Stonewall’s recognition fills us with Pride

In December 2016, Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) started an important journey. With the launch of Pride@Zurich, it made the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) employees one of the cornerstones of its diversity and inclusion policy.

Pride@Zurich is an alliance of LGBT+ employee networks around the world that provide a safe environment to discuss LGBT+ topics and connect with other LGBT+ members. It is supported by executive sponsor Urban Angehrn, Group Chief Investment Officer, who provides the network with the power to enact real change.

Less than four years later, and Zurich has been listed for the second time on the Top Global Employers list for 2020. Compiled by leading LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall, named after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, it showcases the best 17 multinational employers for the LGBT+ community – with Zurich the only insurance company making the list.

“Zurich has demonstrated a real commitment to ensuring that all their lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff and stakeholders feel included at work,” says Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive, Stonewall.

The Top Global Employers list is compiled from submissions to the Global Workplace Equality Index benchmarking tool. It evaluates areas such as employee policy, training, staff and community engagement, leadership, and other global and in-country activities.

“We are proud to be recognized by Stonewall for our continued efforts to create an inclusive, respectful and safe workspace for all our colleagues,” says Zurich’s Angehrn.

Is it safe to come out?

“We started our journey by introducing policies that maintain a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discriminatory treatment at work,” explains Angehrn.

“But we realized we had to do more. LGBT+ employees are more engaged, more efficient and happier when they can bring their authentic selves to work and don’t feel compelled to stay closeted,” he adds.

Travis Dominguez first joined Zurich North America’s office in Schaumburg, Illinois, in 2013 and was initially cautious about coming out in the workplace.

“I had all this energy wrapped up simply trying to decide what was safe to share,” he recalls. “It stopped me from having trusted relationships with my co-workers. And trust ultimately creates the safety employees need in order to speak up or make suggestions that make any business successful.” Read about Travis’ story here

But Dominguez says he has experienced a huge change since the launch of Pride@Zurich. “Those fears I had no longer exist. I’m free to bring my full self to work and tell people, for example, that me and my boyfriend are training together for a marathon.”

Express Yourself!

Following the launch of Pride@Zurich, Zurich took another important step-change with the launch of its Global Ally Program in December 2019.

The program has formed a network of non-LGBT+ advocates, or allies, across the business to increase dialogue and visibility of the LGBT+ community, challenge any negative perceptions, and cultivate a climate of inclusion.

“For culture to change, the culture has to change. And that means someone has to step out and be different,” says James Moffatt, who for the first time came to the Zurich head office in Switzerland in April 2018 dressed in a skirt, blouse and heels.

“I thought I was potentially putting my job at risk. Even though Zurich promoted diversity and inclusion, I needed confidence and belief in those messages,” he recalls. “Messaging is important. But the only way to build a culture of diversity is to see diversity.”

More still needs to be done

Even in countries deemed as safe for the LGBT+ community, coming out in the workplace can be a stressful experience.

For instance, a report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation called ‘A Workplace Divided’, discovered that 46% of LGBT+ employees in the U.S. remain closeted at work due to concerns about the reaction from their co-workers, immediate line manager, and other leaders.

It was one of the reasons Zurich signed up to the United Nations Human Rights Office’s five Standards of Conduct in 2019 in order to help support businesses in tackling discrimination against LGBT+ people.

“There is so much left to do to ensure that lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees feel able to be themselves at work, no matter where they are,” says Stonewall’s Kelley. “We’re proud to work with Zurich, who operates in some extremely complex environments, to create workplaces that are inclusive and supportive of LGBT people and equality.

“Their leadership is particularly important now, as we face unprecedented global challenges as well as attacks on LGBT rights and LGBT communities in many countries around the world.”