By Una Pulizzi, Global Head of Corporate Affairs, and Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data & AI at Kyndryl

The beginning of June marks the kick-off for Pride Month. Entering this season of celebration, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the parallels between our core mission at Kyndryl and the foundational work required for true LGBTQ+ allyship.

Global companies have long promoted LGBTQ+ rights. At Kyndryl, our culture and the leadership behaviors we seek to promote — a restlessness to innovate, empathy to serve and trust with transparency, and devotion to achieving shared success — compel us to commit to laying and maintaining a foundation of support for our LGBTQ+ colleagues. This is not an ancillary duty. It’s an integral part of who we are and what we strive to embody as a company.

The LGBTQ+ community has made tremendous strides worldwide in the last decades. But challenges remain. A Deloitte Global 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work Survey reveals that non-inclusive workplace behaviors continue to occur. A full 43% of LGBTQ+ employees actively avoid talking about their life experiences with their employers over concerns that their careers might be adversely impacted. On the positive side, LGBTQ+ employees also note that having allies and role models at work strongly correlates with greater comfort being themselves at work.

Simply put, the case for allyship is more necessary than ever to make a positive and tangible impact in the lives of our peers.

At Kyndryl, we are driving positive change by raising awareness — and receiving recognition along the way — by providing education, building strong communities, promoting well-being, and developing initiatives with our customers and partners to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community. Every ally has a unique opportunity and responsibility to make a meaningful difference by turning empathy and education into real action.

Here’s how to get started:
Deepen your understanding
 

This begins with being approachable, listening and engaging broadly, and learning from diverse perspectives. It is no small act to take an active role toward learning about LGBTQ+ issues and expanding one’s base of knowledge. It requires empathy and action.

Weave allyship into everyday situations
 

It is a common misconception that allyship is only about grand public gestures or celebrations. On the contrary, even seemingly small acts of support in our daily work lives matter. Using our voices to challenge injustice or advocate for equal opportunities can uplift our LGBTQ+ peers and promote inclusion.

Take
action
 

By fostering a culture that’s restless to create positive change and promote an inclusive atmosphere, organizations can better create initiatives that serve all constituencies. For instance, Kyndryl enables employees to volunteer and donate to LGBTQ+ related activities at work and in local communities through Deed, our giving and volunteering platform. The company’s global and local Employee Resource Groups called Kyndryl Inclusion Networks, or KINs, provide several avenues for Kyndryls to vocalize their support and advance their knowledge and allyship. 

Ask for
feedback
 

All human interactions contain the potential for misunderstanding — and that’s OK. Part of being devoted to shared success means having the self-awareness to accept other points of view. Curiosity and constructive feedback can help us show up as better allies for our peers and communities.

Allyship takes deliberate action all year long, well beyond the month of June. Building that foundation requires a willingness to listen, to evolve and understand the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community faces. When we advance our understanding of allyship, it can be a transformative tool to build safe, transparent, and inclusive workplaces where all are valued and empowered to succeed. 

Read more about LGBTQ+ inclusion at Kyndryl.

Featured leaders
Una Pulizzi

Global Head of Corporate Affairs

Nicolas Sekkaki

Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data & AI

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