New England-based LGBTQ+ employee groups transforming the business world and beyond
From financial services to health care, retail, manufacturing and big tech, New England–based companies consistently earn top scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index.
In HRC’s latest study, forty-seven major companies in Massachusetts alone received perfect “Best Places to Work” designations, with fifteen more in Connecticut, six in Rhode Island and one each in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
What’s behind these scores?
For answers, we turned to some top-scoring LGBTQ+ employee resource groups at leading corporations based in our region—many with global business footprints.
What we found was a highly impressive commitment and track record of developing more equitable policies and practices. Educating colleagues and the public. Volunteering at and providing financial support to nonprofits. And spreading goodwill for LGBTQ+ people across the communities they serve.
Pride@iRobot
iRobot, headquarters in Bedford, MA
iRobot’s employee resource group, Pride@iRobot, has about 25 active members with hundreds of “iRoboteers” following their activities around the globe and offering support where they can.
Like the company itself, the group’s leadership is based at its headquarters in Bedford, Mass., and consists of one chairperson and four additional employees, one of them in London. They regularly offer leadership opportunities for members who might want to get involved with event planning or sharing resources and news, a Pride@iRobot rep told us.
Most, but not all of their events are virtual in order to include as many iRoboteers as possible around the globe and because so many of them have embraced hybrid work. The group also hosts in-person events, at least quarterly, plus frequent casual meetups for lunch.
This year, Pride@iRobot initiated OUTlets, a new event series that engages iRoboteers in open conversation on various LGBTQ+ topics. “We were inspired by the many book clubs that some of iRobot’s other ERGs were leading, and we wanted to make something more accessible and less daunting to consume beforehand.” The goal is to encourage dialogue around topics like the history of queer people in the Civil Rights movement, the unique sexism experienced by trans men, how to talk to kids about queer issues, and more.
“We hope to foster an open and safe environment where our LGBTQ+ colleagues can be heard, and where allies can learn and engage with new ideas.”
iRobot has six employee resource groups under an umbrella called iDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Acceptance).
Along with Pride@iRobot, there are ACAi (Asian Community at iRobot), Black-n-Brown, HOLA (Hispanic/Latinx Organization for Leadership and Advancement), Women@iRobot and Merging Careers (professional development and support for folks new to the workplace).
“Innovation guides our mission to empower people to do more, and acceptance is what unites our supportive community of global iRoboteers. We cultivate a culture that values change and embraces diversity by encouraging allyship, listening and empathy to foster trust, understanding and growth,” they told us, about the shared goals of all the groups working together under iDEA.
iRobot has made sure that all diversity initiatives are employee-centered and employee-led. “We in the Pride@iRobot ERG appreciate this more than ever and hope that our authenticity is apparent in our efforts to improve mental-health, medical, legal and social resources for members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.”
“We are constantly striving to be better so that every past, current and prospective iRoboteer feels safe to be themselves. While there is always more to be done, we are honored to be included in Boston Spirit magazine’s Pride feature, and we hope that the efforts made by iRobot and the other highlighted companies will inspire others to become part of the movement for LGBTQ+ acceptance and equality.”
Boston Children’s Rainbow Alliance
Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
In the past year, the LGBTQ+ employee resource group at Boston Children’s Hospital has shifted from a cochair model to a “flexible leadership group”—lovingly called the “Queer Council”—that empowers group members to initiate and lead projects themselves.
“Our intention in these changes was to help open up access to leadership in the group, remove any perception of elitism, and invite more members to initiate projects and get involved,” said Jim Smith, Leadership Council member for Boston Children’s Rainbow Alliance.
The Rainbow Alliance has roughly 300 participants, and everyone has the opportunity to take a leadership initiative.
One example: “We just recently started some special interest sub-groups for BIPOC LGBTQ+ employees and trans and nonbinary employees to provide safe spaces for community building and to help elevate the voices of these important group members,” Smith said. “We are also initiating some functional sub-groups to better support employees working in our satellite locations and those doing remote or hybrid work.”
The mission of the Rainbow Alliance is “to build an affirming and equitable environment free of discrimination for LGBTQIA+ employees, patients and families.”
Their strategic priorities include providing support and community for LGBTQIA+ employees; researching and engaging in health advocacy and education; organizing programs that advance an institutional culture celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion; and serving as an institutional resource regarding LGBTIA+ issues and policy.
