Out Leadership is a global initiative that targets senior leaders in business and law and encourages them to embrace diversity in their companies and firms. Designed to champion diversity in the corporate sector, Out Leadership’s global initiatives “seek to impact business results, increase visibility, develop talent and drive equality forward.”
Recently Out Leadership, which is the umbrella organization to Out on the Street, Out in Law, and Out in Insurance, held its annual Out on the Street: US 2014 Summit, an event that drew in some of the world’s leaders in business and global affairs. This week, the organization released a video that recapped many significant moments from the conference, and included poignant sound bites from CEOs, LGBT leaders, and corporate allies.
In the video, Global Vice Chair of Public Policy for Ernst & Young LLP, Beth Brooke, explains, “It is not only safe to be out, it is absolutely necessary. I’m a better leader, a better person because of finally realizing that it was important to come out,” of the way in which embracing her identity allowed her to become a stronger leader. Lee Schreter, Board of Directors Chairman for Littler Mendelson echoed Brooke, explaining, “Being out and being open is a career benefit, not a detriment.” Moody’s CEO Raymond McDaniel said, “Once you make the commitment, it’s a continuous commitment. It becomes a part of your day-to-day activities, it becomes part of the tone at the top; it becomes part of the culture of the organization,” of how embracing diversity has to be a proactive, continuous process within a major company.
If the anticipated annual Out Leadership summit and its impressive list of attendees and speakers don’t quite illustrate the progress being made within the cultures of major corporations, perhaps its international Board of Directors will. Some of the biggest names in banking, law, and finance, including Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, Moody’s, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America are represented. It seems that more and more major corporations are embracing diversity as a commonplace practice, and making LGBT rights a priority.
Learn more about Out Leadership and its mission to foster an appreciation of diversity in the corporate workplace by visiting outleadership.org.