The Outies, formally known as the Out & Equal Workplace Awards, is an annual awards gala hosted by Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. The Outies honor individuals and organizations that are leaders in advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees in America's workplaces. The awards are presented annually at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, a nationwide conference addressing LGBT issues in the workplace.
Outie Awards are given in five different categories, with two recognizing individuals and three recognizing organizations. To win an Outie, recipients must have taken significant action to create more equitable workplaces for members of the LGBT community.
Award categories The Workplace Excellence Award recognizes any employer that has an historic and ongoing commitment to pursuing and executing workplace equality for LGBTQ employees in their own workplace. This employer has a history of continually raising the bar of workplace equality for others to follow.
The Trailblazer Award recognizes an LGBT person who has made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality. This individual's activities will have made a marked improvement in their own workplace and/or have contributed to equality nationally.
The Champion Award recognizes any LGBTQ person or ally who has made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality. The Champion Award winner will have shown a unique commitment to LGBTQ workplace rights and will have used their talents to further that cause, even if at some risk.
The LGBT ERG of the Year Award recognizes a particular employee resource group (ERG), sometimes referred to as a business group or network, that has a proven track record of success in advocating for LGBTQ equal rights in its own workplace.
The Regional Affiliate of the Year Award recognizes an Out & Equal regional affiliate that has demonstrated commitment to the Out & Equal mission through exceptional programming and sound organizational practices.
The Significant Achievement Award recognizes any employer that has made significant strides in the past year in advancing a fair and equitable workplace for its LGBTQ employees, such as: announcing domestic partner health insurance, including gender identity diversity training, or initiating a unique general advertising campaign that includes LGBTQ people.
Selection process All Outie nominations are read by the Out & Equal awards committee and judging panel, which is made up of a diverse cross-section of leaders in the movement for LGBT workplace equality. Awards Committee members and judges change each year and are expected to opt out of voting if their own affiliations may bias their votes.
Nominees are evaluated on originality, duplicability of initiatives, leadership, results, and other criteria. Organizations are evaluated based on the aforementioned criteria, plus the degree to which they have incorporated the 20 Steps to an Out & Equal Workplace. The previous year's awardees are not considered for the same award for the following two years. Additionally, companies or organizations may only submit one nomination in the organization award categories and one nomination in the individual award categories, for a maximum possible total of two nominations from any one company or organization.
Outie Award winners
Workplace Excellence Award Recognizes any employer that has a longstanding commitment to pursuing and executing workplace equality for LGBT employees in their own workplace. This employer has a history of continually raising the bar of workplace equality for others to follow. 2017 - Bank of America 2016 - Dell 2015 - The Walt Disney Company 2014 – Chevron 2013 – Dow Chemical Company 2012 – Google 2011 – Accenture 2010 – IBM 2009 – Sun Microsystems 2008 – PepsiCo 2007 - Wells Fargo 2006 – JPMorgan Chase 2005 - Citigroup 2004 - Kaiser Permanente and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (Tied) 2003 - NCR Corporation 2002 - American Airlines 2001 – IBM 2000 – Kodak
Trailblazer Award Recognizes an LGBT person who has made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality. This individual's activities will have made a marked improvement in their own workplace and/or have contributed to equality nationally. 2014 – Greer Puckett, Northrop Grumman 2012 – Lance Freedman, Lockheed Martin 2011 – Claudia Woody, IBM 2010 – Bill Hendrix, Dow Chemical Company 2009 - Richard Clark, Accenture 2008 - Chris Crespo, Ernst & Young 2007 - Dr. Judy Lively, Kaiser Permanente 2006 – Emily Jones, Kodak 2005 - Leslie (Les) Hohman, General Motors PLUS 2004 - Robert Burrell, Ford 2003 - Wesley Combs, Witeck-Combs Communications 2002 - Dr. Louise Young, Raytheon 2001 - Mary Ann Horton, Avaya 2000 - Tom Ammiano, Leslie Katz and Susan Leal, San Francisco Supervisors
Champion Award The Champion Award recognizes any LGBTQ+ person or ally who has made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality. The Champion Award winner will have shown a unique commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace rights and will have used their talents to further that cause, even if at some risk.
2018 - Jennifer J. Henderson, Capital One 2017 - Ramkrishna Sinha, Intel Corporation 2016 - Thomas Vilsack, USDA Secretary 2015 - Howard Ungerleider, Dow Chemical Company 2014 – Vijay Anand, Intuit 2013 – Cathy Bessant, Bank of America 2012 – Harry van Dorenmalen, IBM 2011 – Dr. Sophie Vandebroek, Xerox 2010 – Mark Bertolini, Aetna Healthcare 2009 - Randy Kammer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida 2008 - William C. Thompson, Jr., City of New York 2007 - Ana Duarte McCarthy, Citi 2006 – Deborah Dagit, Merck 2005 - June R. Cohen, DuPont 2004 - Laura Brooks, Kodak 2003 - Judy Boyette, University of California 2002 - William Perez, CEO of SC Johnson & Son 2001 - Cathy Brill & Lisa Vitale, Kodak 2000 - Ethel Batten, Lucent
LGBT Employee Resource Group of the Year Recognizes a particular employee resource group (ERG), sometimes referred to as a business group or network that has a proven track record of success in advocating for LGBT equal rights in its own workplace. 2018 - LGBT Alliance (Cracker Barrel) 2017 - IC Pride – (US Intelligence Community) 2016 - PRIDE Team Network – (Wells Fargo) 2015 - Open & Out (Johnson & Johnson) 2014 – Citi PRIDE Network 2013 – PRIDE (Lockheed Martin) & LGBTA Business Council (Target) 2012 – OutServe (United States Department of Defense) 2011 – LGBT Pride Resource Group, Bank of America 2010 – The Clorox Company 2009 - (Tie) General Motors' People Like Us & US Department of State and USAID's Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies 2008 - Hewlett-Packard's HP PRIDE 2007 - Nike's GLBT & Friends Network 2006 – GLEAM, Microsoft 2005 - Chevron Lesbian & Gay Employee Association (CLGEA) 2004 - Lambda Network at Kodak 2003 – GLBC at SC Johnson 2002 - SEA Shell at Shell Oil Company 2001 - Pride at Walt Disney 2000 - League of AT&T
Regional Affiliate of the Year Award Recognizes an Out & Equal regional affiliate that has demonstrated commitment to the Out & Equal mission through exceptional programming and sound organizational practices. 2015 - San Francisco 2014 – Chicagoland 2013 – Seattle 2012 – New York Finger Lakes 2011 – Houston 2010 – Dallas–Fort Worth
Significant Achievement 2011 – Google 2010 – Dow Chemical Company 2009 – Salt Lake City Corporation 2008 – Goldman Sachs 2007 - Ernst & Young 2006 – PricewaterhouseCoopers 2005 - IBM 2004 - Hewlett Packard 2003 - Chubb 2002 – JPMorgan Chase 2001 - Motorola 2000 - Ford
Selisse Berry Leadership Award Recognizes an exceptional individual whose visionary leadership, tireless efforts, and remarkable accomplishments have been a critical contribution toward achieving LGBT workplace equality. In addition to leading change in the world of employment, this leader inspires countless individuals to champion workplace equality for all inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or characteristics. 2013 – Kevin Jones 2011 – Brian McNaught 2008 – Selisse Berry, Founding Executive Director of Out & Equal
LGBT Workplace Equality Pioneer 2007 - Dr. Franklin E. Kameny
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