How Businesses Can Celebrate Pride During June and Beyond
Each year, the beginning of June signals the beginning of Pride month. This is a time to celebrate diversity, embrace inclusivity, and help make a positive impact on the LGBTQIA community.
For employers, Pride month should be a prompt to consider how LGBTQIA employees could be better supported. It’s also a great time to take some charitable initiatives within your wider community.
Whatever Pride month means to you, it’s the perfect opportunity to step back, reflect, and consider what we can all do to make a difference.
What are the origins of Pride month?
Pride began as a protest, and for many, it still signifies a protest as well as a celebration of identity today. Each year, Pride is celebrated throughout June in memory of the Stonewall riots, which took place in New York in 1969. In response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, LGBTQIA protestors took to the streets, in what would become the first of many Pride marches.
Today, the movement is honoured every year with Pride marches taking place around the world.
How can businesses support Pride month?
As well as the marches and parades, there are so many other ways to get involved with Pride month. This includes integrating positive inclusion policies into your business.
Create an inclusive environment
First and foremost, businesses-leaders must work to ensure that their workplace is inclusive. This means a no-tolerance stance on discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Organise inclusivity training
One way of creating such an environment is by organising inclusivity training. Supporting LGBTQIA employees shouldn’t be down to just a few people. The whole team should be involved in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment. Often, lack of education can lead to people feeling marginalised. Therefore, inclusivity training for the whole team could make a big difference to individuals.
Host an LGBTQIA speaker
Along with company-wide training, it’s a great idea to hire an LGBTQIA speaker to educate and inspire your workforce. Not only will you be amplifying a voice from the community, but you’ll be showing your LGBTQIA employees that you care about their experiences.
Advocate for an LGBTQIA charity
Raising money for an LGBTQIA charity is an excellent way of showing your support. While Pride month is a great time to start this, investing in important causes is sure to benefit your community and your workforce all year round. Choose from a wide variety of LGBTQIA charities to support.
Embrace Pronouns in the workplace
Normalising pronouns is another way to make sure everyone is included, regardless of their gender identity. However you identify, normalising pronouns in the workplace is a small and easy change that could make a big difference.
Support LGBTQIA-run businesses
Both companies and individuals have the power to choose who they buy from and who they collaborate with. Supporting independent LGBTQIA-friendly businesses is a great way to sustainably invest in the LGBTQIA community.
Go beyond gestures
Perhaps most important to remember is that LGBTQIA Pride goes beyond June and advocacy goes beyond gestures. While voicing support during Pride month is a great start, it's important to carry on supporting this cause all year round. This includes donating to charities, investing in LGBTQIA-owned businesses, and advocating for inclusivity.
At The Mór Card, we proudly showcase some wonderful LGBTQIA-friendly independent businesses via our LGBTQIA badge. View this selection to discover some fantastic LGBTQIA brands to support throughout Pride month and beyond.