“We have really made an effort in the past year to open up a conversation within our community to identify ways that we can be more inclusive and welcoming,” Smith told us. “We’ve reached out to other employee resource groups to invite interested members to get involved with the Rainbow Alliance.”
The Rainbow Alliance provides “SafeZone” trainings for other employees and departments. These trainings provide fundamental education around sexual orientation and gender identity, pronoun use, gender-inclusive language and creating a welcoming, safe, inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ patients, families and employees.
Additionally, the Alliance hosts annual LGBTQ Pride celebrations; recognizes staff who have contributed significantly to the LGBTQ community through the group’s annual Prism Awards; coordinates a month-long LGBTQ Health Equity program; and has proudly marched for years in the Boston Pride Parade (and hopes to do so again in 2023).
“Our goals going forward are just to do more and continue to find meaningful ways to shape our culture, support LGBTQ employees, patients and families, and advance equity. Over the past decade, we’ve worked steadily to expand our visibility outside of June Pride month. Our goal is to have a vibrant, year-round presence at Boston Children’s, celebrating the LGBTQ community.”
Pride@MFS
MFS Investment Management, headquarters in Boston, MA
“Pride@MFS is a passionate group of people, but, importantly, it’s passion with a purpose,” said Michelle Thompson-Dolberry, executive vice president and global head of diversity, equity and inclusion at MFS Investment Management.
“Members share a vision for the way the world should work, with equal rights and inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community. Members use their collective voices to not only raise awareness about the issues impacting their community, but, more importantly, offer ways for all to take action.”
Boston-based MFS manages approximately $600 billion for individuals and institutions worldwide, making financial markets more accessible to everyday investors. That provides a lot of opportunities for their LGBTQ+ employee resource group’s 133 participants to share their message not only in the workplace but around the communities they serve.
Pride@MFS meets regularly through monthly board meetings and weekly and biweekly committee meetings.
Their mission is to promote LGBTQ+ focused networking, educational and social opportunities for the MFS family. “They aim to foster positive, respectful, professional relationships that enrich the overall workplace,” Thompson-Dolberry said.
They accomplish this by building LGBTQ+ networks that support all employees and promote professional and personal growth. They help MFS establish and maintain industry-leading policies and training programs supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. They identify opportunities to recruit and retain LGBTQ+ employees, cultivate relationships with community-based LGBTQ+ organizations and peer groups and partner with groups across the firm to drive engagement and foster inclusion among employees.
Pride@MFS “believes in opening doors, whether through informal mentoring/networking or programming that starts and continues the difficult conversations that ultimately drive change and growth in the MFS community,” said Thompson-Dolberry.
“Members are very open and generous in sharing personal experiences that can help others learn to overcome a similar challenge or build the courage to take a desired action in their own lives and careers.”
Pride@MFS is very proud of the impact it makes through powerful connections, both internally at MFS and externally with community partners.
One of Pride’s most impactful events was its recent two-part transgender and gender-identity panel discussion. During the event, panelists provided education and shared deeply personal experiences with respect to what it was like to be transgender and nonbinary. “Attendees were incredibly moved by the experiences shared and more engaged in the causes of this community.”
Another very proud moment for Pride was the completion of an online workshop with one of its community partners to help the organization’s young adult members learn how to build their resume, create a LinkedIn profile and create or improve their video-interviewing presence. Through this workshop, Pride members and allies were able to help young adults learn critical skills and take important steps toward beginning their careers.
WayOut
Wayfair, headquarters in Boston, MA
Global online retailer Wayfair’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, WayOut, has about 500 members with two co-leaders, one for North America and one for Europe and Asia.
They meet both virtually and in person, with sessions around education and awareness on topics like uncovering biases and through events that promote networking and community, like “WayOut at the Movies.”
Their mission is “to create opportunities for connection within our community at Wayfair, to advocate internally on behalf of the LGBTQ+ Wayfair community and to do whatever we can to support the creation of an environment where LGBTQ+ Wayfairians can happily and safely bring their full, authentic selves to work every day,” said the group in a collaborative statement.
One thing they do to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace is to collaborate with the other 12 ERGs and three affinity groups at Wayfair.
“For example, we have cohosted events with WayBlack focused on allyship and antiracist action,” they told us. And this past June, they cohosted a panel with Latinx@Wayfair around Latinx-queer identity.
