The Big Peach is making big news this summer: In August, Atlanta will become the first U.S. host for Global Black Pride, which draws Black LBGTQ+ people from around the world. The event decided to make its American debut here in Atlanta, citing the city’s vibrant Queer culture. But, as it relies on corporate partnerships, there is surely another appeal: Atlanta is a top 10 city for Fortune 500 companies.
Atlanta is not alone; Houston, Dallas and Charlotte are but a few of the Southern cities that boast a large corporate presence and a LGBTQ+ population. All told, more than one-fifth of the Fortune 500 are headquartered in the region, and more than 5 million LGBTQ+ people live here.
As a hub of Queer life and corporate success, the American South is well positioned not only to celebrate Pride but also to catalyze LGBTQ+ equality. And that’s why, this June, corporate leaders throughout the region must recommit to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the work to advance LGBTQ+ rights.
Credit: handout
Credit: handout
The benefit of building businesses in which everyone belongs is clear: Research has shown that when employees feel safe, seen and valued, turnover goes down and productivity goes up. And as the size of the LGBTQ+ community grows, with more than 1 in 5 Gen Zers identifying as Queer, this is increasingly true for LGBTQ+ employees. EY, which has offices throughout the South, has found that, for the average Fortune 500 company, improving retention of LGBTQ+ employees by just 5% percent could save nearly $4.2 million annually in turnover costs alone.
Today, as public policy falls short in the American South, companies in the region have additional incentive to act. During the 2023 legislative session, more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced across the country, and nearly half came from the South. And even though it’s only June, the same number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been introduced this year. And, again, nearly half have come from the South.
These bills have had a devastating impact on LGBTQ+ employees and the ability of workplaces to recruit and retain top talent. Recently, Out & Equal, the premier organization working exclusively on LGBTQ+ workplace equity, inclusion and belonging, conducted a survey of working professionals across the country. Forty-five percent of respondents said they feel less safe and less like they belong, and nearly 80% said they would factor anti-LGBTQ+ laws into their decision to take a new job. Some employees are even leaving their jobs. Teachers, for example, are moving to states where they can discuss gender with students. Doctors are seeking jobs where the care they provide isn’t limited by bans. Office workers are forced to leave the homes and jobs they love to protect their children from discrimination.
Companies in the South have long understood that inclusion is essential to staying competitive. Many employers — Coca-Cola Delta, UPS and Airbus, for example — offer benefits inclusive of same-sex partners, prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and maintain employee resource groups for LGBTQ+ and allied team members.
But there is always more companies can and should do. And so, this Pride month, Out & Equal is hosting its Southern States Forum here in Atlanta. During the forum, hundreds of corporate leaders and community activists from across the South will come together to share best practices on how to build businesses of belonging in the region. Participants will discuss how best to strengthen workplace policies, enhance support systems and engage in public policy, given the current climate. To be sure, the forum will likely not be as hopping as Global Black Pride, but there will be a lot of heart.
Now, some corporate leaders in the South might be thinking: With all the backlash on diversity, equity and inclusion, isn’t it a risk to take action on LGBTQ+ workplace equity? To that, I’d say: It would be a risk not to. When employees know they belong in their workplace, they are more motivated. When employees are more motivated, companies are more profitable. And when companies are more profitable, the communities they serve are more prosperous.
The future of the American South is on the line — and that’s not an overstatement. That’s why (no matter what the headlines say) we are seeing so many companies double down on, not back down from, their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and progress for LGBTQ+ people. So, corporate leaders, keep showing your LGBTQ+ employees that they belong — at your company, in your community — and in the South. We’ll all be better off when you do.
Erin Uritus is the chief executive of Out & Equal, a nonprofit working to advance LGBTQ+ representation, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace and beyond.
