'Our employees' authenticity dictates how we operate,’ says president of ERG
Pride Month is officially here, and Amazon is launching several initiatives to support 2SLGBTQ+ workers and those in the community.
In partnership with Pride Toronto and Oleos & Canvas, Amazon Canada is hosting a #ProudToBe Art Exhibition, featuring employee-submitted visual art to showcase why they are proud to be their most authentic self at work.
This year's participants highlight the various ways Pride allows them to embrace their own identity, break free from societal expectations and norms, find community and discover their most authentic means of self-expression, says the company.
"Amazon has given me the unique opportunity to help shape how we celebrate queer employees not just during Pride, but year-round," says Derek Hooey, president of the Amazon 2SLGBTQ+ employee resource group, Glamazon. "Our #ProudToBe programming for 2023 encapsulates how we feel — that our employees' authenticity dictates how we operate."
The winning artwork will also be promoted on a digital screen in Toronto's iconic Yonge-Dundas and in a national media campaign in Exclaim! magazine.
Last year, Amazon Canada launched a project to celebrate the experience and leadership of LGBTQ2S+ employees. Called Fièr.e.s (“Proud”), the project features five Amazon employees sharing their stories in a 50-page colouring book.
Pride parade, donations
At Toronto Pride, up to 400 Amazon employees will march in the 2023 parade. Amazon also packaged 6,000 boxes of donated items for at-risk 2SLGBTQ+ persons in the greater Toronto area.
Throughout Pride Month, Amazon Canada will participate in local Pride Festivals and Pride Parades in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Amazon is also extending these programs past just Pride month, donating $5,000 and goods year-round for the 519 community centre for their support programs. In Montreal, Prime Video and Glamazon will donate $5,000 to support the Centre Communautaire LGBTQ+ de Montréal. They will also get licences to showcase Prime Video content for their queer movie nights for one year.
While the majority of LGBT+ respondents to a global survey said that many employers have introduced positive measures to support them, too many non-inclusive behaviours still happen in many workplaces, according to a previous report.