The numbers, demographics and spending power of Canada’s often-overlooked LGBT consumer, from Marketing‘s upcoming inaugural “Connecting With the LGBT Community” conference (happening Tuesday 26 in Toronto).
Getting your house in order is key in developing best practices in LGBT marketing. This involves both internal policies and external community involvement.
The Campbell Company of Canada is lauded as one of the leading Canadian brands that does it right. Mark Childs, vice-president marketing, voices his passion about marketplace diversity inclusion, both as a gay man and as a marketer of one of Canada’s most iconic brands.
His journey began seven years ago when he asked Campbell’s HR team what it’s like to be gay and work at Campbell’s. The answer: “We don’t know.” It was a pivotal moment for Childs. The result was a marketing campaign for various minority populations, including the disabled, natives and LGBTs.
In 2007 Childs founded OPEN (Our Pride Employee Network), a global employee network whose mission is to advance policies and practices for LGBTs, as well as their supporters. One of his learnings has been to engage employees’ families, friends and allies.
“An ally can be a straight parent or grandparent. It can also mean an unconventional family or a colleague who is supportive of the individual in their entirety,” says Childs.
How does creating a climate of inclusion show up in practical terms? It might mean bringing your partner to the annual Christmas party, something that is relatively new for LGBTs.
As part of its efforts to promote inclusiveness, Campbell’s began using the HRC survey of best places to work for LGBTs. HRC is an organization that advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans. In 2006, Campbell’s had an 80% rating, which increased to 100% following the launch of OPEN. And in terms of hiring practices, the company participates in Out and Equal Workplace Advocates’ annual conferences, which Childs describes as “probably the one destination on the annual calendar in North America where LGBT talent can be recruited.”
Childs’ Campbell’s story has come full circle from “We don’t know” seven years ago. “Now we do know. We have stepped slowly and steadily into a workplace environment where there are no gaps between the internal and the external. We want people to bring their whole selves to work.”
TD has also been heralded as a brand to watch and emulate. Al Ramsay, branch manager at TD Trust Canada, has been involved with the bank’s diversity initiatives for many years, not only in the LGBT sector, but in women’s and minority rights as well. “You have to be seen as a true community partner,” he says. “TD takes a three-point approach: customer, employee and community.”
In 2005, no one wanted to sponsor a Pride event, he says. “When we approached Pride Toronto and said we’d like to be a corporate sponsor, they almost fell off their chairs.”
In the early days, not all reaction was positive. Churches even cancelled their bank accounts as a result of the bank’s support of the LGBT community. Ed Clark, then chairman of the board, was steadfast. “Tell them that we are upset that they’re upset because these are our customers and we’re treating them no differently from everybody else,” said Clark. “This is an inclusive culture that we’re trying to build here.”
“That is something I’d so proud of,” says Ramsay.
