It’s Time to Celebrate National Pride Month
June is National LGBT Pride Month, a time to celebrate diversity and the amazing progress by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people towards equality. Here in Washington, D.C. –Discover Audit’s headquarters – 125,000 people are expected to join the annual Pride Parade on June 10, and a member of our Discover Audit team is one of them. He knows first-hand how committed the public company auditing profession is to LGBT acceptance and equality. Here is what he had to say about coming out while working at a public accounting firm: “While I may have been unsure about certain family members’ and friends’ reactions to my coming out – I never questioned if I would be accepted at the firm. I found a lot of comfort in the fact that I was not the only LGBT professional at the firm.”
Across the auditing profession, firms recognize and celebrate LGBT Pride—and not just in June. Many public company accounting firms earn perfect 100 percent scores from the Human Rights Campaign on creating LGBT-friendly workplaces.
So why are public company accounting firms strong on LGBT issues and other forms of equality? Well, there are many reasons, but most importantly, it’s the right thing to do for society as a whole!
Pride month isn’t only about celebrating the progress that has been made, it’s also about recognizing the progress still needed towards full equality. Public accounting firms don’t just “talk to the talk” – they “walk the walk” when it comes to using their influence to advance issues on diversity and equality. People bring different perspectives and unique backgrounds, and that diversity of experience helps with building dynamic teams that can perform at a high level. Check out what a couple of the public accounting firm’s LGBT leaders had to say about their firms’ commitments to diversity:
Mike Dillon, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at PwC in a LinkedIn blog, “ For other LGBT professionals like me, I want to continue to create an environment where they feel comfortable and confident about proudly being out – being themselves. Whether that’s working with PwC’s LGBT Partner Advisory Board (the first of its kind in any of the Big Four and comprised of gay PwC professionals from around the country) to advise the firm on planning and implementation of LGBT initiatives; or participating in our OPEN (Out Professional Employee Network) Circles and LGBT Summit for mentoring, networking and development opportunities…I firmly believe that we have the ability to continue to bring about change. I hope that my contributions will not only create value for our firm and our communities, but help our people understand that we are proud of them every day.”
Beth A. Brooke-Marciniak, Global Vice Chair – Public Policy, EY in an article. “Many companies, EY included, are trying to make our workplaces all that we want them to be for our employees – all of whom are different…We as multinational employers cannot control laws or cultures within any country. But we can control our workplace. To ensure everyone within our four walls around the world feel included and valued for who they are and what they can contribute…On a personal note, I have never been more proud to be a leader at EY – and to have a platform to be openly gay and visible around the world for our people.”
Employees want to know that they can come to work and do their job, without feeling judged or uncomfortable. If an organization can build a culture where people feel safe and appreciated, it makes sense that the very best employees will want to work for that company.
We’re happy to be a part of such a welcoming profession and excited to celebrate LGBT Pride this year in D.C.! Share with us how you’re celebrating Pride Month by tagging us @discoveraudit!