Out & Equal Convenes Fortune 500 Companies and LGBT Community to Advance LGBT Employee Rights at 16th Annual Workplace Summit, Nov. 3-6 in San Francisco

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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to ending workplace discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees, hosts its 16th Annual Workplace Summit in San Francisco from Nov. 3-6, 2014 at Moscone Center West. Working professionals, Fortune 500 executives, employee resource group (ERG) leaders, diversity managers, individuals and allies convene to further workplace safety and equality. The three-day conference comes at a pivotal time when more companies around the globe are taking the lead to eliminate workplace discrimination for LGBT employees.

Selisse Berry, founder and chief executive officer of Out & Equal, addresses the crowd at the 2013 Workplace Summit in Minneapolis. (Photo: Business Wire)

“The Out & Equal Workplace Summit represents a global commitment to building a world free of discrimination,” said Selisse Berry, founder and chief executive officer of Out & Equal. “In 29 U.S. states, employers are able to fire employees simply based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. With strong support and assistance of our corporate partners, we will continue to work tirelessly to eliminate this blatant discrimination.”

With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to soon decide which marriage equality case (or cases) they will hear during their next session, equality-related issues are expected to remain front and center for months to come.

Fortune 500 company leaders from corporations including Deloitte, IBM IBM, The Walt Disney Company DIS and Wells Fargo WFC join the more than 3,000 attendees to participate in 120 workshops and leverage in-depth resources to build workplaces that celebrate diversity and equality. In addition to attracting many business leaders and equality supporters to the three-day summit, a number of high-profile advocates will be speaking. Among them are: Lee Daniels, Oscar-nominated director of “The Butler,” sports icon and humanitarian Billie Jean King, Armistead Maupin, author of Tales of the City and Academy Award-winning actress, Olympia Dukakis. In addition, Out & Equal releases the results of its annual Workplace Survey, conducted in partnership with Harris Interactive. This survey highlights the opinions of U.S. adults on the current state of many LGBT-related issues, including marriage equality, workplace equality and transgender acceptance.

“I could not be more proud to participate in this year's Workplace Summit and will continue doing my part to advance equality for everyone,” said Olympia Dukakis. “Government leaders must take a stand against all forms of discrimination and provide a safe workplace environment for employees in every state. Until that job is complete, I'll support the efforts of corporate professionals and leaders who are leading the charge themselves, one company at a time.”

CEOs from all parts of the world agree that Out & Equal plays a vital role in corporate evolution furthering LGBT rights. Earlier this year, companies such as Coca-Cola in Georgia and Marriott International in Arizona led the opposition to proposed anti-gay legislation. Many corporations now recognize that a diverse workplace provides businesses with innovative ideas, a greater talent pool and a path to a broader public. This trend has resulted in Fortune 500 companies further supporting an inclusive workplace with access to many diverse populations, including LGBT business professionals.

The Outie Awards

During the conference, Out & Equal also announces the recipients of its annual Workplace Awards, “The Outies.” The Outies honor individuals and organizations that are leading the way to advance LGBT workplace equality, while providing the community with stellar examples of innovative and successful leadership strategies. In 2013, The Dow Chemical Company earned The Workplace Excellence Award. Past Outie Award winners are listed at: http://outandequal.org/outiewinners.

CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

Registration fees to participate in the 2014 Workplace Summit (if booked by Oct. 15) begin at $220 (leadership seminars only). One-day passes begin at $605 and the three-day, full conference registration fee is $1,725. For more details or to register for the event, please visit http://outandequal.org/summit.

2014 Out & Equal Workplace Summit Details

Where:

           

When:

Moscone Center West Mon, Nov. 3 - Thurs, Nov. 6, 2014
800 Howard St., San Francisco, Calif. 94103

ABOUT OUT & EQUAL WORKPLACE ADVOCATES

Out & Equal, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization, collaborates with Fortune 500 corporations around the world to create safe and supportive work environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees. Out & Equal provides professional development opportunities, establishes and supports employee resource groups, develops hiring policies and training programs and provides networking and career advancement opportunities for LGBT workers. Founded in 1996, Out & Equal brings together employees and experts from around the world at its annual Workplace Summit. Attendees learn about current and emerging best practices to ensure greater opportunities and equality for LGBT employees. For further information, please visit www.outandequal.org.

Twitter: @OutandEqual; Summit hashtags: #oesummit2014, #OutieAwards

MEDIA, PLEASE NOTE:

For additional information about Out & Equal, the Workplace Summit, to schedule an interview with Selisse Berry, or for hi-res images or video, please contact Douglas Myers or David Cumpston at (415) 561-0888 or doug@landispr.com / cumpston@landispr.com.

Landis Communications Inc.
Douglas Myers, 415-561-0888
doug@landispr.com
David Cumpston, 415-561-0888
cumpston@landispr.com
www.landispr.com

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Posted In: Press Releases
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