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When our people are at their best, our business is at its best. That is what we firmly believe to be true here at »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ. In order for our people to show up as their best selves, they need to show up as their whole selves. This is a topic I discuss often with our LGBT colleagues. Take the process of coming out as an example. People think of coming out as this one time event or decision ¨C when in reality it happens almost every day. I can¡¯t imagine what that would be like for someone who is LGBT and working at a company that hasn¡¯t explicitly stated ¡°we support you, we care about you and we need you.¡± At »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ, I hope that all of our employees know those three things. We support you. We care about you. We need you.

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During Pride month it¡¯s important to celebrate how far along we have come for LGBT rights but it¡¯s equally as important to recognize how far we still have to go. Most countries and states do not provide legal protections for LGBT employees. In some areas of the world it is considered illegal to be gay. People can be legally fired or refused service for being themselves. Employers have a role to play in the fight for equality, it¡¯s good for our community and it¡¯s good for business.

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Pride at SAP PNW launch event

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For companies, LGBT inclusion increases customer satisfaction, drives employee engagement and inspires innovation. In fact, LGBT inclusion is linked to an average individual productivity increase of 24%1. LGBT-inclusive companies are up to 72% better at attracting allies as employees2 and LGBT people who are not out are 17% more likely to leave than non-LGBT3. The business case for LGBT inclusion is clear ¨C more importantly, creating a space where LGBT colleagues can show up as their best and whole selves?is paramount.

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More and more companies are focusing on LGBT inclusion and taking a stand on equality both internally and externally. I¡¯m incredibly proud that »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ and our parent company, SAP, are visible supporters of LGBT equality and have been recognized for it globally. SAP North America achieved a perfect score in the for the 4th time and in 2016 SAP America signed the HRC ¡°¡± opposing anti-LGBT legislation in states across the country. Our LGBT employee network, Pride@SAP, has more than?8,000 members worldwide. In Germany, SAP was a founding member of and last year in Australia SAP joined the Australian Marriage Equality initiative.

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Pride at SAP PNW launch event

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This month, »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ is sponsoring the regional Out and Equal Summit in Seattle, giving employees from local organizations an opportunity to learn, network and find ways to make our work environments even more inclusive. We¡¯ve joined the coalition to help ensure our home state continues to be a place where laws protect the LGBT community from discrimination and ensure fair and equal treatment for everyone. Additionally we sponsored the in Seattle where companies, individuals and non-profits came together to talk about how we can build a diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem.

»ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ group at the Out and Equal Summit

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Our employees here at »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ play a vital role in creating an inclusive work environment. They are incredibly active in our communities and consistently advocate for LGBT equality and inclusion. This month we are launching a Pacific Northwest chapter of our PRIDE@SAP employee network group (ENG). Two of our employees, who are part of the team launching the chapter, have also been asked to sit on a panel with Jennifer Brown, from Jennifer Brown Consulting, to discuss LGBT inclusion in the workplace. ?

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There is great power that comes with being true to who you are. At »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ, we strive to ensure everyone has the support they need to show up as their whole self - because as I said before, when our people are at their best, our business is at its best.

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Sources:

1. LGBT 2030: Show Me The Business Case (out Now Global, 2015)
2. LGBT 2030: Show Me The Business Case (Out Now Global, 2015)
3. Out in the World: Securing LGBT Rights in the Global Marketplace (Center for Talent Innovation, 2016)