50
the better the team performs.”
In January, the company implemented a major change in its effort
to maintain a supportive workplace
for GLBT employees. The company
created guidelines for managing
gender transitions, which now is
considered another major life event
an employee might go through.
Xerox, which advertises in gay
publications and sponsors gay-themed events, hires whomever is
best for a job, no matter what that
person’s race, gender or sexual orientations, with the knowledge that the
person will succeed in the culture
Xerox has created.
Hicks says he has had
conversations with new
hires who have told him
that research into the company’s inclusiveness
prompted them to take
their jobs. “If we had not
been able to create that
image that [allowed them
to feel] comfortable coming here and applying, it could have
been our loss,” Hicks says. “That
person could have been responsible
for the very patent we lost that created a billion-dollar loss.”
Helping Xerox create a GLBT-friendly workplace is Galaxe, an
employee-caucus group serving the
needs of GLBT employees. “They
work with us and keep us aware of
things that would further demonstrate our understanding of their
needs as employees,” Hicks says.
About five years ago, members of
Galaxe approached the diversity
office and requested that the compa-
ny consider cementing its commitment to the GLBT
community by adding gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy. Galaxe members brought up the
subject and explained why it was important, helping the
diversity office successfully approach senior leadership.
These moves do prompt criticism from some, Hicks
admits. “In any operation of any company … everybody’s not going to be happy,” he says. “Have we had
individuals with differences of opinion? Absolutely, and
we value that too. That is another aspect of diversity. I
would almost be suspect if there was 100 percent
agreement. But I think the key thing here is that we
don’t try to change other individuals’ values or beliefs.
What we say is based on company values—as long as
you work and manage people in this company, these
are behaviors we expect of you.”
Wells Fargo shares Xerox’s common sense. The company has supported the GLBT community through
philanthropy since the 1980s, “when it was not so en
vogue, not so acceptable,” says Ng.
That longstanding commitment was reflected in
Wells Fargo’s response to a recent attack by Focus on
the Family. In December, the Colorado Springs,
Colo.–based group withdrew its funds from Wells
Fargo because of the company’s financial support of the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Wells
“When we say we want to have the most
diverse team we can, that includes having LGBT
people. The more diverse the team, the better
the team performs.R”ay Flautt, JPMorgan Chase
Fargo issued a statement expressing regret over losing
Focus on the Family as a customer (the group did not
disclose how much money it kept with the bank and
declined to comment for this story).
“The loss of any accounts affects us, but at the same
time, we don’t want to be a pawn in a larger culture
war,” Ng says. “Getting caught up in that is not the
business we’re in. We can’t just respond to one side or
the other. Otherwise, we’re going to be a hostage, having
other people determine our actions.” Instead of being
reactionary, Ng says, “we let our vision and values and
culture drive our actions.”
GLBT Legislation
Nike, headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., announced in
June 2005 that it was supporting a bill in the state