Wayfair’s LGBTQ+ group does many things.
WayOut initiatives include taking a public stand and acknowledging the concerns of employees around safety and inclusion for themselves and their families. For example, they’ve helped drive efforts to expand the company’s bereavement benefits to include chosen family, global adoption and surrogacy reimbursement and medical benefits to support transition.
Wayfair also contributed $15,000 to support the Trevor Project’s mission during Pride month 2021, and nearly $30K during the company’s Home for the Holidays giving campaign.
Moving forward, “The shift to a hybrid environment and our increasingly global membership have definitely pushed us to be more creative about our programming,” they told us. For example, “Our Berlin chapter recently held a global event focused on empowering underrepresented groups called “The Hero in You,” featuring a performance from drag queen Mazy Mazeltov. The event took place live in our Berlin office and was live-streamed and recorded so that Wayfairians anywhere could participate.”
Putnam Pride Alliance
Putnam Investments, headquarters in Boston, MA
Putnam Investments’ LGBTQ+ corporate affinity group, Putnam Pride Alliance, is led by a chair working together with approximately 20 members to “advance a caring, affirming and welcoming community that advocates for and celebrates Putnam’s LGBTQIA+ associates and allies,” a rep from the group told us.
One way the group achieves their mission is by sharing their experiences with colleagues at meetings and panel forums “alongside external educational partners who offer inclusive best practices around supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“Lately, our focus has been on developing our fluency and expanding awareness around the gender binary and its multitudinous expression, emphasizing both personal practices and company policies to shift our culture to one where nonbinary and trans associates can thrive.”
“Holding space for these dialogues and moments of collective growth has offered individuals and the organization opportunities to learn while exploring sensitive topics with an open mind.”
Putnam’s LGBTQ+ group works closely with other affinity groups at the company, including the Putnam Black Professional Network, Women of Putnam, the Putnam Multicultural Group and a newly created Putnam Caregivers Network.
Group leaders convene monthly to talk about how they can collaborate, support each other’s missions, and share best practices.
“Each group actively cross-promotes events and opportunities offered by the other groups. We are hoping to have our first ‘all group’ program in the fall centered on how to be a better ally/advocate, a common thread for all of us.”
Among Putnam Pride Alliance’s most recent successful initiatives is a program centered on gender identity and expression run by Bentley University’s Center for Women and Business.
It began with a Putnam associate talking about his experience raising a transgender child.
“This sharing of a personal experience can have a powerful impact—and we are grateful our associates feel comfortable doing so. We are also trying to have more informal monthly conversations around different topics that our broader associate base and Putnam Pride Alliance members want to explore.”
MassMutual’s Pride BRG
MassMutual, headquarters in Springfield, MA
This is the fifth consecutive year that MassMutual is raising the Pride flag on the front of its headquarters.
“The sky is the limit when getting involved in a MassMutual business resource group, and its Pride BRG is one of the most engaged and active,” said Mo NcNally, head of communications culture and impact and chair of the Pride BRG. MassMutual’s Pride BRG is 450 members strong.
“MassMutual has a very open and transparent culture where employees are encouraged to bring their full selves to work,” McNally told us. “Through BRG involvement, employees can hold leadership positions for the group or in leading initiatives. They can volunteer at, plan or moderate BRG events. They can influence the strategy and direction of the group’s efforts. And they can learn from, teach, sit and stand alongside others in a space where level has no meaning.”
Since its inception as MassMutual’s first business resource group, the Pride BRG has been a strong influencer in informing the company and its leaders on when and how to ‘show up’ internally and externally on matters of importance to members of the LGBTQ community and their allies.
“And ‘showing up’ is exactly what the company has done for well over a decade,” said McNally. “To name a few examples, this includes the use of identifying pronouns along with education on why this is important; the addition of all-gender restrooms for employees and guests; offering benefits to employees and their loved ones, however they may define them, enabling them to achieve their full potential and live their best lives.”
Since 2014, MassMutual’s employee benefits have covered medically necessary services related to gender affirmation surgery, and as of the beginning of 2019, in addition to enhanced internal support, existing benefits also include previously noncovered procedures such as facial feminization surgery, thyrochondroplasty, electrolysis and more.
The company’s suite of employee benefits also includes caregiving, family planning and fertility (including adoption and surrogacy), paid parental leave (for mothers, fathers and adoptive parents) and more.
