Alan Turing (1912-1952), a British computer scientist and cryptographer, once said “We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.” This encompasses our approach at Symantec. Over the past year, the Diversity and Inclusion team has worked hard with SymPride (Symantec’s LGBT employee resource group), Human Resources, the Legal and Public Policy department and the office of Mike Brown to advance inclusion and support of our LGBT communities around the world.
“We’ve made great strides in expanding our LGBT employee resource group, SymPride,” says Fran Rosch, executive vice president of the Norton business unit. “SymPride has an important role to play in advocating for equality, cultural sensitivity, and LGBT awareness, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with SymPride’s global leaders, as the group’s executive sponsor.”
New SymPride chapters have recently launched in Ireland and the UK, and champions from around the US, EMEA, India and APJ have been meeting regularly to create a new strategy and charter, focusing on the development of our LGBT talent and on creating inclusive workplaces at all our sites.
While awaiting a recent referendum on gay marriage in Ireland, our Dublin LGBT employees found community within the newly established SymPride chapter. They shared stories and resources with each other on how to advocate for their rights in the referendum outside of work. This is one of the reasons Symantec encourages and supports employee resource groups like SymPride. They give members the opportunity to find support and encouragement on issues they deal with not just at work, but outside Symantec – at home and in their communities. (And in case you haven’t heard, Ireland voted ‘yes’ to same-sex marriage!)
This year, Symantec has also expanded its LGBT partnerships beyond the Human Rights Campaign and Out & Equal. In February of this year we partnered with a new organization, Lesbians Who Tech, by supporting their summit for lesbians in technology and their advocates. Leanne Pittsford, the founder of Lesbians Who Tech, will also be speaking at our Mountain View office on June 25th about the importance of visibility, mentorship and advocacy by allies for the LGBT community in the technology sector.
In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting inspirational employees who have taken leadership roles in supporting the LGBT community at Symantec, be it through being visible LGBT role models, leading philanthropic and volunteer efforts locally, or by being visible allies. Allies, supporters of the LGBT community who do not themselves identify as LGBT, are essential to inclusion both at Symantec and in society at large. Our LGBT allies at Symantec have been instrumental in starting and running SymPride at various sites, and one of our upcoming features will highlight the allies that have worked to make Symantec a welcoming community.
But we also recognize that progress needs to happen outside our offices as well. In April, Symantec signed a statement in response to public officials in Indiana and other US states considering potentially discriminatory laws. The statement challenges bills that could allow individuals and businesses to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as other minorities.
As a business, taking a stand against such legislations is not only about standing up for our values as a company; it is also about doing good business. Our CEO, Mike Brown, stated "Any piece of legislation that legitimizes discrimination of any kind is not only contrary to our core values, but also simply bad business." He added, "[a]t Symantec, we value diversity and inclusion, and believe we benefit as a business as a result. This is more than just race, gender and ethnicity. We embrace every culture, language, age, sexual orientation, disability, background and experience. Legislation in opposition to this position negatively impacts our ability to attract talent, and hinders our ability to meet the needs of our diverse customer base – and that stifles economic growth."
LGBT Pride Month History
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. The Stonewall riots were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBT Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.
You can read more about the history of Pride month here, in last year’s Pride article by Antoine Andrews, Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion.
For more information on Symantec’s diversity and inclusion visit us here.
Denny Young is Symantec's VP Finance, Global Business Transformation