We have decided to move away from the term “LGBT*IQ”. The spectrum is constantly expanding and it is important to us to include all sexual orientations and gender identities in our communication.

Instead, we are using the term “queer” from this year onwards. Queer is a collective term for all people whose gender identity and/or sexual orientation is not binary, cisgender and/or heterosexual.

The term is characterized by the fact that it does not sharply delineate identities, but that its meaning is constantly shifting. In this way, we ensure that we really address everyone and do not exclude anyone.

Our slogan “LGBT*IQ concerns everyone.” becomes “Queer concerns everyone.” – because it concerns us ALL!

Do you have any questions? Feel free to send us a message via our social media channels or an email to info@proutatwork.de.

BIG IMPACT INITIATIVE AWARD:
UNITE

Some business sectors are more reached by LGBTIQ business networks, others have little contact with them. To date, there have been few best practices for LGBTIQ outreach in manufacturing companies. UNITE addressed this issue by hosting a workshop on LGBT*IQ for 200 manufacturing employees. This allowed the network to lead the way.

Due to the consistently positive response from employees and managers, the network was invited to hold workshops at all company locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. In parallel, UNITE also held workshops in other areas of the company, for example in administration, technology or research, thus contributing to more LGBT*IQ equal opportunities in the workplace.

More information about UNITE

RISING STAR AWARD:
bunt/lb

Despite its foundation at the beginning of last year, this network has already planned and carried out a variety of creative actions. BUNT/LB stands for acceptance and understanding on all levels of togetherness. In addition to representatives of the LGBT*IQ community, allys as members of the foundation are also committed to the interests of the network; the executive director also acts as a godmother.

On this year’s Diversity Day, BUNT/LB called on all employees to colorfully paint white rubber ducks. The more than 200 creatively designed ducklings from various locations then went swimming together in the company pond. This creative idea was decisive in the decision for BUNT/LB.

More information about BUNT/LB

GLOBAL LEADER NETWORK AWARD:
shine

This network has not only been advocating for the LGBTIQ community for ten years, but is also active globally in over 30 countries. In 2023, Shine launched for the first time a Global LGBTIQ Inclusion Strategy, which aims to further promote equal opportunities for the LGBTIQ community with concrete actions and objectives. These actions include raising awareness among leaders, expanding the network, collecting data on LGBTIQ employee needs, and providing educational opportunities and increased visibility through role models.

To provide employees with these learning experiences, workshops, roundtable discussions, and other events were offered throughout June – including across state lines – living up to Shine’s “Global Leader” title.

More information about Shine

sustainability AWARD:
pride+

At Hogan Lovells, diversity and inclusion are seen as a strategic priority at all locations internationally, as evidenced by policies on discrimination that protect all LGBTIQ identities and a dedicated Gender Pronoun Policy, among others. In the six years since its inception, Pride+ has made it its mission to train all employees and managers on Unconcious Bias and to include the topic of LGBTIQ in its recruiting processes. In Germany itself, a recommendation on gender-neutral language in the workplace has also been in place for two years, and repeated training sessions have consolidated this recommendation in the long term.

Pride+ has set itself the goal of achieving an LGBT*IQ quota of at least 4% among its global corporate partners by 2025. This vision was a key factor in choosing Pride+.

More information about Pride+

X has developed into a platform on which racist, queer- and trans-hostile, anti-Semitic as well as other misanthropic content is becoming more and more widespread. This content is not deleted or prosecuted. Instead, since Elon Musk took over, words like “cis” or “cisgender” are considered offensive.

Musk bought Twitter in October 2022 for 44 billion US dollars and has since laid off more than half of all employees. Instead, he introduced a subscription model in which users receive the blue verification tick in exchange for a monthly or annual payment. Thanks to this, profiles that spread discriminatory content reach an even wider audience.

PROUT AT WORK rejects any form of discrimination and advocates for LGBT*IQ equal opportunities. The foundation creates inclusive spaces where discrimination and prejudice have no place. Therefore, remaining at X is no longer justifiable for PROUT AT WORK.

The PROUT AT WORK Foundation joins the German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, the German Trans* Association, the German Society for Transidentity and Intersexuality and many other associations and organizations to set a sign against hate and for diversity.

IInterested people can still find PROUT AT WORK on the social networks Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.   

Today is #InternationalPronounsDay! This day takes place annually on the third Wednesday in October and is dedicated to the topic of personal pronouns.

Especially for people who do not identify as (strictly) male or female, but for example as genderfluid or non-binary, pronouns can be important to express their gender identity.

In this context, a person’s appearance says nothing about the pronouns that person uses. That’s why it’s always important to ask about the pronouns!

Many LGBT*IQ people use neopronouns to distance themselves from binary gender thinking and feel comfortable in their identities.

Mentioning one’s own pronouns can help to free oneself from stereotypical binary thought patterns and contribute to sensitization in our society. Not every person necessarily uses the pronouns “he” or “she,” and it is important to treat these people with respect.

