Making sure our Pride shines all year round
Pride Month is a fantastic opportunity for us all to show visible support for the LGBTQ+ community and stand up for the right to be your authentic self. You’ve probably seen your fair share of companies adding splashes of color to their social media profiles in June. You may have even received some rainbow swag from corporate as part of your company’s Pride Month celebrations.
While we love to go big in June too, we fully recognize that Pride is more than a moment in time. That’s why we’re continuously partnering with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center of Excellence and our LGBTAllies Employee Resource Group (ERG) to encourage pronoun use, inspire open dialogue, and offer learning opportunities to engage our team members. The same is true for our inclusive benefits, because gender-affirming care and fertility treatments for same-sex couples aren’t just needed one month out of the year.
Pride is a huge part of our global culture of inclusion
Strategy and guidance
Celebration events and activities
Training and education
Tracking and transparency
Pride 2023 was a special celebration like no other
From our global Pride celebration to all the inclusive events planned by our LGBTAllies ERG, our team members and leaders from around the world joined together once again during the month of June to strengthen our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community with more pride than ever before.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center of Excellence worked closely with LGBTAllies to make sure that every team member could feel comfortable celebrating in the ways that felt right for them. In the spirit of global inclusion, a wide variety of virtual activities were hosted to maximize accessibility, and team members were encouraged to get together in person for watch parties and other festivities. Thousands of people participated worldwide! Here’s a look back at everything that happened during Pride Month 2023.
- Global Pride Month celebration featuring keynote speaker Blair Imani
- Local Pride celebrations and flag-raising events in 16 countries
- Ally learning session with PFLAG
- Strides for Pride fundraising challenge in support of Covenant House
- Drag Story Hour
- Pets with Pride photo competition
- Pride trivia
- Wear the Rainbow, where we all dress in one color of the rainbow each day
- Recommendations on LGBTQ+ books, businesses, and volunteer opportunities
- Comprehensive Pride Guide and more
Our history of Pride
Prior to the pandemic, our Pride celebrations centered around parades taking place in the cities closest to our U.S. office locations. We rallied our team members in those areas, sponsored floats, and marched together for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. Then in 2020, we quickly had to pivot our plans and transition to a virtual approach. We traded in our Pride poster boards for colorful Teams backgrounds instead and launched all kinds of new programming, like AmerisourceBergen’s Got Talent, Pride Trivia Night, and more.
Today, we’re applying what we learned during the pandemic to host hybrid events and activities that enable everyone to participate. Take a look at some of our past Pride photos to see moments that paved the way for the inclusive global celebrations we’re hosting now.
Following the lead of our ERG
The driving force behind our Pride initiatives is our LGBTAllies ERG. Spearheaded by a small but dedicated leadership team and supported by more than a thousand engaged members, our ERG works all year around to make our company one of the most diverse, inclusive, and LGBTQ-friendly businesses in the Fortune 500.
LGBTAllies hosts activities that empower all our team members to support LGBTQ+ people locally and globally through meaningful advocacy and allyship. They educate everyone about the latest issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. And most importantly, they create space to express ourselves, share our stories, and listen to the experiences of others. It’s through the tireless efforts of this group that our culture continues to evolve in all the right ways.
Supporting LGBTQ-owned businesses
We proactively seek out diverse suppliers, especially those that are owned, operated, and controlled by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Not only is supplier diversity the foundation of a competitive economy, but it’s also one of the best ways to tap into the latest innovations, as well as products tailored to communities where their needs aren’t being met by the mainstream. By connecting with LGBTQ-owned suppliers, we get closer to the community so we can ensure we’re giving our customers the products, solutions, and guidance they need to deliver the best care possible to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Are you an LGBTQ+ business owner? Register here to become one of our diverse suppliers.
