Todd Sears

Out Leadership, a global network for LGBTQ business leaders and companies, has announced the upcoming launch of the Ally Research study, “AllyUp: How Business Leaders Can Win the LGBT+ Ally Marketplace.”

This first-of-its-kind research study , completed in collaboration with Out Leadership member firms FCB Global and Ernst & Young LLP over the past 18 months, will be launched on June 25 as part of Out Leadership’s slate of Pride Month events, “Proudly Resilient.”

Todd Sears, founder and CEO of Out Leadership, said, “This research shows us that allyship is lacking palpable action in the workplace. We at Out Leadership are calling on business leaders in all industries to make allyship active and visible in their workplaces.”

AllyUp looks to understand the impact of allyship on the experience of LGBTQ individuals in the workplace and unpacks the inconsistency between identification and action when it comes to allyship.

Though a majority of those surveyed identified as allies, 66 percent of LGBTQ employees say that they hide their identity at work at least some of the time or in front of some coworkers or clients. Only 45 percent of self-identified supporters actively protect their LGBTQ colleagues.

“This needs to change,” said a press release announcing the survey. “Allies are an important and influential component, and our previous research finds that 78 percent of LGBTQ people and their friends, family, and relatives would switch to brands that are known to be LGBTQ friendly. When LGBTQ colleagues are supported, business thrives.”

In April, Out Leadership and their partners collected additional data, analyzing that data to add the impact of work-from-home on both allyship and the LGBTQ population to the AllyUp report.

This research looked to understand how LGBTQ individuals feel when we virtually let people into our homes, and whether allies continue to prioritize making their workplaces safe and affirming.

The data shows that 93 percent of those surveyed believe their companies will return to work as committed or more committed to equality in the workplace, according to the press release. But allies’ perception of their companies’ inclusiveness differs from that of their LGBTQ colleagues: Straight allies view their companies as more inclusive by more 10 percent compared to the view of their LGBTQ counterparts. In other words, LGBTQ workers are not experiencing the safety and inclusion that their straight ally colleagues perceive.