Being an LGBTQ-friendly business is the right thing to do. It’s also good for business. And the Southwest Wisconsin Rainbow Alliance is out to make it even better for business! A US Chamber of Commerce Foundation report (Success and Growth Through LGBT-Inclusive Culture, 2019) (*see end note for URL), highlights many benefits of conscious inclusion of LGBTQ customers and employees. About four percent of the population identifies as LGBTQ, and they come supported by many times more family and friends and other allies. Let us help you earn the benefits of belonging to our LGBTQ Business Ally Program.
What are the benefits?
- You get a free removable decal to place in the window of your business, notifying all those who pass by that your establishment is LGBTQ-friendly.
- You get your business listed prominently on our web page and our LGBTQ-friendly business locator Google map (www.swrainbowalliance.org)
- You get your business individually recognized in a special exclusive post with a photo of your business on our social media channels.
- You get a certificate to hang to identify your business as LGBTQ friendly.
How does your business receive this recognition?
Note: SWRA recognizes the business community is itself very diverse and that businesses of differing sizes and categories with differing missions, goals, and staff needs may tailor this program for their own unique needs to best meet the intended purpose of this Business Ally Program
- Send a member of your organization to a two hour Ally Training session. These are offered periodically free-of-charge by Southwest Wisconsin Rainbow Alliance and the UW Platteville Doyle Center for Gender and Sexuality. Smaller businesses may send only one person while businesses of more than 100 employees should send two or more. In lieu of this requirement, you may have two or more employees sit down for an interview/discussion on LGBTQ topics. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure your team is aware of issues and challenges affecting the LGBTQ community and how to foster a supportive environment at your place of business.
- Adopt and publish either an employee policy or a manual/handbook that states explicitly, your business will not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity (applicable to both customers/clients and employees). SWRA can provide sample text for your policy.
- Provide SWRA appropriate written verification your business is offering systematic training in the subjects of diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to serve as allies for LGBTQ people. This should be similar, if abbreviated, content to ally training. The extent and procedures for this training should be appropriate for your business size, turnover, and other distinctive factors. We are not here to insist on a one-size-fits-all prescription for every businesses but rather to ensure a significant and impactful elevation of awareness, knowledge, respect, and sensitivity to the LGBTQ community.
- Sign agreement declaring your business’ commitment to supporting and serving as an ally in and around the community.
Business Ally Program Application
Business Name:
Contact Name:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Website:
Fee
$20, payable by check. Your fee not only covers SWRA’s costs for this program but provides some crucial funding for our fledgling not-for-profit. That funding will, in turn, be invested in building awareness, understanding, and support in southwest Wisconsin to improve the lives of our LGBTQ community. Additional financial support is welcome and encouraged.
Renewal
Program benefits are good for one year from the date of certification. Provided at least one member of your businesses employed staff have received the ally training and the other criteria remain in place, renewal is as simple as paying the annual fee.
Payment may be made by check payable to: Southwest Wisconsin Rainbow Alliance, P.O. Box 125, Platteville, WI 53818.
Thank you for supporting our LGBTQ community!
Let us know if there is any way we can better help you become a member of our Business Ally Program, be a stronger ally, and grow your business by better serving our LGBTQ community and their many allies, friends, and family.
swrainbowalliance.org
*https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Chamber-Inclusion-pressquality-00m.pdf