By BTL Staff
The http://outandequal.org/summit-2013 Out & Equal Workplace will bring together 3,000 business leaders in human resources and diversity professionals, employee resource group leaders, executive sponsors, LGBT employees and allies for a four-day conference to examine issues of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace beginning Oct. 28 – Oct. 31 in Minneapolis, Minn.
On Aug. 15 the organization announced the finalists in three categories who will be considered for the agency's coveted Outie Awards. Out & Equal Workplace Advocates' annual awards recognizes individuals and organizations who are leaders in advancing equality for LGBT people in workplaces around the globe.
Two Michigan based companies, Dow Chemical and Whirlpool will be considered for The Workplace Excellence Award which, "recognizes an employer that has an ongoing commitment to workplace equality, demonstrated by unquestioned leadership, dedication and innovation on behalf of LGBT employees everywhere."
Howard Ungerleider, a Dow Chemical employee, has also been named as a finalist for the Champion Award, "which recognizes a non-LGBT person who has played a pivotal role in advancing equal treatment of LGBT employees."
Through the Outies, Out & Equal provides the business and LGBT communities with examples of innovative approaches and proven successes that create safe and equitable workplaces for the world's LGBT workforce. The award winners are selected from a pool of highly qualified finalists.
"The finalists for the Outie Awards are people and groups who have brought real change to the world. With the Employment Non-Discrimination Act being considered in the U.S. Senate, we look to leaders like the Outie finalists to make workplace equality a reality," said Out & Equal's Founder and CEO Selisse Berry. "The Outie Awards are an important opportunity to honor these leaders' commitment, celebrate their successes, and most of all, an occasion to inspire others to transform their workplaces."
Individuals and companies were nominated for the Outies during the past several months. A selection committee determined the finalists for the each award. An independent panel of business and community leaders will determine the winners based on information and references provided for each finalist.
The awards given this year in three categories are:
The Champion Award Finalists:
Jenny Garretson VA (Jesse Brown VA Medical Center)
Howard Ungerleider (Dow Chemical)
Eileen Taylor (Deutsche Bank)
Cathy Bessant (Bank of America)
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Employee Resource Group of the Year Award Finalists:
PRIDE (Lockheed Martin)
LGBTA Business Council (Target)
GLBOAL (Johnson & Johnson)
Working With Pride (Boehringer Ingelheim)
The Workplace Excellence Award Finalists
Whirlpool
Dow Chemical
Bank of America
Eli Lilly & Company
For more information about the Summit and to register visit http://outandequal.org/summit-2013.
