Inclusion is one thing that the majority, particularly cisgender people, take for granted. At one or several points in our lives, we have experienced discrimination but that is nothing compared to the ongoing struggles of LGBTQIA+. Even the simple act of entering a public restroom is something that many of them dread.
Members of the LGBTQIA+ are harassed, heckled and catcalled almost every day of their lives, whether they are home, on the streets, in school, or at work. Making workplaces safe places for LGBTQIA+ is very important because one’s office is like a second home.
The fight for equality and anti-discrimination for the LGBTQIA+ community continues. Without the sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) bill (this has been refiled for the next Congress), members of the community have very little protection, if any at all. There have been small steps but the way they are looked upon and treated leaves a lot to be desired.
Thankfully, some companies are trying to build more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Karl Sandoval first applied for a job at Mondelēz International around five years ago.
“The fear was there. This was a cisgender male-dominated industry and there are gender roles assigned at work. But my recruitment experience was good. They acknowledged me for my individuality,” said Sandoval, the People Lead for Supply Chain at Mondelēz International.
Sandoval has been there for five years and the workplace “feels like home.”
Mondelēz International’s brands include Toblerone, Cadbury, Orea, Tang, Milka, Halls, Belvita, Eden Cheese and many others. They are one of the world’s top snacking companies.
Earlier in the week, the company announced that it was partnering with the Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP), “a collaborative, voluntary and non-profit community of practice composed of dedicated representatives from LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Groups [ERGs] or Human Resource/Diversity teams of the financial services industry.”
As an organization, PFIP aims to make industries safe and inclusive for LGBTQIA+.
“Partnering with PFIP is a real milestone. We are the first Mondelēz in the region to take this lead. We are looking forward to learning and growing stronger. We hope to make Mondelēz Philippines a truly inspiring workplace where each person is able to retain their individuality,” Ashish Pisharodi, country director of Mondelēz Philippines, Inc.
Mondelēz Philippines has implemented several policies which support members of the LGBTQIA+ community including HMO benefits for domestic partners, primary caregiver leaves, single parent leaves, and remote working policy for employees whose partners are working abroad. Mondelēz Philippines “has also launched an internal campaign to surface the issue of unconscious bias and has provided guidance and training to its colleagues to eliminate blind spots in this regard through speaking up and mutual feedback.”
The partnership aims to promote three basic LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace: the right to a chosen name and preferred pronouns to affirm one’s gender identity; the right to dress according to one’s gender expression; and the right to access inclusive facilities and amenities including restrooms.
“For companies who are looking to evolve their workplace culture, we recommend starting with these inclusive practices,” said Chris Eugenio, PFIP Board of Trustee.
As part of its policies and programs for diversity and inclusion, Mondelēz Philippines is granting, among others, HMO benefits for domestic partners of all genders, primary caregiver and single parent leaves regardless of birth story, equal pay for all genders and HMO coverage for more illnesses. Cait Punzalan, Communications Manager for Mondelēz Philippines, said the HMO for employees was updated in 2020 to cover treatments for STDs and AIDS-related diseases for its employees.