A study by the Trevor Project confirms that non-binary youth are more likely to struggle with mental health issues than cis youth. In other words:
Addressing the issue and being mindful of how people want to be addressed can save lives.

Pronouns in the Workplace:

Visibly placing your pronouns shows support and helps avoid misunderstandings.

You can place your pronouns…

• … in the e-mail signature
• … in Microsoft Teams
• … in Zoom
• … at the physical desk by sticker or name tag
• … etc.

Gender neutral pronouns – examples:

Together with Marcus Brieskorn from radioSUB PROUT AT WORK Board Member Jean-Luc Vey talked about the Rainbow Chat Deck.

“The idea behind the Rainbow Chat Deck was to develop a tool, through which people can get into an exchange about LGBT*IQ. Through the questions and individual answer options, the cards are also meant for people who have had very little to do with the topic so far.”

You can find the whole interview here (GERMAN):

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Rainbow Chat Deck

DR. SHIVAJI DASGUPTA

“HAVING THE FREEDOM TO BE WHO YOU ARE GIVES YOU SO MUCH MORE AGENCY AND ALLOWS FOR SO MUCH HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIDE ANYTHING.”

Many people think that sexual or gender identity has no place in the workplace and therefore does not need to be discussed. But the truth is different – the hiding of LGBT*IQ employees who are not outed is often at the expense of team spirit, energy and motivation in the workplace and limits the productivity of these people immensely. For this reason, it is important to create an “open and inclusive corporate culture that supports all employees in using their full potential to achieve the company’s goals.” – says Albert Kehrer, Chairman of the PROUT AT WORK Foundation. To get one step closer to this goal, this year’s DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS keynote speaker – Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta – provided powerful insights into his world as an out executive during a “Fireside Chat” and highlighted the importance of commitment to LGBT*IQ equal opportunities on the part of companies.

At the PROUT AT WORK Foundation’s 6th DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS, hosted by Deutsche Post DHL Group in Bonn, the focus was on the commitment of companies and their leaders to the LGBTIQ community. “We are all united tonight by the desire for people to be able to come to the workplace with their authentic selves and not have to hide a significant part of their personality.” – said Dr. Thomas Ogilvie, Member of the Board of Management and Labor Director of Deutsche Post DHL Group in his welcoming speech. More than 35 senior executives from major companies and institutions accepted the invitation, including representatives from BASF, Clifford Chance, Continental, Commerzbank, Ergo, IKEA, ING Diba, NTT Data, Oracle, Otto, Robert Bosch, Sandoz, Sodexo and UniCredit. In the immediate vicinity of the Rhine, the participants of the top-class information and networking event enjoyed an exclusive dinner. Albert Kehrer explained the background of DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS in his welcoming speech: “We believe that there is a business case behind the support for LGBTIQ: an individual one for the people who come out, but also on a corporate level – whether B2B or B2C.” The highlight of the evening was the “Fireside Chat” by the CEO of the host PROUT AT WORK Foundation, together with keynote speaker Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta, Out Executive and Chief Data Officer at Unicredit on diversity, responsibility and leading by example.

At the beginning of the 45-minute talk, Dasgupta shared private insights as an out executive: “99% of the reactions to my coming out have been overwhelmingly positive. Having the freedom to be who you are gives you so much more agency, and allows for so much higher productivity because you don’t have to hide anything.” At the same time, it has a clear impact on the professional environment: “People then know they can trust you on other issues – you get an extra trust bonus as a leader if you’re completely open and honest.” According to Dasgupta, companies also benefit considerably from their commitment to LGBT*IQ equal opportunities, whether through better results due to more diverse teams or when recruiting talented employees.

Also highlighted in the “Fireside Chat” was the influence of Allies: “Executive Allies are so important because they send a very strong signal in the organization that discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.” Against the backdrop of different legal realities for LGBT*IQ around the world, the Indian-born executive is also concerned about valuing and taking advantage of freedoms here:

Drawing of the talk with DR. SHIVAJI DASGUPTA

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We are happy to be part of the first Rainbow Day on July 13 at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.

The Rainbow Day provides all interested parties with an exceptional opportunity to enter into discussions with companies in a pleasant atmosphere, to explore their own career opportunities and to learn how a modern company offers all employees a contemporary, appreciative working environment.

The booth discussions at the exhibition stands in the auditorium center, which go beyond the company booths, offer an opportunity for exchange. Many other partners of Rainbow Day are represented: University institutions, student associations, the press – diversity is important to all of them.

The supporting program with lectures and panels goes one step further in terms of content and is also of interest to all those who do not currently wish to embark on a (new) career path.

The visitors’ lounge offers space to linger and exchange ideas, and free drinks are available here.

