Advantage Solutions is renewing its partnership with Out & Equal, the premier nonprofit working to advance LGBTQIA+ representation, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace and beyond. The continued investment reaffirms the company’s commitment to fostering a workplace where differences are celebrated and teammates know they belong.
Advancing equity
The extended relationship with Out & Equal will provide Advantage with a suite of tools, development opportunities and training centered on creating more equitable opportunities for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The company will participate in curated meetings and ongoing networking forums, partner with community outreach groups and expand access to allyship learning. Advantage will also have direct access to original research and thought leadership to help remove systemic barriers and strengthen career mobility among the LGBTQIA+ community. These resources will inform efforts to improve leadership representation at the company and support more equitable pathways for enrichment and advancement across the broader retail and consumer packaged goods industry.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Out & Equal, an organization that has made significant strides in promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace,” says Rebeca Grey, Advantage vice president of Belonging & Impact. “This partnership is a testament to our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It provides our teammates with invaluable resources and opportunities for growth and learning.”
Safety and inclusion
A recent Indeed survey showed that 81% of LGBTQIA+ job hunters researched a company prior to applying to ensure it is inclusive of their diverse needs, and 30% refused to apply to companies that lacked clear of support for the community.
As some companies reevaluate their commitments, Advantage has made safety and inclusion fundamental to how it operates.
Last year, the company unveiled a new set of values and corresponding behaviors intended to hold teammates accountable for being inclusive in all ways they work. Advantage’s “People First” culture calls on its 70,000-person workforce to respect one another and embrace their differences, Grey says.
By implementing a more integrated operating model and defining performance expectations centered on inclusion, the company tripled its employee sentiment or Net Promoter Score in less than one year.
The results are not only a marker of ongoing progress, but a testament to how unifying culture can create measurable outcomes, Grey says.
Building community and common ground
With Advantage’s renewed relationship with Out & Equal, Grey said, the company is poised to leverage the organization’s resources to further Belonging & Impact initiatives across Advantage and into the communities it serves.
As part of its relationship, Advantage also will participate in Out & Equal’s annual Workplace Summit, the largest LGBTQIA+ workplace inclusion event in the world. The event brings together a global community of thought leaders and trailblazers who exchange insights to accelerate lasting change and build connections to create more common ground.
“For businesses to thrive today and into the future, they must value difference and lead with inclusion and belonging,” says Robert Read, chief revenue and growth officer of Out & Equal. “By reaffirming their commitment to these principles, what we refer to as ‘The Business of Belonging,’ Advantage is looking toward the future and positioning itself as an employer of choice. We look forward to our continued partnership and the meaningful impact we’ll have advancing LGBTQ+ equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace and beyond.”
Advantage’s initial relationship with Out & Equal, which began in 2023, was spearheaded by PRISM, the company’s employee resource group (ERG) for LGBTQIA+ teammates and their allies.
“PRISM was integral in Advantage’s membership in Out & Equal, recognizing its potential not only to strengthen business ties, but also to help us build and maintain a world-class Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program,” says Griffin Parsons, a senior business manager at Advantage and a leader of PRISM. “The connections, resources and support have been a benefit to our LGBTQIA+ ERG and community, and we look forward to participating in an even bigger way.”