MassMutual is also a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and a member of the MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce, recently supporting the Chamber’s expansion into Western Mass.
“Personally, the time spent over the last year and half as one of six MassMutual Fellows with CEO Action for Racial Equity allowed me to further develop and deepen my knowledge and influence on an intersectional level,” McNally recalled. “We all check a lot of boxes when it comes to our personal profiles, and my work and exposure broadened my level of reach and influence externally and gave me the gift of a broader perspective to bring back to MassMutual.”
CSB Pride
Cambridge Savings Bank, Cambridge, MA
In the past year, Cambridge Savings Bank’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group has engaged up to 150 employees to help their six-member governing board plan and execute initiatives, participate in educational events and/or just join in the fun.
“Since we’re a newer group, we’re still getting our footing and determining the specifics of group participation and what level of engagement membership entails, but we always welcome any CSB employee who wants to support our group in any way that they can,” said Greg Bowe, first vice president and head of retail operations.
“It’s kind of cool that we’ve intentionally set up governance by consensus, so we don’t have a chair or president … we all make the decisions together,” said Bowe.
“We’re a new organization, really one of the first ERGs in our bank, and at the start of our journey, with introductions from [Publisher David Zimmerman] at Boston Spirit, we met with representatives with other LGBTQ+ organizations in the area. We enjoyed our conversations with leaders of the Rockland Trust and John Hancock pride groups, and they couldn’t have been nicer, more forthcoming about their activities, and supportive of our efforts.”
CSB Pride’s mission is to be a resource “to CSB, our customers, our community, and our colleagues. We strive to create awareness within the organization and community by fostering inclusion and creating a safe space where one can be their authentic self. Our goals are to support the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the strategic plan platform, allowing us to attract and retain those who embrace our mission, vision and strategic priorities.”
CSB Pride was founded just before the start of the pandemic, preventing them from launching with an in-person kickoff. But, Bowe told us, “We didn’t let that stop us and launched with a virtual cocktail party instead!”
As the governing council got the group off the ground, they planned and executed their first-year events.
The plan was to start by raising LGBTQ+ awareness within the bank. “In our first year, during a break from COVID, we had a big, in-person Pride celebration in our Waltham Operations Center with about a third of the bank’s employees. We talked about the history of Pride and shared some personal stories of what it means to us as individuals…and we had a lot of fun!”
The response was terrific. “We heard a lot of ‘I didn’t know that’ comments, which means we succeeded in our attempt to help others learn more about the importance of Pride and the LGBTQ+ community.”
This year, the group is partnering with PFLAG to offer a series of panel discussions with the goal of raising awareness and education on various issues of importance to the community.
Cambridge Savings Bank maintains an open and welcoming environment with a strong and strategic focus on DE&I, and they’re continually evolving their efforts in that space. CSB Pride is doing its part by focusing on the LGBTQ+ community at the bank and beyond.
“We’d be interested in hearing from other LGBTQ+ ERGs to share ideas and support each other in this important work. As we all know, there’s always more we can do.”
Pride ERG
Vista, US headquarters, Boston and Waltham, MA
Vista and Cimpress’s employee resource group, Pride ERG, has five officers from across the globe, one in Boston near Vista’s US headquarters, another in Washington, DC, and the others in Barcelona, Berlin and the UK. As a global and “remote-first” workplace, they meet virtually via Zoom.
“The Pride ERG chairs work with tireless dedication and heart to create great programming and community-building year-round,” said Pride ERG’s Executive Chair Ellen Greer.
The Pride ERG works to collectively celebrate and elevate Vista’s global LGBTQIA+ team members. “They are a safe space, a place for solidarity and a source of celebration for queerness and LGBTQIA+ people. The group is a support and educational resource that unites LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies in social and professional settings,” Greer told us.
The Pride ERG is one of three ERGs overall at Vista and Cimpress. “Our sister groups are called Mosaic and Women in Technology, and we are so lucky to be a part of such strong intersectional relationships.”
All three groups strategize together around diversity, equity and inclusion goals and leadership best practices. “We even recently co-wrote a unified proposal to request more resources and support from the company,” says Greer. “I recently invited my peer leaders from Women in Technology and Mosaic to join Pride ERG members in marching in an upcoming Pride Parade. Several are planning to come and stand up with us as friends and allies of the queer community.”
