21/07/2022
Pride Month is celebrated around the globe in the month of June. From parades and concerts to talks and visibility initiatives, communities come together to show their support. At IE University, one of the ways we celebrate is by hosting the largest, longest-running international LGBT+ conference in Europe: LGBT+@Work.
The LGBT+@Work initiative was an idea from students and alumni that came to fruition in 2006. Several students met with IE University president, Santiago Íñiguez, to propose their idea. The plan was to partner up with companies and institutions across the world with one simple goal: to create a diverse and inclusive community that promotes ideas and opportunities for LGBT+ students and professionals.
What is the LGBT+@Work conference?
This initiative is the longest-running LGBT+ business conference in Europe and the third longest-running in the world. It has received recognition for its efforts on numerous occasions, including at the 2022 Annual Conference of the Association of Business Schools. The conference is run by IE University’s diverse IE Out & Allies Club, a student-led club that aims to raise awareness and promote diversity with engaging events and conversations focused on broadening the understanding and support of the LGBT+ community.
Every year, the LGBT+@Work team works around the clock to organize the conference. Event attendees have the opportunity to connect, network, and hear from the most inspirational LGBT+ voices in the business world.
LGBT+ Pride in Spain’s capital
There’s no better place to celebrate Pride than in Madrid. The metropolis fills with colorful displays, banners and flags to show support, and the Pride Parade brings in hundreds of thousands of attendees. There are talks, cultural events, film festivals, and many more activities that strengthen and inspire the LGBT+ community and its allies.
With this in mind, the conference’s location in the IE Tower in Madrid couldn’t be more perfect, nestled in a bustling city that both talks the talk, and walks the walk.
Diversity at IE University
It also comes as no surprise that IE University would host the event, with diversity being one of our core values. For us, diversity doesn’t just refer to nationality, but also diversity of experiences, race, religion, creed, age, cognition, and—of course—sexuality and gender, among many other factors.
Santiago Íñiguez stands firm in promoting diversity and inclusion, and highlighted its importance when talking about the conference, explaining that it aims “not only to provide the best possible atmosphere to develop these fantastic professionals, but to transform the world for the better.”
The university has countless initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in a range of areas. For example, the Gender Equality Office puts together seminars and other initiatives to support the awareness and prevention of gender-based violence. There is also the IE Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which was founded in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020 in order to raise awareness for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) issues on campus.
Inclusivity for a better tomorrow
With so many uncertainties within the spectrum of human rights today, LGBT+@Work has worked tirelessly to ensure that organizations and businesses create an environment and culture that is inclusive. As Íñiguez said, “We all deserve to be treated with equal respect and concern. Everyone should not just tolerate the way you live, but applaud the way you live.” That’s the IE University way: to ensure that equality, freedom and inclusivity prevail in order to create a better future for everyone.
