Out & Equal

Registration is open!  🌍 This 2nd and 4th December, Out & Equal is hosting the 2025 Out & Equal London Forum, where we will unite business leaders, advocates, and changemakers to advance LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion across the UK and Europe. Building on the momentum of our successful London Symposium earlier this year, the London Forum will explore strategies, share best practices, and address pressing workplace challenges and opportunities across borders. 🗓️ Tuesday, 2 December: Advancing LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion in the UK 🌟 An in-depth look at the intersection of US and UK legal and business trends, with a focus on how these forces shape LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and diversity at work. 🗓️ Thursday, 4 December: Strengthening Inclusion Across Europe 🌟 A focus on Europe, showcasing surprising opportunities and breakthroughs in business-led inclusion efforts and country-specific LGBTQ+ trends. Through keynotes, interactive panels, and region-specific conversations, you’ll gain valuable knowledge, practical tools, and timely insights you can bring back to your organization. Together, we’re building workplaces – and futures – where everyone can thrive. Register now! https://lnkd.in/ewq_bHBv Thank you to our generous sponsors – JPMorganChase for Day 1: UK Focus, and Deutsche Bank for Day 2: Europe Focus. #BusinessOfBelonging #LondonForum2025

At this year’s Workplace Summit, we rose together by learning, connecting and celebrating inclusion in action.     Now, we’re excited to share the 2025 Out & Equal Workplace Summit Impact Report, which captures the energy, insights and measurable impact created by thousands of LGBTQ+ and ally changemakers like you. 💡Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gWDGTUXT   From a 94% program satisfaction rate to over 4,000 total attendees representing over 250 companies, the numbers tell one part of the story. The full story is how you showed up with courage, creativity and commitment to driving inclusion forward. As we look back on this unforgettable week, one truth shines through: when we come together with purpose, courage and joy, we reshape what’s possible in our workplaces and beyond. The conversations sparked, the commitments made and the connections formed at Summit will continue to ripple outward. We are reminded that inclusion is not a moment, but a movement – one that grows stronger as we rise, together, forward, now. Explore Summit highlights in the article below, and see how your participation continues to shape what’s next in our 2025 Summit Impact Report! #OESummit2025 #BusinessOfBelonging #AndWeRise

At the 2025 Out & Equal Workplace Summit, trailblazing performer, advocate, and breakout star of “& Juliet” on Broadway, Justin David Sullivan (he/she/they), brought the room to its feet with a powerful reflection on authenticity, courage, and living fully in your truth.    They reminded us that becoming ourselves is not a destination –– it’s an act of imagination, resilience, and self-love.    “Everything I am is a reflection of what I dreamed I’d be.”    Justin shared their journey of choosing visibility, choosing joy, and choosing to be seen even when the world asks us to shrink. Their message was a reminder that authenticity is a gift we give not only to ourselves, but to everyone watching who needs permission to step into their own story.    And then, in the most beautiful way, they closed with a stunning musical performance that filled the room with emotion, gratitude, and hope. 🎤💫    A moment to remember.  A voice that moved hearts.  A story that will stay with us long after Summit.    #OESummit2025 #BusinessofBelonging #AndWeRise

During our final Plenary at Out & Equal’s 2025 Workplace Summit, Harper Steele (she/her), Emmy-winning comedy writer, former head writer at Saturday Night Live, producer, and trailblazing storyteller, joined our Mainstage to share her powerful journey of coming out as a trans woman and choosing a life rooted in presence, freedom, and joy. Harper spoke honestly about the weight of hiding, the loneliness of living unseen, and the transformation that comes when you finally allow yourself to be fully here, in your body, in your truth, and in your life. She offered a reminder that landed deeply across the room:  “To not be present — that’s a horrible place to be in the world.” Her story wasn’t just about transition, it was about choosing aliveness. About rediscovering joy. About building a life where you don’t have to stand outside of yourself to survive. Gratitude for voices like Harper’s that are shifting culture and expanding what possibility looks like for those still on their way. #OESummit2025 #BusinessofBelonging #AndWeRise    

Earlier this month, Erin Uritus (she/her), CEO of Out & Equal, and Robert Guidice (he/him), Chief Global Operations Officer at Marriott International, presented the 2025 Arne Sorenson Vanguard Award to three pioneers whose fearless leadership has driven meaningful change, reshaping both the LGBTQ+ equality movement and the way workplaces show up for their people. Please join us in congratulating: 👏Bob Witeck (he/him), President, Witeck Communications  Bob is a trailblazer who has helped corporate America understand the meaning and value of authentic LGBTQ+ representation long before inclusion was considered a business imperative. For decades, Bob has built bridges between brands and communities, shifting not just marketing, but mindsets. 👏Judy Shepard (she/her), President & Co-Founder, Matthew Shepard Foundation and Dennis Shepard (he/him), Co-Founder, Matthew Shepard Foundation  Judy and Dennis’ advocacy was born from unimaginable loss and transformed into a powerful legacy of hope, education and accountability. Their tireless work has fueled federal hate crime protections, built a culture of compassion and inspired generations to demand a safer, more just world. 🌟 The leadership of these Arne Sorenson Vanguard Awardees reminds us that inclusion isn’t a trend––it’s a moral throughline that carries us forward. It is the work of showing up and choosing courage again and again. Learn more about the 2025 award winners: https://lnkd.in/eZGGfj2D #OutAndEqual #BusinessofBelonging #OESummit2025 #AndWeRise

