Our commitment to I&D extends to the client-facing work we do at Kantar, with our global Pride ERG leading the way.
Global Pride@Kantar started as a grassroots movement in 2018, led by several passionate individuals in different markets. Today, it stands as a global Employee Resource Group (ERG), officially recognised with support from Kantar’s Executive Committee. We support LGBTQIA+ colleagues, driving change through celebration and education, and connecting members of the community and their allies. Our vision is to empower and inspire every employee to embrace their individuality, creating a safe environment where they can thrive, bringing together the LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies to drive change and inspiring employees to celebrate their individuality and flourish at work.
This ERG goes beyond symbolic gestures. It ensures a year-round commitment to LGBTQIA+ issues across the company. This commitment extends beyond Pride Month, emphasising equality, safety, allyship and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ employees. It also walks the walk, recognising ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals, by supporting equal rights and security. For instance, we don’t just promote workplace equality; we actively combat discriminatory policies. Whether it be in our fundraising efforts, in creating educational sessions for the broader Kantar business, or in marching together in the London Pride Parade under the company banner, Global Pride@Kantar thrives on creating safe spaces for colleagues and their families, as a place to make friends, and as a conduit for benefiting the broader LGBTQIA+ community beyond the business.
Our Pride Month initiatives, social events, and global connections strengthen our collective impact. From educational sessions on LGBTQIA+ history to addressing microaggressions and advocating for gender-neutral toilets, we continue to push boundaries. We drive further meaningful change by prioritising authenticity, action, and community-building, making it a place where LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies thrive and extends this impact beyond office walls, actively engaging with the LGBTQIA+ community and supporting vital causes by fundraising for LGBTQIA+ youth at risk of homelessness as well as the Galop project, an LGBT+ anti-abuse charity that supports victims and survivors of abuse and violence within the community through an ERG-led art auction. We have also collaborated with Microsoft on their inclusion in technology series, having been one of the first to activate pronoun functionality. Our global charity partner for this year is the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF). EJAF’s global efforts combat stigma, discrimination, and HIV vulnerability, including within the LGBTQIA+ community. By supporting their Rocket Fund, we’re aiming to raise up to USD 5,000 in 2024 through inclusive fundraising efforts.
But it’s Kantar’s involvement in the last 4 years of DIVA Magazine UK’s annual DIVA Report that’s perhaps had the most impact, by shining a light on the lived experience of LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary in the US and UK. The team reworked the questionnaire, processed data, extracted insights, and created a beautiful compelling report, all outside regular work hours. This year, we expanded the survey geographically to India and South Africa, also tying into our brand consultancy expertise to delve into the ‘so what’ of how internal HR and external marketing teams can become more inclusive of the community. We therefore included allies’ experiences and in catalysing change, also shared recommendations in the report on how to be a better ally, with actionable allyship guides covering everything from inclusive hiring practices to ways to foster an inclusive workplace and case studies for brands across a transformative brand journey. The 2024 DIVA report themed ‘Catalysing change’ was showcased during DIVA Magazine’s Lesbian Visibility Week sessions in the UK and US, emphasising actionable insights for change. We also interviewed DIVA Magazine’s Editor in chief for a Pride Month podcast with our Sustainable Transformation Practice team and included the report findings in the Pride ERG’s first ever client-facing webinar, along with other Kantar work in the LGBTQ+ space through our partnerships with GLAAD in the US as well as MONITOR and our new Brand Inclusion Index. This is all available freely from a new brand allyship campaign page online. That serves as an external guide for genuine LGBTQIA+ allyship to assist brands and businesses on their journey to authentic allyship, not just during Pride Month but all year round.
In summary, the Global Pride@Kantar ERG’s impact extends far beyond the workplace, championing change, compassion, and empowerment.
