June 1, 2022

Balfour Beatty is proud to join companies around the globe in the celebration and recognition of Pride Month. This June, Balfour Beatty will host various activities and events that will help build a stronger sense of pride and inclusion and drive greater awareness for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) communities within the construction industry.

This month-long celebration, hosted by Balfour Beatty’s employee affinity group, Building PRIDE (People Respecting Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equality), will encourage team members to participate in contests and events, including an open conversation about why Pride Month is vital to uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, celebrating LGBTQ+ culture and supporting LGBTQ+ rights. Participants will also learn how every team member has an important role to play in ensuring greater representation and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.

Since officially launching in 2020, Balfour Beatty’s Building PRIDE employee affinity group has been a powerful voice for the LGBTQ+ community, facilitating vital educational opportunities and platforms that promote open, safe, and respectful dialogue. Successes among this employee affinity group include:

• Creating solidarity and a sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ teammates. 
• Conducting allyship training for 278+ teammates that built greater connection, understanding, and support for the LGBTQ+ community. 
  
• Launching an “Our Stories” section on the company intranet page where community members and allies share personal experiences and insights.  
  
• Implementing an informal “reverse mentoring” program that connects LGBTQ+ community members with non-community members—regardless of role or seniority. These one-on-one professional friendships help broaden perspectives and promote visibility and discussion at all levels.
  
• Facilitating national conversations with leading LGBTQ+ community voices such as Adonica-Jo Wada, associate general counsel, privacy for Facebook, during our annual “Together Allies” summit. 
  
• Connecting with other Balfour Beatty employee affinity groups to share best practices and achieve common goals.
  

Balfour Beatty’s Building PRIDE employee affinity group, which is open to all LGBTQ+ team members and allies in various job roles and geographies across the business, plays a collective role in furthering our commitment to greater inclusion for all and reflects the diverse communities where our company delivers work. 

This video spotlights personal testimonies from Building PRIDE members on what it means to celebrate Pride Month openly in the workplace and the importance for companies to champion the right for everyone to be their authentic selves. Balfour Beatty is committed to listening, learning, and taking action to achieve the goal of zero discrimination, in all its forms, across the company, industry, and communities. 

For more information on Pride Month and a brief timeline of milestone events that set the stage for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the U.S., visit balfourbeattyus.com.