Learn more

More information about the event is available on the Rainbow Day website (German):

Informationen für Besucher*innen – RainbowDay

RECAP

We were pleased to welcome Maxi Pichlmeier as a guest at our PROUT PERFORMER Lunch Talk on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

Click here for the recording of the conversation (German):

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about Maxi:

For those who don’t know Maxi, digital media are anything but foreign to him and he has a lot to say when it comes to queer life, politics and media. Because being queer is still political in 2023! Maxi Pichlmeier’s TikTok account is all about queer news, queer politics and the gay community, to which he himself belongs. In his videos he processes his own experiences and wants to bring news to young (queer) people.

Margot Slattery

“Queer people make up 10 to 11 percent of society. Our lives do not just happen in one particular month.”

We often hear that queer people are just a minimal part of our society. So why bother advocating for the LGBT*IQ community outside of Pride Month? Simple: because the truth is different. Queer people make up a much larger portion of society than some might think, a full 10 to 11 percent. Due to a lack of representation and visibility, as well as fear of negative consequences, many queer people still do not dare to come out in the workplace. So did the keynote speaker at the fifth DINNER BEYOND BUISNESS, Margot Slattery, for much of her career. In a face-to-face conversation with Albert Kehrer, she shared how her coming out has impacted herself and others, and the importance of leadership engagement for queer employees.

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the PROUTATWORK Foundation was finally able to organize the DINNER BEYOND BUSINESS again. For the fifth time, more than 35 senior executives from major German and international business companies and institutions met – this time at Google’s headquarters in Hamburg. Among them were representatives from Accenture, BASF, Clifford Chance, Commerzbank AG, Ernst & Young, KPMG, LaSalle, Linde, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sandoz, Sodexo and UniCredit. With a beautiful view and sunny weather, the participants of the information and networking event enjoyed an exclusive dinner in an informal atmosphere. The highlight of the event was the 45-minute talk with keynote speaker Margot Slattery, which focused on the importance of the commitment of companies and their executives to the LGBT*IQ community..

At the beginning of the talk, Margot Slattery gave private insights into her professional career. She described her outing as a personal liberating blow, because for the first half of her professional life she was not yet outed as a lesbian and therefore could not be as free and productive as she was able to be in the second half of her career. However, Margot feels that her coming out was not only a liberating blow for herself, but also a duty, because it allowed her to serve as a role model for colleagues. In this context, the speaker also speaks of the enormous importance of Allys, because it is not enough to “just” tolerate. Queer people need supporters who fight alongside them for an open society. According to Slattery, it is the duty of management to promote diversity in professional life, both internally and externally, for example by supporting NGOs.

Finally, Margot Slattery summarizes that a lot has already happened in terms of diversity and inclusion, but warns against resting on our laurels. If we do not continue to fight consistently and loudly, we will come to a standstill or, in the worst case, even regress.

Recording of the talk with Margot Slattery

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Campaign: #theLworksout for this years` Lesbian Visibility Day

Lesbian persons and Bi*sexual Women are often overlooked due to Lesbian Invisibility. To this day, there are very few visible lesbian role models-especially in a business related context. In many Networks, lesbian persons are a minority. Hence, important role models for younger colleagues aren´t guaranteed. With the Network- and Branch-encompassing campaign #theLworksout on the 26. of April, we can strenghten openly Lesbian Persons and, together with a wide spectrum of atendees, improve Visibility and point out the Diversity of Lesbian Persons.

How can i join the campaign?

• Inform yourself and speak to lesbian persons both inside your Network and outside, to raise awareness for the campaign.
• Take a portrait photo, orienting yourself on our examples, with your Tablet. It doesn´t matter if it is printed or digital. You´re welcome to use shades of grey instead of color for your portrait. (Make sure you´re allowed to use the logo of your company with your employer. If not, you may also use the company name, or hand your photo in without it.)
• Post your own campaign-photo on April 26 2023 at 10:00 AM, including the hashtags and taggings of your primary Social Media Channels.

Position your company as a supporter of the campaign and for Lesbian Visibility, and animate employees to take part.

This campaign was initiated by the PROUT AT WORK-Foundation and LGBT*IQ business-networks.

Tips for lesbian persons:

A Lesbian Coming out can still be tied to discrimination and hardships. If it helps you,

• look for Allies / Role Models in the company.
• network with the LGBT*IQ-network.
• look for support in dealing with discrimination and ill-fitting comments.
• always remember: You pick the time and place for your Coming Out.

Tips for companies:

• create sensibility for unconscious bias
• create clear expectation profiles
• anonymize applying for jobs
• Build/Strenghten internal LGBT*IQ-Networks

More information to the listed points can be found in the study “The L-Word in Business”, which deals with the situation of lesbian women in a work environment-with tips for employers.

TIps for Allies

• Inform yourself about lesbian topics.
• Use gender-inclusive language.
• Do not fetishize lesbian relationships.
• Stand up for the rights and against discrimination of Lesbian People. For example support the action nodoption, which works against the adoption of stepchildren and for the acception of Parentage in Rainbow Families.

Counseling: