The German Diversity Day takes place every year and is a initiative of Charta der Vielfalt e.V.. Companies and organizations across Germany participate with a wide range of online and offline activities on diversity – whether for their own employees or the general public. The aim is to bring diversity in all its dimensions into focus in the workplace. This year, the 9th German Diversity Day (#DDT21) will take place on May 18 and all actions will be collected digitally under the hashtag #VielfaltVerbindet. All further information about the day of action can be found on the website of Charta der Vielfalt e.V..
We are in!
We will guide you through our seven HOW TO guides for #DDT21 on our website and social media. The guides highlight social changes from a business perspective. They show options for action that put companies and organizations on the safe side while also taking into account the needs of employees. Gain insights into topics such as “Same-sex marriage” “The third gender option” or learn something about gender-inclusive language with our “Sprechen Sie LGBT*IQ” guide.
HOW TO – our lgbt*iq guides
HOW TO NO. 1 | GERMAN
Same-sex Marriage and What it Means for Businesses
Dear businesspeople and other interested parties, we would like to provide you below with a short guide regarding the changes you can expect in everyday business life as a result of marriage equality and how you can respond to them.
HOW TO NO. 2 | GERMAN & English
UN LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business
A theoretical overview of the UN LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business and practical suggestions for implementation in everyday business life.
HOW TO NO. 3 | GERMAN
Do You Speak LGBT*IQ?
Language is much more than just a way to express ourselves – it’s also a mirror to our society. It tells us who is truly considered a full member and who is only included as a footnote. If you want to know how everyone can be included linguistically, you will find practical everyday answers and examples in this guide.
HOW TO No. 4 | GERMAN & ENGLISH
LGBT*IQ FOR BEGINNERS. WHY DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE PAYS OFF. A GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS.
The perfect piece of reading for all employers who have understood that they will meet LGBT*IQ topics all over their company. A beginner’s guide from A as in acronym (what does LGBT*IQ actually mean?) to Z as in zero disturbances concerning personnel development. It will then be clear why the commitment to equal opportunities in the workplace is financially and culturally worthwhile and how diversity can materialize into minds and structures.
HOW TO No. 5 | GERMAN & ENGLISH
LGBT*IQ FOR EMPLOYEES. LGBT*IQ – AND YOU? COMING OUT FOR INSIDERS.
With this guide, we primarily address members of the LGBT*IQ community who wish to appear with their whole self in their everyday work. The guide provides answers to important questions and practical tips for coming out at the workplace.
HOW TO No. 6 | GERMAN & ENGLISH
ALLYSHIP. ALLIES AT WORK. A GUIDE FOR LGBT*IQ ALLIES IN EVERDAY WORKING LIFE
Anyone can be a LGBT*IQ ally anytime and anywhere – that is the ideal case! This guide is primarily aimed at the situation of employees. We show, where they can find other LGBT*IQ allies in their company and give them concrete recommendations for successful cooperation.
HOW TO No. 7 | german
THE THIRD OPTION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN COMPANIES.
What does gender mean? What is the introduction of a third gender option all about? And what does it mean for employees and employers? In this guide, we have collected answers – as well as measures to implement the law in companies and create an open work culture.
Campaign #QueerAtWork for IDAHOBIT
The International Day against Homophobia, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) has been celebrated annually on May 17 since 2005 to highlight discrimination against the LGBT*IQ community, to raise awareness of existing inequality structures and to take a united stand for diversity and tolerance. May 17 marks the day in 1990 when the WHO removed homosexuality from the diagnostic code for diseases. For this year’s IDAHOBIT, we are calling on all LGBTIQ employees, regardless of their company, to post a portrait photo on their social media channels with the hashtag #QueerAtWork.
How can i participate in the Campaign?
- Inform and approach LGBT*IQ people from your own network and beyond to make them aware of the campaign
- Create a portrait photo using the templates, whether printed out or digitally using a tablet. (Be sure to clarify in advance whether you may use the employer’s company logo along with the template. Instead, you can use the company name or use the template without company information.)
