Every June, numerous companies add rainbow colours and Pride flags to their logos and branding in celebration of Pride Month. While we wholly support the LGBTQIA+ community and the intention behind these logo changes, we have made the deliberate choice not to modify our own company logo for Pride Month. Here’s why:
Jumping on the Bandwagon: Frankly, altering our logo to feature the Pride flag would feel like hopping on a trendy bandwagon. We aim to be a thoughtful employer for all our staff every single month of the year. We don’t want our support for the LGBTQIA+ community to come across as superficial or pressurised.
Doing What Every Good Employer Should: In truth, we strive to do what any good employer ought to do – create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome and respected. We don’t need a special month or a temporary logo change to spur us to action. Valuing diversity is integral to who we are as a company.
Not Pretending to Be Something We’re Not: As a leader, I recognise that I am not a prominent figure in the LGBTQIA+ community. Pretending otherwise by merely slapping a Pride flag on our branding would be disingenuous. We believe in showing our support through substantive, ongoing practices and policies, not short-lived symbolic gestures.
Respecting the LGBTQIA+ Community: We deeply respect the LGBTQIA+ community and the significance of Pride Month. Plonking a rainbow on our logo without meaningful action behind it could come across as disrespectful and trivialising. We’d rather honour the spirit of Pride through our consistent commitment to equality.
Upskilling Our Team and Supporting LGBTQIA+ Events: Instead of a Pride-themed logo, we’ve chosen to support the LGBTQIA+ community by providing training and resources to upskill our team on LGBTQIA+ topics and issues. We also make a point to participate in LGBTQIA+ events throughout the year. We believe this is a more meaningful way to make a positive impact and show our authentic support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Maintaining our focus: If we were to change our logo for Pride Month, we set a precedent. If other groups then approach us wanting logo changes for their specific causes, we’d be put in the challenging position of making value judgements about which charities and social issues to visibly endorse. As a company, we don’t believe it’s our role to engage in this kind of visible activism. We’d rather focus on being a force for good through our core business practices.
To be absolutely clear, we commend companies that feature Pride colours in their logos with genuine intentions. When done for the right reasons, it’s a significant gesture of solidarity. However, for our brand, we’ve mindfully decided to demonstrate our allyship in other ways that align with our values.
Ultimately, our shared goal is to foster a society where LGBTQIA+ individuals are truly embraced, supported, and treated with dignity – not just in June, but all year round. There are many routes to allyship and advocacy. A Pride flag logo is one valid approach, but not the path we’ve chosen. Through our daily actions and unwavering dedication to inclusion, we strive to make our company a place where LGBTQIA+ colleagues and clients always feel welcomed, appreciated, and celebrated for being their authentic selves. That’s a commitment that lasts.
