Allies in business: how B Corps are making a mark during Pride Month, and beyond

It’s June, and that means Pride Month: the time of year when businesses across the world show off rainbow flags to signal support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+) community. Although often intended as a gesture of inclusion, scepticism exists as to whether these claims are genuine. Some view it as ‘pridewashing’ — an effort to mask the harmful impact that corporate interests have historically had on queer life. 

Despite steady strides being made to ensure the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community are respected in UK society, many continue to face barriers and discrimination as they go about their daily lives (an issue compounded further at intersections of race, disability, and class).

The B Corp movement is on a mission to build an economy that is more inclusive and equitable for all people on our shared planet. In this blog on Reinventing Business, we shine a light on a selection of B Corps that are working to ensure the voices of queer customers and workers are heard and valued during Pride Month, and beyond. After all, it’s not just June where Pride is observed around the world: LGBTQIA+ people are a part of the global economy everyday and feel its impacts all year long.

Creating environments where all identities feel safe and supported 

The Trampery offers workspaces, venues, training, and management services to businesses that are dedicated to having a positive impact on society. Charles Armstrong (he/him), founder and CEO, tells us about the importance of creating inclusive working environments. “As a queer founder, LGBTIA+ rights mean a lot to me. When I established The Trampery in 2009, I was determined to ensure our workspaces championed LGBTQIA+ identities and other underrepresented groups. We’ve now supported over 2,000 startups, but continue to see the prejudice and discrimination LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs face as they establish and grow their ventures.”

“The Trampery wants to be a part of the solution and seeks to create environments where all identities feel safe and supported. Our working policies, including parental policies, are LGBTQIA+ inclusive and the team is encouraged to list their pronouns on all platforms. Today, our leadership team includes 50% LGBTQIA+ representation — which I see as a testament to the work we’ve been doing in this area. To celebrate Pride Month, we spotlight LGBTQIA+ members of our community and host events ranging from Pride ‘lunch and learns’, to movie nights and upcycling workshops to create the perfect Pride outfit. As a member of the B Corp community, we’re proud to add our voices to this important moment of celebration.”

Telling stories that spread love and support to those that need it most

Electric Peach helps brands tell meaningful and impactful stories, working with businesses to ensure they captivate their audiences with purpose. Kelsey Swarbrick (she/her) is head of impact — she explains how companies can take a stance on calling out bad behaviour and stand up for the values they believe in. 

“As a company owned and managed by LGBTQIA+ people, we believe it’s our responsibility to be a voice for our community. We never work with clients that are against gay rights. During the World Cup in Qatar last year, we ran a ‘too gay to play’ campaign to show that we don’t support anti-LGBTQIA+ policies or negative attitudes towards homosexuality. We also donated to Rainbow Railroad, a charity that helps queer people flee countries where they experience violence and oppression.”

“To us, love is love. We want our team members to feel like they can be 100% themselves. If you want to make your business more inclusive, listen to queer voices. When celebrating Pride Month, don’t do it for marketing or making money — make it about helping queer people and give them the platform to share their stories. We will mark Pride Month by continuing to spread our love and support to those that need it the most.”

Fostering connections to achieve real diversity and meaningful inclusion

Bates Wells is a purpose-driven law firm — its clients are changemakers and leaders who want to make business better for people and the planet. Tim Barnden, partner & LGBT+ ambassador, tells us about the role that fostering connections and sharing lived experience can play in transforming attitudes across an organisation for the better. 

“Bates Wells has a network for LGBTQIA+ people and their allies. It’s called ‘Queen Street Pride’ (QSP) and is a network that focuses on inclusive fun, offering a social hub with regular creative and cultural outings. We work with our HR team to create best-practice transgender and non-binary recruitment policies and collaborate with Bates Wells’ other Equity, Diversity and Inclusion groups to foster understanding of the intersectional experience so we can build real diversity and meaningful inclusion.”

“My advice to other organisations would be to swerve pinkwashing. Don’t just wrap yourselves in a flag once a year. Understand that bringing your whole self to work is not as easy or simple as it sounds, give your people space to determine how they want to work so you can champion authentic voices. Previously during Pride Month, we’ve held parties with queer tango, cocktails, and drag queens. This year, we will be socialising as a network at different exhibitions and offering an LGBTQIA+ perspective at a firm-wide event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Windrush.”

Running workshops with LGBTIA+ perspectives to enhance inclusive product design

Stratis Valachis is the product design manager and chair of Gousto Pride at Gousto, the meal kit delivery service on a mission to reduce food waste. He tells us about the events and workshops Gousto holds throughout the year to ensure inclusivity within its products and workforce. 

“One of our core values at Gousto is Care. Care for the world, our customers, and each other. This of course includes our LGBTQIA+ community. As a gay man, I am personally inspired by the love and support we receive from our fellow Goustonians and their commitment to making things better.”

“During Pride Month specifically, our people team and the Gousto Pride Working Group leverage the global spotlight to further boost awareness about LGBTQIA+ causes. Some of the ways we’re doing it this year include ‘Give it some Pride’ events — these are gatherings in-person and virtually to discuss the significance of Pride and provide LGBTQIA+ Goustonians with a platform to socialise and learn about each other. Our talented product design team will continue the tradition of running inclusive design thinking workshops with LGBTQIA+ employees and customers to find ways to make Gousto more accessible. We’re also hosting interactive ‘authenticity at work’ panels to identify strategies to remove barriers and empower employees to be their most authentic selves.”

Thank you to Charles, Kelsey, Tim and Stratis for contributing to this article. The B Corp movement is on a mission to build an economy that is inclusive and equitable for all people on our shared planet. If this blog has got you thinking about the role of business in promoting social justice and reducing inequality, you can register your interest to provide feedback on the next consultation of B Corp standards later this year.