We’re deeply grateful to all who contributed to elevate the attendee experience at this year’s Out & Equal Workplace Summit. These contributions created comfort, accessibility, connection, and hospitality – the kinds of details that make inclusion tangible. Thank you to: Apple – Accessibility and wellness support Constellation – Charging stations across the venue Experian – Attendee tote bags, bag inserts, and relaxation lounges Fidelity Investments – Partner Appreciation Reception GEICO – Water stations for sustained hydration Liberty Mutual Insurance – Summit Event App GSBA + Seattle Pride – Night In Community   Your support helped create an environment where people not only gathered, but also felt cared for, resourced, and welcomed. Thank you for helping build a space where belonging could thrive.   #OESummit2025 #BusinessOfBelonging #AndWeRise

That’s a wrap on this year’s Workplace Summit, and we’re already looking ahead. 🗓️ Save the Date: October 12-15, 2026 📍 Seattle, WA ✨ 2026 Workplace Summit Thank you to every partner, speaker, facilitator, ERG leader, learner, and changemaker who helped shape this year’s powerful conversations. The work doesn’t end when the lights go down, it evolves in the organizations, teams, and cultures you’ll go back and build. We can’t wait to reconvene in Seattle next year and continue this momentum together. 🌈 #OESummit2025 #BusinessOfBelonging #AndWeRise

The U.S. legal landscape for workplace inclusion is shifting at breakneck speed — which is why Chief Programs Officer Deena Fidas (she/her) launched Out & Equal’s new Law, Policy & Research team earlier this year, led by Senior Vice President and noted legal expert Sarah Warbelow (she/her). This team is bringing in the best legal minds to help our community navigate the moment and build what comes next. This week, renowned scholar and Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law Kenji Yoshino (he/him) joined us on the mainstage for a keynote and dialogue with Deena and Sarah on his forthcoming book, ‘How Equality Wins.’ He emphasized the opportunity in front of us: to bring more people into the inclusion conversation, embrace emerging communities, and prepare for next-gen workplace readiness. #BusinessofBelonging #OESummit2025 #AndWeRise

Each year at Workplace Summit, we honor the individuals and organizations driving measurable, meaningful progress for inclusion in workplaces around the world. These changemakers remind us that belonging isn’t just a value — it’s a practice. 💜 ✨ Congratulations to our 2025 Outie Award Winners: 🏅 New ERG Chapter of the Year: OUT: Operations United Together – Morgan Stanley For building community, accelerating impact, and creating space for LGBTQ+ employees to lead boldly from day one. 🏅 Ally Changemaker: Agnieszka Zaklada (she/her), Poland Head of HR, AXA XL, Poland Janna McNeil (she/her), Senior Director, Sales Operations, Labcorp For showing what true allyship looks like — courageous, consistent, and transformational. 🏅 Employee Resource Group of the Year: Pride @ Kantar For fostering a culture of visibility, connection, and advocacy across regions and identities. 🏅 LGBTQ+ Corporate Advocate: Jon Tilli (he/him), Director, Investment Bank & Global Chair, dbPride, Deutsche Bank For championing belonging at every level — from policy to practice to people. Join us in celebrating these leaders, teams, and organizations shaping the future of work — where everyone can belong, thrive, and rise. #OutAndEqual #OESummit2025 #BusinessofBelonging #AndWeRise

What a week. 💜 Day 3 of Workplace Summit 2025 brought laughter, inspiration, and a deep sense of community as we wrapped an unforgettable experience of learning, connection, and belonging. 🎧 DJ Hannah Rad (she/her) kicked off the morning with the perfect energy — setting the tone for a day that celebrated joy and authenticity. ✨ Robert G. Read (he/him) took the stage to highlight all of the incredible work Out & Equal has done alongside our Partners this year and previewed our 2026 Partnership benefits. Then Harper Steele (she/her) — acclaimed comedy writer and producer — shared a powerful and deeply personal reflection on identity, courage, and storytelling. 💬 Carson Tueller (he/him) — speaker, coach, and writer — moved the audience with a vulnerable, inspiring testimony that reminded us what resilience and visibility can achieve. 🏆 The Outie Award for Employee Resource Group of the Year was presented by Michael Cox (he/him), retired HR Executive from Boeing, and Amanda R Simpson (she/her), Founder & CEO of Third Segment LLC — congratulations to Pride@Kantar for leading with impact and purpose! 🌍 Ken Janssens (he/him), CEO of Open for Business, and Major General (Ret.) Tammy Smith, DM (she/her) presented the Outie Award for LGBTQ+ Corporate Advocate to Jon Tilli (he/him), Director at Deutsche Bank and Global Chair of dbPride — a powerful example of advocacy in action. 💼 Deena Fidas (she/her), Managing Director & Chief Programs Officer at Out & Equal, and Peggy Harris, MHA, CDM, FACHE (she/her), Area Vice President at Atrium Health, then presented the Outie Award for Workplace Excellence & Belonging, honoring deep and sustained commitment to inclusion. 🔥 The morning’s momentum reached new heights when Janelle Monáe (she/they) — artist, actor, author, and cultural force — joined Theresita Richard (she/her), for a dynamic fireside chat on creativity, justice, and the courage to lead with authenticity. 💜 Closing the plenary, Out & Equal CEO Erin Uritus (she/her) took the stage one last time — reflecting on the power of our community, the progress we’ve made, and the work that still lies ahead. 🌟 The energy in Seattle was electric — the kind of energy that builds movements, transforms workplaces, and inspires action long after the Summit ends. See you next year, Seattle. 👋 Interested in Partnership? Learn more at https://lnkd.in/ddRKBfeZ #OutAndEqual #OESummit2025 #BusinessofBelonging #AndWeRise