Sitel Group, a global leader in end-to-end customer experience (CX) products and solutions, commemorated Pride Month 2021 with a month-long celebration of inclusion and diversity.
Pat Haluag, vice president of global operations and the executive sponsor of the Sitel Pride Barkada employee resource group in the Philippines, said the company put together a Pride celebration that had an equal number of fun activities and important discussions.
During the celebration, the company shared the inspiring stries of members of its LGBTQIA+ community, created a series of educational SOGIE microlearning training videos, hosted informative panel discussions with Pride industry champions and allies, and threw an exciting culminating Digital Pride Fest 2021 with raffles, contests, performances and an important panel discussion highlighting the LGBTQIA+ experience.
It capped off with the awards night for the Sitel Drag QuaranQueen Season 2, the second installment in the company’s widely popular drag queen competition and the Digital Pride fest — a virtual Pride celebration featuring special appearances of some Philippine Drag personalities, live performances, and stories from Sitel kabarkadas.
For Haluag, Pride Month is the perfect time to discuss gay rights and the fight for equality. Sitel is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a safe, diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.
“This commitment doesn’t end when Pride Month ends, but continues every single day,” Haluag noted.
Jorelle Robles, head of marketing at Sitel Group Asia Pacific Region, said that inclusion and diversity is one of the company’s guiding employee promise pillars as it promotes “BE BOLD, BE YOU” or “Kada Pagkakaiba, Kabarkada.”
Robles added the company strives to create a work environment that is safe and supportive of its LGBTQ+ community. Last month, it amplified the message to “BE BOLD, BE PROUD,” inspiring everyone to share their stories, uplift one another, and learn from each other.
Leo del Castillo, Sitel Pride Barkada lead, said the company understands that the communities need them to have important conversations to help improve the status quo and make tangible changes.
“At Sitel, we don’t just celebrate diversity and practice inclusion, but we also acknowledge the LGBT+ community as equal business partners,” del Castillo added. “We keep the conversations going and always address all opportunities to improve.”