Vista has long been headquartered in Massachusetts. “We have a truly amazing team of colleagues clustered in the Boston and Waltham areas. We have powerful workplace advocates for the queer community who are Bay Staters. I am deeply proud to say that all these great local folks now stand side-by-side with our queer brothers and sisters from across the globe. The LGBTQIA+ workplace community at Vista and Cimpress has become virtual and internationally connected as we never have before. When you work at Vista and Cimpress, you work across the world. When we celebrate Pride month in our workplace, we celebrate globally too!”
Webster Pride BRG
Webster Bank, headquarters in Waterbury, CT
The mission of Webster Bank’s 20-member Pride Business Resource Group is “to inspire our people to come together in celebration of their differences, enabling us to provide resources within and outside of work,” a Webster Pride rep told us.
One chairperson, two co-chairs and six regional leads head up initiatives covering the entire Webster footprint of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode lsland and Westchester County, NY. The group aims to promote, retain and develop talent with “the dignity of every individual respected by everyone. No matter what they look like or who they love.”
They do this through 1) community activities like Pride festivals, LGBTQ summits and an annual Webster Pride Champion Award; 2) educational forums that include panel discussions, classes to their colleagues and bank-wide communications; and 3) developing interactive ways to bring their colleagues together to collaborate and attract talent and guide careers.
Webster’s Pride BRG helps develop personal and professional growth through one-on-one mentorships, networking opps and exposure to C-suite execs with likeminded acceptance and creativity.
The leadership team meets monthly with Webster’s seven other business resource groups to maintain and expand an inclusive environment in the workplace and throughout their business community.
The Pride group is especially proud of their endowed Webster Pride Scholarship.
“COVID-19 has challenged our group to get creative with how we connect with our colleagues and community. We now build-in virtual programming to everything we do, which has allowed more participants to come together in a space to share experiences and ideas.”
PROUD
(Professionals Reaching Out for Unity and Diversity)
Manulife/John Hancock, headquarters in Boston, MA
Manulife/John Hancock’s LGBT employee resource group, PROUD, is led by a five-member leadership team with a 20-member advisory board and 260 members overall.
They are one of the company’s 11 global employee resource group chapters covering different races, cultural backgrounds, gender identities and abilities. “We are a highly-collaborative, self-organizing group of ERGs who prioritize working together not only to share ideas, strategy and help, but also to ensure that we create organic opportunities to educate our colleagues and leaders on the reality of intersecting identities, which are a complex, unique and valuable part of our global community,” a rep from the group told us.
Meeting virtually for the past two years, PROUD is now getting back to in-person, biweekly strategy meeting with their co-chairs and workstream leads, monthly social gatherings with the advisory board and members, and quarterly reviews covering strategy and events for all members.
Their mission is to promote a positive work environment for LGBT employees and enhance their engagement and retention. They also promote cultural awareness and diversity of thought internally. They provide professional development and networking opportunities for LGBT employees and their allies as well as informal mentorships.
“An opportunity to connect with someone who understands your experience in or outside of work can make a significant difference on a personal and professional basis.”
On a wider scale, PROUD ensures LGBTQ+ needs and interests are reflected in business and DEI strategy.
“It is our goal to combine our advocacy and community-building work to create a thriving organization of PROUD members and allies who are united in our goal to create a truly inclusive organization for our LGBTQ+ colleagues to do their best work and feel they can be their authentic selves.”
PROUD’s members say they are proud of their history as one of the first ERGs at John Hancock. Along with the other ERGs, their leaders and members have acted as the grassroots group within the organization, educating the company on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion across multiple identities.
“Pride month and flag-raisings are incredibly important for celebrating and acknowledging our community, but it is the everyday, behind-the-scenes advocacy work we do within the company that we are most proud of. We bring visibility to issues that may otherwise be overlooked, we offer strategic solutions to those issues, and we push for the LGBTQ+ voice to be heard, even when it’s not convenient.”
Point Pride
Point32Health, Canton, MA
When Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Care combined to become Point32Health, they brought two strong LGBTQ+ groups together. Now, they’re represented by one even stronger affinity group, with about 150 participants, called Point Pride.
They’ve got a core leadership group with various committees for initiatives like Pride month planning and their Workforce Pride committee, which supports Point32Health employees directly.
