial content at Getty Images, and Garritt Chrzanowski, partner delivery manager and Pride global lead at Qualtrics, to share what their companies are doing to ensure LGBTQIA+ employees feel supported and empowered.
Getty Images is a visual content company that supplies stock images, editorial photography, video and music for businesses and consumers. As a way to support its LGBTQIA+ employees, Benson said that the company’s D&I (diversity and inclusion) team hosts monthly sessions for employees to enhance their knowledge, skills and awareness of D&I-related issues.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
As a company, we’re committed to living by a set of leadership principles, one of which is, “We are inclusive of different voices, perspectives and experiences.” These principles are paramount to our culture and define our behavior and interactions as individuals, as well as how we conduct ourselves as a business.
Inclusivity and support for LGBTQIA+ employees are manifested through a variety of avenues. For example, over the last year, we’ve updated our internal tools and expanded our demographic options so people can express their identities, as well as opt in to add their pronouns. We’re also building an internal library of resources focusing on the intersectionality across LGBTQIA+ and racial identities, which will be shared and promoted during local and regional Pride months to promote company-wide awareness and fluency. These are just a smattering of the benefits and resources that Getty Images offers, and we also have generous benefits when it comes to family planning.
Our D&I Global Advisory Committee advises, audits and holds leadership accountable to ensure our LGBTQIA+ employees feel seen, heard and respected.”
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
Our D&I team hosts monthly open sessions that are held globally (and now virtually) for employees to enhance their knowledge, skill and awareness of D&I-related issues among our colleagues, share topical resources, and build relationships and best practices by region. We also have an engaged LGBTQIA+ employee resource group made up of a diverse, globally-representative group of employees from the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies.
In addition to ERGs, our D&I Global Advisory Committee — which is comprised of regional employee representatives — advises, audits and holds leadership accountable to ensure Getty Images is the best place to work and its employees feel seen, heard and respected.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
Getty Images is consistently seeking to improve the visual representation of historically underrepresented communities on a global scale, which includes the LGBTQIA+ community. Most recently, we launched a formal partnership with GLAAD through which we will develop a series of guidelines that will address each group individually to help our photographers, customers and team members better understand the nuances within the broader LGBTQIA+ community.
Our first collaboration, in fact, was around depicting the transgender community authentically and respectfully, but there’s much more on the horizon! We also collaborate regularly with LGBTQIA+ organizations around the world and serve as their official photography partners, from Pride in London to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Through its proprietary experience management software platform, Qualtrics helps brands continually assess the quality of their four core experiences: customers, employees, products and brands. As a way to support and empower its LGBTQIA+ employees, Chrzanowski said that the company covers the costs associated with gender reassignment as well as expanded its definitions for fertility coverage.
Internally, what does your company do to support LGBTQIA+ employees?
From a benefits perspective, Qualtrics takes a strong effort to treat all employees equally. We cover gender reassignment and have expanded definitions for the fertility coverage offered. From a program perspective, our founder Ryan Smith is adamant about making sure everyone is included in the Qualtrics family. We give Pride t-shirts out to all employees in the company and provide various awareness training to all employees.
The main purpose of our Pride ERG is to attract, retain and ensure that our LGBTQIA+ talent feels safe and heard in the office.”
How do you work with LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure they feel supported in the workplace?
I lead our Qualtrics Pride employee resource group globally. Our main purpose is to attract, retain and ensure that our LGBTQIA+ talent feels safe and heard in the office. There is an executive sponsor in each global region as well as office leads in our main offices. I have a direct line into our DE&I Council and senior executives to bubble up any issues we are seeing globally.
Externally, how does your company support the LGBTQIA+ community?
Our company is a large sponsor of Encircle and the Loveloud Foundation. Both of these charities focus on decreasing the teen suicide rate. Every year, our founder buys 1,000 tickets to the Loveloud concert series for Qualtrics employees to bring awareness to teen suicide and raise money to support therapy and safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.
