Being yourself, everywhere: IE Hosts Inspiring 17th LGBT+@Work Conference at the IE Tower

IE University recently hosted the 17th edition of the LGBT+@Work conference, organized by IE Out & Allies club and sponsored by Gilead, Morningstar, and IE Foundation.

This year's conference focused on the theme of "Being Yourself, Everywhere" aiming to address the existing gap within many business communities where LGBTQIAP+ individuals often hide their identities to avoid bias throughout their professional careers. The conference highlighted the importance of working in companies that promote inclusiveness and provide a safe environment, particularly for those who spend the majority of their time at work.

“We are looking to connect IE students with the business environment that is already having open-minded diverse conversations,” commented David Lezama, IMBA student at IE Business School and one of the conference organizers.

The 2023 LGBT+@Work conference brought together more than 150 people, including IE students, alumni, faculty, staff members and external guests who are part of the community or connected as allies. The latter ones serve a special role: allies spread the awareness about the community and stimulate people outside of it to think of the community more.

“Allies are probably as important as the community. They are the bridge between the community and people who are not involved at all,” said Lezama.

In the diverse line-up of speakers from companies like NBC Universal, Movistar, Cisco, American Express GBT, and others, the most unconventional one on the conference was Wendy Drukier, an ambassador of Canada in Spain and Andorra. She shared her personal story from a diplomatic perspective, discussing the delicate balance between her pride in who she is and its impact on her representation of the country. Drukier also informed the attendees about Canada's groundbreaking LGBTQ+ policies.

"Drukier brought a unique perspective—the state's perspective, which we don't often hear," said Lezama. 

Another notable speaker was Maital Guttman from McKinsey, who shared her experience of moving with her partner and children to Israel. Guttman recounted the challenges they faced in registering their children due to having same-sex parents. However, she motivated the conference attendees to fight for their rights, sharing her successful example of eventually proving her rights to the government.

“You need to role-model what inclusion looks like. That’s showing up, that’s being visible, and that’s public display, both internally and externally, of support,” said Guttman during her speech.

Partners such as Corporate Excellence, myGwork, REDI, and others played a crucial role in providing the conference with greater visibility and diverse perspectives on the LGBT+ topic. They also facilitated networking opportunities for attendees, given the significance of these companies.