Workforce Pride is a task group that aims to improve circumstances for LGBTQIA+ employees through a variety of initiatives. For example, they work with the company’s communications team to use more inclusive language. They advocate for pronouns in email signatures and teams’ backgrounds, and they call attention to LGBTQIA+-specific benefits, especially for the trans community.
“We also try to live openly with our identities and encourage members to share their stories and self-disclose to HR,” a Point Pride rep told us. “Self-disclosure helps us assure that we are hiring and retaining more diverse candidates and attending to their needs.”
When it comes to developing professional and person growth for Point32Health employees, the group works to address intersectional topics by looking at all the many facets that can make up an LGBTQ+ person. “We work to maintain a safe space within the group where all who participate can share and speak freely, as we’ve learned one person’s experience may be the thing someone else needs to hear at that moment.”
By welcoming allies along with LGBTQ+ colleagues, Point Pride works to achieve greater representation “with not just our own rooting and sponsoring us, but everyone. Together, the entire Pride Point community is supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues both at and along their way to the leadership table.”
Pride Point offers events, forums and visibility both internally and externally in the communities they service. “We’re proud of our activities catering to both stakeholder groups.”
For Pride Month 2022, they were corporate sponsors for two local initiatives (among others): The Third Annual Trans Resistance March and Festival, and Pull for Pride: Boston, a series of strength-sport fundraisers in response to the lack of spaces for LGBTQIA2+ people to safely engage in sport and fitness.
Point Pride also hosts a variety of workshops annually, like the Lunch & Learn event “How to Effectively Advocate Your Cause,” with their directors of legislative policy and advocacy.
“While we do tackle serious initiatives and often address complex topics, we pride ourselves on going about our work with a healthy amount of levity, fun and optimism!”
Fidelity Pride ERG
Fidelity Investments, headquarters in Boston, MA
Fidelity Investments’ LGBTQ employee affinity group is approximately 7,500 members strong, with local leaders and committees across 12 regional sites in the US plus global regions in India, Ireland and London, each running regional events and communications.
The mission statement of the Fidelity Pride ERG has three pillars: 1) to create a safe space for all associates to be their true authentic selves; 2) to be a source of educational material related to the LGBTQ+ community; and 3) to provide leadership and development opportunities for all members.
Pride ERG members engage in community events, workshops, service projects and associate education panels to support networking and skill development that benefit career mobility.
“For Pride Month, specifically, we have several events available to all Fidelity associates, even if they aren’t directly members of Fidelity Pride, including career workshops, financial wellness workshops, and partnership events with other ERGs, like our ‘Parenting with Pride’ event with Raise, Fidelity’s working parent and caregiver group,” a rep from the group told us.
Fidelity has 10 affinity groups that support communities including race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, and common interests. These groups are all structured around an operating model called the 4 C’s: culture, community, commerce and career. “These four themes define a common purpose and help us partner together on commonalities among our intersectional audiences for events, communications and demonstrations of allyship.”
“We are exceedingly proud of our podcast ‘Out and Proud,’ which showcases diverse associate perspectives of living and working as their true authentic selves. We find these stories inspire others, inside and outside Fidelity, to bring their whole selves to work. We are continually amazed at the vulnerability, authenticity, courage and support our Pride members and allies share within this podcast, our internal communication channels and when featured in events and programming.”
Fidelity Pride ERG members knows that “LGBTQ+” isn’t a person’s only identity, “so we are consistently reviewing how to leverage intersectional experiences in our programming as we partner with other affinity groups to address the full associate (and human) experience.”
Rockland Trust Pride Alliance
Rockland Trust, based in Rockland, MA
Rockland Trust’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group is based “all over our Rockland Trust footprint as we’re able to meet virtually. Pride Alliance participants come from a variety of roles within Rockland Trust,” Pride Alliance members told us in a collaborative statement.
Started in 2015, the group’s led by two co-chairs: Sue Fitton, vice president of B2B marketing, and Patricia Natale, senior vice president and deputy general counsel and corporate secretary. Some 60 employees are on the Alliance’s email list. Participation varies from event to initiative.
The group met regularly before the pandemic; now, most gatherings are virtual. But they continue to sponsor and participate in events, including the recent LGBT Executive Networking Night hosted by Boston Spirit. And “with COVID cases calming down, we’re planning more in-person gatherings.”
