Pride Month, celebrated annually in June, is a time dedicated to uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices, celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture and supporting and protecting LGBTQIA+ rights. Throughout the month of June, nationwide, there are parades, protests, drag and other live performances that serve as a celebration and acknowledgment of how much the community has overcome and achieved.
At Cognitiv, we are committed to creating an environment that makes members of this community feel welcome, included, and celebrated year-round, not just in June, and that our allyship and support are unwavering. That promise isn’t just something we say, it’s something we take real action toward.
As our CEO and Co-Founder, Jeremy Fain, mentioned in this Forbes article, companies should strive to “be authentic, and avoid being performative. Stating your support holds no merit. Instead, take the initiative to hire members of the community across the board, but specifically within leadership positions. Bringing in talent with new perspectives and experience adds diversity to your company’s culture and overall business approach.” In other words, actions speak louder than words. In true support of this stance, we are honored to share that nearly 50% of the leadership team at Cognitiv is made up of proud members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We asked them to comment on their personal experiences and here’s what Senior Director of HR, Jay Pellegrino, shared:
“During my time at Cognitiv, it has been such a positive experience working at a company with employees at all levels who are so accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community. Being your authentic self is always encouraged at Cognitiv, and it has such a positive impact on our amazing company culture.”
We are also aware of our responsibility to, and know the importance of, supporting and positively impacting the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole. Last year, we hosted a special edition episode of our podcast, Hidden Layers, focusing on LGBTQIA+ representation in advertising and the associated impact on individuals and society. This year, we are bringing the celebration to France at the Cannes Lions Festival! Cognitiv is teaming up with Givsly to host a Drag Bingo fundraising event on June 21 featuring drag queens Fiona DelFion and Loona Joans. Event attendees will have the opportunity to select a LGBTQIA+ nonprofit organization that Cognitiv will make a donation to on their behalf. The organizations Cognitiv will be sponsoring this year are The Trevor Project, Queens of the Castro and Point of Pride. Each of these organizations support human and civil rights and the Trevor Project specifically supports youth development.
As the “brain behind the brands” we value education and continuous learning. In addition to our fundraising efforts at Cannes, we are also hosting educational trivia events in our offices to provide our employees with the opportunity to learn more about LGBTQIA+ history and noteworthy accomplishments. As with all of our cultural celebrations, we will also highlight for our employees locally-owned businesses that belong to or actively support the community.
