Introducing PROUD:
Our LGBTQIA+ community of employees and allies
Building an inclusive and open culture where we can all thrive and be our true self remains a top priority at Deloitte, and one community helping foster an inclusive work environment is PROUD.
PROUD is the network of engaged LGBTQIA+ employees and allies in Switzerland and is part of Deloitte’s international GLOBE network. Their mission is to promote inclusion and diversity both within Deloitte as well as outside of the firm, by actively empowering and championing our people to be ambassadors within the wider community.
PROUD routinely organizes social and professional events relevant not only to people who identify as LGBTQIA+ but also to allies, so that in the end everyone can be comfortable bringing their authentic self to work. In addition, PROUD offers a supportive forum where LGBTQIA+ employees and allies can safely share experiences from their work life at Deloitte.
To learn more about PROUD and what it represents we interviewed Niall (a recent joiner), Luis (Consultant) and Sergio (sponsoring Partner).
Tell us a little about yourself!
Niall: I’m a proud LGBTQIA+ ally! I’m Swiss Welsh, with a touch of Scotland thrown in. I emigrated in 2001 and have not looked back since. I’m a Vaudois and come from a tiny village in the countryside where we have more animals than people, halfway between Yverdons-les-Bains and Lausanne.
Sergio: I was born and raised in Brazil in a city – Poços de Caldas – located about 250km north from São Paulo. It was built on top of an extinct volcano, so we have a lot of thermal baths. I have been in Europe for just over 30 years, will be celebrating 25 years together with my partner in July and 21 years with Deloitte in June.
Luis: I’m from Andalusia in southern Spain. I was born and raised in Sevilla and moved to Zurich 1.5 years ago. I have a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Management as well as a Master’s in Management from Madrid. Before moving to Switzerland, I worked as an IT auditor and strategy consultant.
How long have you worked at Deloitte, and what do you do?
Luis: I have worked with Deloitte for one and a half years as a consultant in Risk Advisory.
Niall: I joined Deloitte Digital in February this year in the Geneva office. I’m part of the Consumer & Marketing offering in the affectionately called Dixies team (officially known as Advertising, Marketing and Commerce). I bring sparkle to the projects we have related to consumer experiences and digital transformation for and around consumer products.
Sergio: I work mainly with global banks in the operations areas. Due to the numerous financial crises, a lot of my work experience has been around regulatory driven transformations. More recently, myself and the team have been focusing on all topics related to the COO agenda. I lead the Business Operations offering portfolio in Consulting, a role that gives me a lot of energy as we develop the offerings and the teams for a broad array of industries.
What are some of your hobbies or interests?
Niall: I love motorbiking and my part of the world is ideal for this with winding valleys and no traffic, allowing me to cruise and enjoy the wonders of the open road calmly and quietly. I also have a four-legged friend called Hamish and we spend hours each day in all weathers communing with the countryside.
Luis: I enjoy playing paddle-tennis and badminton, as well as skiing, chess, reading and international political affairs.
Sergio: Travelling is my number one interest!
Why is it important for you to be a member of PROUD?
Sergio: I believe being a member of PROUD is important to increase the visibility of all topics related to the LGBTQIA+ community. My main goal is to help create a safe and inclusive culture where all our people can succeed regardless of gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.
Luis: I joined PROUD to help encourage and promote an inclusive work environment and to increase the number of allies at Deloitte. I also saw becoming part of PROUD as an opportunity to create a greater impact not only within the company but also within the community.
Niall: I’ve been an active ally for many years with my former companies and with my change to Deloitte it was only natural for me to join PROUD.
What role does the workplace play in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community?
Sergio: Considering that we spend a significant amount of our lives in the workplace, its role is very important. I believe this is even more the case in consulting as everything we do is in teams and the people factor is so important. People should be able to be open with their colleagues, with no necessity to hide, lie or conceal the reality about their lives.
Luis: I believe it is important that the workplace is also used to exchange non-work-related ideas, because a lack of understanding can create prejudices and misconceptions. We spend a lot of time together and there are opportunities to raise awareness of issues that the LGBTQIA+ community are facing. I feel that in some cases our colleagues would not otherwise be made aware.
Niall: We are also hoping to be much more vocal about what PROUD does this coming Pride month, so that others can celebrate with us and feel more connected to the community.
Read article: Q&A: How Pride month celebrates diversity and inclusion
What are some of the actions Deloitte has taken to promote a positive and healthy environment for LGBTQIA+ colleagues?
Sergio: By increasing visibility through events such as Pride, supporting the “Marriage for All” initiative, increasing engagement with advocates and allies, developing LGBTQIA+ networks both within Deloitte as well as with other firms are just a few examples of what the team has accomplished recently.
Luis: Having GLOBE as a platform is already a great opportunity for us to organize different initiatives supporting LGBTQIA+ colleagues both within and outside the company. There are also numerous webinars and resources about inclusion available to all employees.
Niall: I also think it’s great that the time and effort dedicated to PROUD is recognised by the firm during the annual performance review process.
What does GLOBE still want to accomplish?
Niall: This year we are trying to reinvigorate the community, especially in the Swiss Romandie area where I’m leading a local initiative. We also want to connect in fun ways across the Swiss firm and its various locations, to reduce barriers to participation and foster a greater sense of community.
Luis: We would like to increase the awareness of PROUD within Deloitte Switzerland and to achieve a higher percentage of LGBTQIA+ employees. This way our initiatives would have a much greater impact.
Sergio: Having policies, trainings and everything else are just means to an end. There’s still a lot to accomplish until we reach the point where we can say that we have a truly safe and inclusive culture, where our people feel confident in being who they are and can thrive within Deloitte. Therefore, we will continue delivering activities that support this ultimate goal.