Rockland Trust has a longstanding commitment to equity and inclusion. They’ve continually achieved a 100-percent score on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index for the past seven years. This commitment is underscored by initiatives such as diversity and inclusion leadership training, a colleague allyship mentoring program and numerous ERGs focused on providing colleague support and education, “which reinforces a culture of mutual respect.”
Rockland’s Pride Alliance is focused on two main initiatives: providing support and a voice to their LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies, and providing education to colleagues on LGBTQ+ related topics.
“Every year, we highlight important events, most notably Pride month in June. We send out educational messages on social media highlighting our support for the LGBTQ+ community and ensure each of our locations receives Progress Flags and other giveaways. In 2021, we even moved our celebrations into our business customer community by inviting our business customers to highlight what Pride meant to them. These comments were added on our website, promoted on social media, and in some cases published on billboards throughout the month of June.”
Rockland’s Pride Alliance maintains important partnerships with organizations like GLAD, Fenway Health and PFLAG. They offer Rockland colleagues the opportunity to join “lunch ’n’ learns” on topics ranging from understanding pronouns to transgender awareness. “We work closely with HR to address topics that not only we in the Pride Alliance think might be helpful but what our colleagues are asking HR about as well.”
The Pride Alliance “is honored to work for an organization that genuinely believes that each relationship matters. Not only is this our tagline, but it is the Bank’s legitimate motto and narrative across our footprint. All of our events and efforts have been enthusiastically supported by Chris Oddleifson, our CEO, and our Executive Leadership Team. We’re incredibly grateful for their support and guidance.”
Hasbro PRIDE
Hasbro, headquarters in Pawtucket, RI
The 100-plus members of the legendary toy company Hasbro’s LGBTQ business resource group, Hasbro PRIDE, meet virtually almost exclusively. “We’re a global company and being able to connect with members across the world has been a silver lining of the last couple of years,” a representative from Hasbro Pride told us.
That said, the group’s initiatives and events—currently led by three employee “Champions,” supported by two corporate sponsors at leadership levels—are frequently in-person.
Hasbro PRIDE provides “a visible space where LGBTQ+ employees and their allies work together and advocate for one another as a resource committed to making Hasbro a 100-percent welcoming workplace,” their rep told us. “Our focus includes networking, educational and social opportunities, as well as creating inclusive products and external messaging that reflects our mission.”
The company “strongly believes that supporting all people and promoting inclusion across our business and society makes the world a better place for all. We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture where employees are valued, respected and empowered to bring their best ideas forward.”
In addition to PRIDE, other groups at Hasbro include Mosaic, which focuses on racial diversity and inclusion. And there are the Women’s Leadership, Wellness, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Veterans’ networks; the Career Parents group; and more.
“Along with our colleagues in other resource groups, we have brought in multiple speakers on a variety of topics, from ‘Trans 101 with Get Real’ to authors’ series with LGBTQ+ writers,” said the rep from PRIDE, which also teams up to support community nonprofits as well. “We’ve partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and have held panel discussions with members of the local LGBTQ+ community.”
Every year, the group hosts a “Kid Zone” during the RI Pride Festival. A daytime event prior to the Illuminated Pride Parade in downtown Providence, the Zone is staffed by Hasbro volunteers and their families. “We have awesome play experiences for families who come visit, all provided by Hasbro. In years past, we’ve had over 500 people stop by, and we’re really excited to get back to it after Pride in-person events were cancelled the past couple of years.”
The group also has a strong relationship with Youth Pride RI. “We support their annual gala event, and we also donate time, games and other gifts to help them make their space ready for holiday celebrations with the young, at-risk population that they serve.”
Hasbro PRIDE also works with the company’s product and entertainment development teams to ensure that Hasbro’s brands and products are as inclusive as possible.
“Telling the stories that shape the next generation is a great privilege that we take very seriously, and comes with a responsibility for every person to see themselves in our toys, games and entertainment, ultimately helping them be inspired and empowered.”
PTC’s Prism ERG
PTC, based in Boston, MA
Global technology company PTC’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, Prism, is approximately 146 members strong, with a core team comprised of 19 employees reaching over 6,000 employees in offices across 30 countries and an international client base.
Their meetings are typically hybrid, with some participating in offices together, some joining over video conferencing.
Prism’s mission is “to create an inclusive culture of acceptance and understanding of all sexual orientations and gender identities,” a rep from the group told us.
