When Our Employees Thrive, Protiviti Thrives – A Recap of the Out & Equal Workplace Summit

When you can empower individuals to be their authentic selves, you build a culture of inclusion and trust. This is always our goal at Protiviti. To help achieve this, we believe in continuous learning and education. One of the ways we aim to do this is through our Employee Network Groups (ENGs).  Recently, members of our proPRIDE ENG, which supports the LGBTQ+ community and allies, had the opportunity to attend the Out & Equal Workplace Summit. Out & Equal is a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving LGBTQ workplace equality. The annual conference features a variety of education opportunities with over 90 workshops, networking opportunities, panels and more! We spoke with some of our attendees to understand their insights.

---

What does it mean to you to attend the Out & Equal Workplace Summit?

 “For me, attending Out & Equal was the best way I could possibly have been welcomed into Protiviti and our culture! As a Foundations Consultant, I was nervous to go to a conference with people that I have never met to discuss topics that I have never really had the opportunity to talk about. In hindsight, I can’t believe I was ever nervous! This experience truly made me feel so comfortable in my own skin both at Protiviti and in life.” – Christine, Consultant, New York

---

 What is something important that you took from the conference this year?

 “A very important takeaway is that depending on the situation, any person may find themselves in a position of privilege. When you’re in a position as such, you have the power to ensure the conversation includes those voices that cannot or may not be heard. And if those that are at a disadvantage for one reason or another are given a chance to speak up, take that opportunity to listen. Thinking through problems with different perspectives gives us the opportunity to create better solutions.” – Andrew, Manager, U.K.

“Every time that I attend Out & Equal, I feel empowered in my own life. The fact my company supports its people in this way, especially an intersectional (gay and black) person, enables me to learn so much about empowerment and how to help shape our company to provide better support to our people.” – Belton, Director, U.K.

 

 “I was inspired and educated by the discussions to become a better champion of LGBTQ+ individuals in the workforce and a more effective proponent of greater diversity and inclusion, in general. As an out and proud gay man who struggled early on in their professional career to find a leader that actively promoted LGBTQ+ inclusion and advancement, I believe that attending the O&E has offered me the opportunity to better make an impact and be a role model for individuals starting their careers who may be experiencing similar struggles and continue the progress that so many before me have made in making the business world a more open and accepting environment.”– Drew, Manager, San Francisco

---

Why do you think it’s important for organizations to attend?

 “Out & Equal helps us to drive change across an organizations workplace to benefit all employees, not just LGTBQ+. To me, Protiviti attending shows our commitment to our employees and stakeholders – that we are constantly looking for ways to improve culture and processes as part of a greater initiative around Diversity and Inclusion.” – Hendrik, Manager, U.K.

---

So, what is Protiviti’s proPRIDE ENG?

proPRIDE’s Mission is to…

• Increase visibility and awareness of LGBTQ+ employees at Protiviti
• Foster a better understanding among Protiviti employees of the unique issues the LGBTQ+ community faces in the workplace
• Provide equal employment and advancement opportunity to all, regardless of sexual orientation
• Enhance recruitment efforts of LGBTQ+ talent
• Promote and sustain an inclusive environment wherein every employee is treated with respect and dignity, free from discrimination and prejudice