Balfour Beatty Celebrates the LGBTQ+ Community During Pride Month
June 1, 2021
DALLAS, TX – In observance of Pride Month, Balfour Beatty is joining companies across the globe in celebrating and recognizing the unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others (LGBTQ+) community. This June, Balfour Beatty’s US operations will host various activities and events that will help build a stronger sense of pride and inclusion and drive greater awareness for LGBTQ+ communities within the construction industry.
Hosted by Balfour Beatty’s Building PRIDE (People Respecting Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equality) affinity group, the month-long celebration will encourage Balfour Beatty team members to participate in events including virtual allyship training, which will teach employees how to be an active ally for all individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, and a virtual fireside chat featuring special guests Deiadra Burns, Construction UDR’s vice president, Amanda McKay, Balfour Beatty’s UK quality director, and Eric Stenman, Balfour Beatty’s US president, that will discuss topics relating to the LGBTQ+ experience in construction.
“Balfour Beatty is incredibly proud to join the global celebration of Pride Month as we continue to drive greater awareness and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community within the construction industry,” said Leon Blondin, Balfour Beatty's US Chief Executive Officer. “The LGBTQ+ community has a strong and influential impact on our nation’s history, but the contributions, trials, and triumphs of this group have not always received the right recognition they deserve. This month, and every month, our company will continue to strengthen our diversity and inclusion efforts and our LGBTQ+ teammates play an important role in shaping our company’s culture and welcoming more diversity and acceptance into our industry. At Balfour Beatty, we are a company that values everyone’s differences, and it’s truly an honor to celebrate our LGBTQ+ employees and the unique personalities and talents they bring to our team and industry.”
Balfour Beatty’s Building PRIDE 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 the company’s commitment to greater inclusion for all and reflects the diverse communities where the company delivers work. This video spotlights personal testaments 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.
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 US, visit balfourbeattyus.com.