The group achieves this through a variety of events and sponsorships that include Fenway Health, PFLAG, Pride in our Workplace and Boston Spirit.
They’ve also partnered with Community Servings’ Pie in the Sky bake sale, contributing to the preparation and delivery of hot, nutritious meals for people experiencing the ill effects of HIV/AIDS. They support the Transgender Community of New England’s annual First Event conference.
In the workplace and out in the community, PTC’s Prism focuses on education around sensitive topics to support LGBTQI+ employees and those with LGBTQI+ family members. Through their PFLAG sponsorship, for example, they’ve hosted presentations like “LGBTQ 101,” “Allyship,” and “Parenting LGBTQ+ Youth” along with a panel of queer voices and drag-queen storytelling events.
They hold special presentations with external speakers like transgender icon Samantha Lux. They lead PTC’s companywide Pride planning, and they help develop Prism chapter participation around the globe. Plus, “We aim to build visual awareness of our community with a dedicated PTC Pride logo throughout our offices, swag, apparel and social media content.”
The group frequently collaborates with 11 other PTC ERGs that span a broad spectrum of identities, experiences and interests.
“Our ERG chairs come together in monthly meetings with the DEI team to share updates and best practices, and align with broader corporate DEI initiatives,” they told us.
Moving forward, “We are looking to collaborate with other LGBTQIA+ ERGs within the Boston area and outside of the US to build a more robust global lens,” they said. “We are also looking to learn about challenges for the LGBTQIA+ community globally, understanding the struggles that our colleagues face within their communities, and how we can help employees bring their true selves to work.”
Equality Under the Blue
Eastern Bank, headquartered in Boston, MA
“When communities are welcoming places for everyone to live and work, businesses succeed,” said Steven Dion, a banker and cochair of Eastern Bank’s LGBTQ+ employee network group, Equality Under the Blue.
The group honors this vision in many ways. Internally, it provides support for colleagues at Eastern, maintaining a network that helps employees achieve personal and professional growth, and working with Eastern’s 10 other employee networks to “reflect the diversity of our workforce and the communities we serve” at work and in local neighborhoods.
Two cochairs lead Equality Under the Blue’s organization-wide efforts with approximately 65 employee members working on behalf of Eastern’s 2,100 employees throughout eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Eastern Bank has been recognized for the ninth consecutive year as a “Best Place to Work” for LGBTQ+ equality in the Human Rights Campaign’s latest Corporate Equality Index.
Externally in the community, the group collaborates with the Eastern Bank Foundation, helping to develop grants that benefit the local LGBTQ+ community and organizations. In addition to philanthropy, the group’s efforts extend to volunteering as board members for LGBTQ+ nonprofits throughout the region and at events.
The group recently celebrated Pride month with active participation by Eastern Bank employees representing both the LGBTQ+ and ally communities. During June 2022, for example, Eastern was a sponsor of an event by The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus in Lynn, where Eastern’s operations are based. They participated in Pride-related festivals and parades across Massachusetts as well as in a Pop-Up Pride event on Boston Common. The efforts of Equality Under the Blue are closely intertwined with Eastern Bank’s long-standing commitment to diverse and inclusive environments and breaking down the barriers that stand between people and prosperity. The group recently supported the Identity Affirmation Project by engaging notaries across Eastern branches and other Eastern volunteers to assist transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people in the name change or gender marker change processes in Massachusetts.
Eastern is also lending its leadership and advocacy voice in support of the Massachusetts Parentage Act (see related story on page <?>). And they’ve provided support through public comment of the proposed regulation, “Nondiscrimination in Health and Health Education Programs or Activities.”
Eastern Bank is also a founding member of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the LGBT Business Network, working to promote opportunities for LGBT-owned businesses, corporations and professionals, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to ensure LGBTQ+-owned businesses had access to loan assistance programs like the Paycheck Protection Program.
For its long-standing commitment to Greater Boston’s LGBTQ+ community, Eastern Bank recently received the Boston Business Journal’s Corporate Ally Award, and Eastern Chair and CEO Bob Rivers received Greater Boston PFLAG’s Inspired Ally Award. Recognitions like these are particularly meaningful to Eastern and the Equality Under the Blue Employee Network Group as they are opportunities to continue to bring awareness to the impact of collaborating with other employers, partners and one another to create meaningful action in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
