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LGBT+ Friendly Employer 2023 awards

LGBT+ Friendly Employer awards, motivates and raises the profile of employers who are implementing measures aimed at the better inclusion of LGBT+ employees in the Czech Republic. Strategic approaches, specific projects, and ways of implementation are evaluated, as well as how the issue is supported by top management and communicated both internally and externally.

Gold: Vodafone Czech Republic

With 92,7% Vodafone Czech Republic placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the Gold position. Vodafone maintained its leadership in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking also in 2023 and kept leading in almost all areas. The Jury would like to highlight Vodafone’s care for trans and non-binary employees, which can serve as an example of good practice for other companies. 

Gold: MSD Czech Republic

With 90,2% MSD Czech Republic placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the Gold position. The company scored very high across all ranking categories. MSD Czech Republic can serve as an example of the best practice for others in recruitment and retention, especially in training employees in LGBT+ sensitivity.

Silver: SAP Group

With 89%, SAP Group placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the silver position. SAP Group scores very high across all ranking categories. The Jury especially highlights SAP Group’s excellence in the category of regulation and equal benefits, in care for trans and non-binary employees, and in the category of recruitment and retention, where it scored the highest points among all ranked companies.

Silver: Accenture

With 89,2%, Accenture placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the silver position. Accenture scores very high across all ranking categories. The Jury especially highlights Accenture’s achievements in the category of monitoring and evaluation as well as in the area of recruitment and retention and the support for employee-driven initiatives. 

Bronze: ČSOB

With 77,6%, ČSOB placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the bronze position. The company scored high across ranking categories. The Jury especially highlights excellence in regulations and equal benefits for LGBT+ employees and the role of leadership in pursuing LGBT+ equality at ČSOB workplace.

Bronze: Novartis

With 75,2%, Novartis placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the bronze position. The company scored high across ranking categories. The Jury especially highlights excellence in regulations, equal benefits for LGBT+ employees, and support for employee-driven initiatives.

Bronze: Sentinel One

With 70,9%, SentinelOne placed in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer ranking in the bronze position. The company scored high across ranking categories. The Jury especially highlights SentinelOne’s care for trans and non-binary employees, which is among the best in the Czech market. 

Big Step Forward: ČEZ

Among the companies that we have repeatedly evaluated in the LGBT + Friendly Employer ranking, ČEZ made the biggest leap forward compared to last year. The company jumped by 16,3% up and received 35,6% this year (compare to 19,3% last year). Significant progress can be seen especially in the area of internal rules and equal benefits, which the company has adopted in collective bargaining agreement. Furthermore, visible support of top management as well as implementation of external activities to support LGBT + people, are other areas where the company stepped it up. For example, ČEZ has created a D&I microsite that includes the LGBT+ target group, ČEZ created a Glossary of LGBT+ terms, they share stories of ambassadors, work with S barvou ven counceling center and became a supporter and partner of the LGB+ Community Center. ČEZ  is another company to make such significant progress in the field of LGBT + equality in the workplace.

Employee Driven Initiatives: Novartis

Novartis receives the award in this category for the first time. Although their LGBT+ employee resource group Pride @ Novartis was established already in 2020, Novartis managed to attract amazing 156 new members last year.  The jury especially appreciated the long-term work of the group inside the company in the area of confidential support for employees during their coming out at the workplace or reporting of homophobic, transphobic or biphobic bullying. The Jury especially applauded the group for  managing LGBTIQ Reverse Mentoring Program for Executive Leaders. Jury was amazed by plethora of activities that Pride @ Novartis realized in 2022 from screening of Zakon lasky documentary, through rainbow flag raising in the offices to becoming a partner to Fun&Run charity run. 

Pride Business Forum Heroes 2023 Awards

Pride Business Forum Heroes recognizes individuals and highlights the role of top management of organizations/companies that actively promote a level playing field for LGBT+ employees in their organizations/companies, or proactively advocate for improving the position of LGBT+ people in society.

Ladislav Kučera, Human Resources Director SAP Czech Republic and Slovakia

Ladislav is a Prime Ally of the SAP’s LGBT+ community, he is a key spokesperson and amplifier to the D&I-related issues and a great support  for the Pride@SAP Czech Republic. In his HR Director role Ladislav among other drives high employee engagement and creates a consistent work and cultural environment for employees to thrive with a strong focus on D&I.

David Lhota, Country Manager, WPP

David is an important ally and a rare example of how a CEO can change company culture with his active approach. He enthusiastically tackled the topic and brought WPP to the Pride Business Forum as a Premium Member. With his active support, an WPP employee resource group was created. The company actively approaches explaining the importance of the topic both internally and externally.

Martin Zelenka, Data Governance Expert ČSOB; Leader of ERG Proud

Martin has led the Proud Employee resource group, which unites LGBT+ employees at ČSOB. During his time, ČSOB received awards in the LGBT+ Friendly Employer competition for Employee Resource Group of the Year, Big Step Forward, and in 2021, ČSOB became a bronze employer. Martin serves as an invaluable role model for all Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders, as he exemplifies the extraordinary accomplishments that can be attained from within the ranks of an organization.

Jan Kotík, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, ŠKODA AUTO a.s.

Jan has courageously and energetically embarked on addressing LGBT+ inclusion at ŠKODA AUTO. Thanks to his efforts ŠKODA AUTO joined the Pride Business Forum in 2021  He was pivotal in establishing and activating the internal employee resource group ŠKODA Proud. In 2022, thanks to Jan’s unwavering commitment, the training of all HR generalists within the company was successfully conducted. Jan serves as an essential role model, which holds particular significance within the manufacturing industry.

Jana Vychroňová, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Vodafone

Jana has been active in the area of ​​Diversity & Inclusion since 2014. Primarily thanks to her enormous and unrelenting commitment, Vodafone Czech Republic has become an inspiration in the area of ​​LGBT+ for other companies. Thanks to a broad range of internal and external activities, Vodafone is a proud holder of many awards. Last but not least, Jana is a role model for other straight allies.

Kateřina Nosek, Country Communication and Patient Engagement Head, Novartis Czech Republic

Kateřina is the proud sponsor of One Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ERG (OneDEI) in the Czech Republic and provides counsel, support, and guidance to the ERG Leads and Members, including Pride Czechia. Also thanks to her support and counsel the Proud @ Novartis excelled and received the Employee driven initiative award!

Pride Business Forum Fund
Chairman Award

Roman Samotný

Pride Business Forum Fund Chairman Award goes to Roman Samotný, the spokesperson of the Ide nám o život organization and owner of the Tepláreň club in Bratislava, where a homophobic terrorist attack took place on October 12, 2022. This award recognizes his determination and commitment to advocating for a safer Slovakia for LGBT+ people following the mentioned attack, which claimed the lives of two innocent individuals, Juraj and Matúš.