The talent now interviews the company
Diana Karolina Garza, Kitchen Small Appliances Global Sourcing Manager and Whirlpool’s Pride Network Leader, details that more and more people, especially Gen Zers, are looking to work at companies that promote diversity and inclusion.
“Candidates now also interview companies to make sure they meet their expectations for an inclusive work environment,” Garza says.
But amid a boom in corporate efforts to normalize LGBTQ+ culture, companies face the challenge of showing that they truly have an inclusive culture, one that goes beyond LGBTQ+ marketing. The most recent example was this year’s Burger King campaign, which in the United States announced the “Pride Whopper,” a burger served with “two identical buns.” A seemingly uninformed nod to sex within the LGBTQ+ community.
“Inclusion policies must be constant and not limited to a specific month, such as pride month. They must form an integral part of the organizational culture and be backed by concrete and consistent actions”, says Garza.
A culture that transcends June
Whirlpool has an internal network, called the Pride Network, made up of volunteer collaborators who meet to carry out various activities. This network -which is part of the Pride Connection, a network of companies that seek the same objectives- has the support of high-level executives within the company who act as sponsors. This hierarchical structure ensures that diversity and inclusion initiatives have the necessary support and endorsement to be implemented effectively.
The company also has an internal conduct and disciplinary code that prohibits any type of discrimination, from inappropriate words to discriminatory acts based on sexual or racial orientation.
In addition, Whirlpool has adopted inclusive language practices and is working on adapting its infrastructure to promote inclusion. For example, changes are being made to restrooms so that they are no longer defined exclusively as male or female, but instead provide more inclusive options. The use of pronouns in the electronic signatures of collaborators is also promoted, which allows people to express themselves and be recognized according to their gender identity.
The importance of making visible
The visibility of the LGBTQ+ community has also been an important step for Whirlpool. This year, for the first time in Mexico, the company waved the LGBTQ+ flag outside its facilities.
“Why is it so symbolic? I believe that visibility is of the utmost importance within the LGBT community. By giving that visibility, we are acknowledging and validating its existence. What is not seen is simply not known to be present. In In today’s society, especially in Mexico, it is crucial to have this visibility to promote the positioning of the community and, in turn, promote education and understanding,” concludes Blanco.