- Send us your photo and signed consent form to use your photo as part of the campaign until May 13.
- Post your own campaign photo along with the statement on May 17 2021, 9:00 am (CEST) with the respective hashtags and taggings on whatever social media channels you use
All the information, including the statement and template for the action, as well as the consent form, can be found summarized here as a download.
Hashtags
#IDAHOBIT2021
#QueerAtWork
#ProutAtWork
#FlaggeFürVielfalt
#LGBT
#[Diversity-Hashtag of your company]
#[Diversity-Hashtag of your corporate network]
Taggings
PROUT AT WORK
Facebook: @PrOut@Work
Instagram: @proutatwork
LinkedIn: @PROUT AT WORK-Foundation
Twitter: @proutatwork
If applicable, own company
Position yourself and your company as a supporter of the campaign and call on employees and executives to participate. Use the campaign to effectively advocate against LGBT*IQ discrimination internally and externally. The campaign is based on an idea by Magenta Pride, Deutsche Telekom’s LGBT*IQ employee network, and is supported by it.
We look forward to a successful campaign!
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Campaign: #theLworksout for Lesbian Visibility Day
In contrast to many gay people, lesbian persons and also bisexual women are often not perceived, one speaks of Lesbian Invisibility. To this day, there are few visible lesbian role models – especially in the business context. In many networks lesbian persons are in the minority. As a result, there is a lack of role models for new and younger colleagues. Through the cross-network and cross-sector campaign #theLworksout on April 26, we can empower openly lesbian people and together create visibility through a large number of participants, as well as highlight the diversity of lesbian people.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE campaign?
- Inform lesbian people from your own network and beyond to make them aware of the action.
- Create a portrait photo using the templates, whether printed or digitally with the tablet. You are also welcome to use the template in grayscale, for example. (Make sure to clarify in advance whether you are allowed to use the employer’s company logo together with the template. Instead, you can use the company name or use the template without the company name).
- Post your own campaign photo on 26.04.2021 from 10:00 am with the respective hashtags and taggings on the social media channels you use
Hashtags
#theLworksout
#LesbianVisibilityDay
#LesbianVisibility
#LesbischeSichtbarkeit
#LGBTIQBusinessLadies
#ProutAtWork
#LGBTIQRoleModels
#FlaggeFürVielfalt
Taggings
PROUT AT WORK
Facebook: @PrOut@Work
Instagram: @proutatwork
LinkedIn: @PROUT AT WORK-Foundation
Twitter: @proutatwork
If applicable, own company
Position yourself and your company as a supporter of the campaign and for lesbian visibility and call on employees to participate.
The campaign was initiated jointly by the PROUT AT WORK-Foundation and LGBT*IQ business networks. The Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD) and Wirtschaftsweiber e.V. support the campaign.
We look forward to a successful campaign!
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
LGBT*IQ people are still not protected by Article 3 in the German Constitution. Many people from the LGBT*IQ community experience discrimination, exclusion and hate violence. We feel that a protection by the Constitution is indispensable and thus PROUT AT WORK is one of the first signatories of the appeal “A Basic Law for All”.
Federal government and Bundestag are currently negotiating the deletion of the term “race” in Article 3 of the Constitution. Let’s join together to send a strong message to politicians that sexual orientation and gender identity must be added to the article as well.
Our board member Albert Kehrer talked with Tagesgespräch host Christine Krueger about the question “Why is Coming Out still difficult”. The conversation can now be listened to online.
INTERVIEW WITH DR. JEAN-LUC VEY ON THE START OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE PROUT PERFORMER-LISTS
“LISTS LIKE PROUT PERFORMER SHOW THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT your SEXUAL orientation AND GENDER IDENTITY AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR CAREER AT THE SAME TIME.”
Hello Jean-Luc. Thank you for your time and for giving us the opportunity to do this interview. PROUT AT WORK is publishing the new PROUT PERFORMER lists for the first time this year. How does it come about?
