Corporate Pride: How Companies Can Support Pride Month

Pride Month is an opportunity for corporations to show their true colors. In past Junes, a seemingly relentless wave of rainbows made its way through many facets of everyday life. All different types of families could be seen in TV commercials; marketing emails shared Pride Month promotions, and it was hard to walk into a store without running into a display of colorful apparel and accessories. While it’s great to see corporations embracing and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in these ways, it’s important to ensure that these displays are backed by meaningful support. Anyone can sell a rainbow fanny pack – but did a gay or lesbian designer create it? Is a portion of the proceeds going to an organization that supports transgender youth? Does the retailer have HR practices that promote diversity and inclusion?

It used to be much harder to differentiate between companies who were just riding that rainbow wave to make a few bucks and those who actually support and champion the LGBTQ+ community. Luckily, many corporations have found ways to be more visible allies, messaging around how their Pride campaigns give back to the LGBTQ+ community. Unfortunately, this year many companies are scaling back their Pride marketing campaigns for fear of backlash by the vocal minority, revealing their true colors.

A few companies supporting pride month that really seem to understand what it means to be an ally include:

• Skittles will partner with GLAAD during Pride month for the fifth year in a row. Skittles partnered with female and minority-owned production company NERD Productions to design their special Pride month package this year and will donate $1 for each Pride pack purchased to GLAAD to help with their work accelerating acceptance of the community and combatting anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. They’ve also partnered with Meetup and five local LGBTQ+ community groups to help everyone find their community, whether it’s roller derby, marching band, birding, film festivals, or video games.
• Converse’s Proud to Be campaign goes beyond just offering rainbow shoes. First, their shoes are available in gender-neutral sizing, making them more inclusive to transgender & non-binary folks. Their website also highlights queer joy, and they are donating to several LGBTQ+ organizations including the It Gets Better Project, The Ali Forney Center, BAGLY, and The Theater Offensive.
• North Face’s Out in Nature campaign focuses on the diversity of Mother Earth and how we’re all part of nature. Not only does this campaign fit authentically with the North Face brand, but it also helps combat the false perceptions that LGBTQ+ people are not natural. In addition, they support LGBTQ+ organizations Brave Trails and YouthSeen year-round, not just during Pride month.  

Pride Month is an important time because it promotes visibility and encourages acceptance, which are luxuries that have not always been afforded to the LGBTQ+ community. There is still so much to be done in the US and around the world – work that requires collaboration between members of the community and organizations that aim to uplift them. As great as it would be to see the entire world covered in rainbows, what really matters is when corporations who have the resources to impact change step up and show up to make the world a better place for the LGBTQ+ community. Those who are just looking to take advantage of the rainbow wave and sell a few colorful fanny packs might end up getting swept away instead. 

C+R and its CultureBeat^® division’s mission is to provide brands with the knowledge they need to deeply know the LGBTQ+ cohort and the intricacies of their motivations, drivers, and challenges.  We join this community in celebrating Pride Month and the rainbows that come with it!