Jean-Luc Vey: First of all, I would like to thank everyone involved in GERMANY’S TOP 100 OUT EXECUTVES for making the list as successful as it has been over the last three years. Those are mainly the role models who made it onto one of the lists, but also every single nominee. I would also like to thank those who nominated their colleagues and people they know. Above all, I would like to especially thank the jury and our cooperation partners.
They have all contributed a great deal to the visibility of the LGBT*IQ community in Germany. The lists have shown that it is possible to be open about one’s sexual orientation or gender identity in everyday working life without experiencing negative career consequences. With their commitment to equal rights and equal opportunities for LGBT*IQ people at work, those who made it onto the list serve as role models for the entire LGBT*IQ community and beyond.
PROUT AT WORK terminated the collaboration with our partner at the end of the year. However, the visibility of LGBT*IQ at work is still very close to our hearts. Therefore, we have decided to continue the lists with a new name, to further develop them and to publish them on our own in 2021. Being out in the workplace should be the rule and not the exception. We will continue to work for this in the future with our various projects.
Why are these lists so important?
Jean-Luc Vey: As already mentioned, this is mainly about visibility. Studies continue to show that many LGBT*IQ students go back into the closet once they start their professional lives, out of fear that coming out will have a negative impact on their careers. Lists like PROUT PERFORMER show that it is possible to be open about your sexual orientation and gender identity and be successful in your career at the same time. This helps others to have the confidence to come out as well. And this in turn has been proven to have positive effects on mental health and productivity at work.
What is the difference between the new PROUT PERFORMER-lists and the former TOP 100 OUT EXECUTIVE lists?
Jean-Luc Vey: In order to make the PROUT PERFORMER-lists even more attractive, we first carried out a survey among old candidates to find out where they felt there was still room for improvement. We took this feedback to heart in the following redesign and incorporated it into the structure of the new lists. Therefore, we now have more distinct categories in the PROUT PERFORMERS-lists and for example have created a separate list for SMEs. In addition, Executive Allies are now also being recognised on a special list. Another new aspect is that we only rank the top places on the list, as we do not want to create competition between the individual candidates.
But why rank the top places anyway?
Jean-Luc Vey: This is because there are still some people who have done particularly outstanding work for LGBT*IQ equality at the workplace over the past year – with important initiatives, new projects or other activities. We would like to give them special attention by highlighting them at the top of the list.
What part does the PROUT PERFORMER jury play in this?
Jean-Luc Vey: We spoke with the jury ahead of redesigning the lists, too. We are very proud to have won such top-class people for the project again. But we are also aware that due to their important roles in their companies, they often do not have the time to evaluate each candidate individually – this was also expressed in their direct feedback.
Therefore, the first evaluation will be carried out by the PROUT AT WORK-Foundation, which will use the information and criteria submitted to determine who will earn a spot on the list and who, because of their exceptional achievements, will have a chance to reach one of the highest-ranking positions. These people are then asked to introduce themselves to the jury through a short video clip, and the jury then determines the top positions. This way we were able to secure the prominent jury members and still ensure an attractive evaluation process for the nominees.
How can people nominate their role models for the PROUT PERFORMER-lists?
Jean-Luc Vey: Nominations are now accepted through our website. It can be found at proutperformer.de. We are looking forward to all nominations and to creating more visibility for LGBT*IQ at the workplace together with our community.
Thank you for this interview, Jean-Luc!
Who is your LGBT*IQ Role Model? Nominations via our new website are open now! Find out more additional info about our new project.
Once a month our board member Albert Kehrer invites an inspiring role model of the LGBT*IQ community or an LGBT*IQ Ally for a chat. You can look forward to an interesting exchange about role models and visibility in the LGBT*IQ community.
Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren
Guest of the day
Nick Mott
Senior Adviser at Dentons; Chair Dentons Global LGBT+ network
100 OUTstanding LGBT+ Executives Role Model Lists 2018 and 2019
Nick has been at global law firm Dentons for many years, most recently as Assistant General Counsel (Partner). Between 2014 to 2019 he was also Diversity and Inclusion Partner in the UK during which he significantly raised the visibility and importance of Inclusion and Diversity within the Firm. He co-founded Dentons UK LGBT, Black Professionals and Asian Professionals (Fusion) networks, and was an early promoter of the concept of intersectionality . He also set up, and continues to chair, Dentons Global LGBT+ network which connects Dentons LGBT+ staff and their allies across its many regions, and raises awareness in a variety of ways, including an annual Dentons Global Pride Day. A passionate supporter of trans* colleagues, Nick instituted Dentons’ UK transitioning policies and related training, and has promoted greater staff awareness of trans* issues. During Nick’s tenure as D&I partner, Dentons UK was listed as a Stonewall Top 100 Employer for 4 years running. Dentons is also recognised as a Stonewall Top Global Employer 2020.
Externally Nick supports a number of LGBT+ charities including Diversity Role Models (which supports schools and pupils with LGBT+ awareness and bullying prevention) and is a volunteer with Opening Doors London as part of their tele-friending service for older LGBT+ people.
Nick retired from the partnership in 2020 and is now a senior global adviser to Dentons, advising on LGBT+ issues and awareness. He was proud to be named in the 100 OUTstanding LGBT+ Executives Role Model in 2018 and 2019.
Big Impact Initiative Award:
METRO Pride
At first glance, the topic has nothing to do with the workplace, but if you look closely, you will find a labor law perspective. It’s about reducing discrimination against gays, or more specifically, against men who have sex with men. Gay, bisexual men and trans* people currently have to comply with a 12-month deferral period, if they want to donate blood. Specifically, this means that they must suspend their love lives for a year in order to donate much-needed blood. In many other countries, this deferral period is only three or four months. This discrimination led the network’s company to stop blood donations on its own campus in protest of the current deferral period. In addition, the network has campaigned for a change to be made to the underlying legal regulation. On the initiative of the network to be awarded, PROUT AT WORK, together with 12 other companies from German industry, then published the position paper on blood donations on April 17, 2020 and sent it to political and medical decision-makers.
With this initiative, the network to be honored has both challenged internal standards and made a significant impact on society as a whole.
Rising Star Award:
Be You @ Beiersdorf
The network was able to attract 20 active networkers and 200 allies with its launch campaign. Internally, Be You @ Beiersdorf works intensively on diversity workshops and is thus committed to an open culture. One of the network’s greatest achievements this year was certainly the Pride Season campaign: under the hashtag PRIDEINSIDE, the Rainbow Bulli was used locally in Hamburg to raise awareness and educate people on the streets. Nationally, the prominently marketed Rainbow cans of the Group’s best-known brand caused a stir in stores. In addition, the campaign, which grew out of the company’s internal LGBT*IQ network, was linked to an education project. Information flyers were displayed next to each display in the stores, explaining what the company is doing as part of its corporate social responsibility: financial support was provided for Olivia Jones’ ‘Olivia macht Schule’ project, which raises awareness of LGBT*IQ issues in schools.
Global Leader Award:
GABLE @ Procter & Gamble
Founded in the 1990s, it has since been campaigning for LGBT*IQ equal opportunities internally, externally and, above all, internationally. In impressive short reports, for example, it tells the story of the beginnings and progress of LGBT*IQ commitment in the company and also the history of the network itself, together with the BBC. The network is active in 43 countries with 5,000 networkers, shaping LGBT*IQ diversity across the company. Internally, there are educational trainings on LGBT*IQ, the company celebrates its own diversity & inclusion culture and also informs the general workforce about the LGBT*IQ network in order to recruit further committed people. In employee surveys, the company wants to find out directly from LGBT*IQ employees how they feel about their own sense of acceptance and how open the company is about sexual orientation and identity. The company is also visible externally on diversity issues. From commercials on gender biases to LGBT*IQ oriented marketing campaigns, the company cooperates with various LGBT*IQ NGOs to achieve equal opportunities for LGBT*IQ people around the globe.