Out IMPACT: How inclusion makes all the difference

Companies around the globe are starting to better understand how creating an environment where employees feel supported, included and valued —regardless of their gender, race, sexuality, age, ability, etc. — fosters innovation and productivity in the workplace.

This month and every month, Bloomberg is proud to support our LGBT+ employees and allies around the world. We asked our employees to share their stories about the impact they have on their teams at Bloomberg and how the supportive and inclusive environment at work is enabling them to deliver on their personal and professional potential. They also share how they put their LBGT+ allyship and advocacy into action on a daily basis.

Out REPORT: I’m helping to launch initiatives to bring more diverse voices to Bloomberg News.

My name is Stephen Grove. I help oversee our diversity initiatives within Bloomberg News.

I’ve been working with my team to launch a number of different initiatives in the newsroom dedicated to increasing the level of diversity in our sources and to bring a greater urgency to the need for diverse voices in news. This has challenged me in many different ways. It’s a global effort with many local nuances and requires working within many different constraints – but it’s given me tremendous opportunities to apply my skills and gain greater visibility with my counterparts around the world.

In my 10 years at Bloomberg, I have seen our LGBT & Ally Community become more of an advocacy group. We look to communicate the needs of our community to both management and employees. We also leverage our fellow colleagues to become allies in improving not just the quality of life for those at Bloomberg, but those in the larger community.

My #PrideinAction
One thing that I’ve learned during my time at Bloomberg is the importance not only of seeking allies from those outside the LGBT+ community, but the importance of becoming a better ally to those within the community too.

Out LEAD: I oversee supply chain trade compliance for all of Asia Pacific as the Team Leader in Singapore.

My name is Wendy Lua. I am currently Team Leader for our Asia Trade Compliance team.

I started at Bloomberg in 2012 as an individual contributor and my career has greatly evolved since I joined. I now oversee supply chain trade compliance for all of Asia Pacific. I feel that my peers and management’s unbiased recognition and support has contributed greatly to my feeling supported at work. It’s also given me the boost in confidence I needed to be happier and to feel a sense of belonging within the community, as well as the ability to be heard, to listen and to help others.

My #PrideinAction
I actively try to listen and not judge others, even if their perception or comments may be negative about the LGBT+ community. It’s an opportunity to help educate and change their perception of the community.

Out SELL: I have sold nearly 300 Terminals across 14 countries and three continents in 15 years at Bloomberg.

My name is Heena Chakravorti. I am the Enterprise Sales Manager for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

I’ve covered 14 countries in more than three continents over the span of my career at Bloomberg, ranging from the most Northern parts of Scandinavia to South Africa and now Oceania selling close to 300 Terminals in that time.

As an ally, I feel empowered to ensure LGBT+ inclusion is about more than just policy. Diversity & Inclusion is in Bloomberg’s DNA and the support for all people is a message that is reinforced from the top of the organization. People can often have prejudices or buy into stereotypes without even realizing it. As the Asia Pacific Executive Sponsor for Bloomberg’s LGBT & Ally Community, I feel it’s my responsibility to be part of the solution and the education process.

My #PrideinAction
Allies have been involved in almost all movements for social change and can make a significant contribution to the LGBT+ rights movement. It is important for allies to demonstrate that LGBT+ people are not alone and to take a stand in places where it might not be safe for LGBT+ people to be out or visible.

Out ENGINEER: I have modernized developer tools and libraries, improving workflows for hundreds of engineers.

My name is CB Bailey. I’m currently a developer on the new Bloomberg Application Services team in London.

One of my biggest contributions at Bloomberg has been my involvement in an infrastructure project to modernize all developer tools and libraries available across all of our central development machines. A vast number of tasks invoked every hour on hundreds of machines are using versions of tools that I packaged as part of this effort.

It continues to be important for me to know that a core part of Bloomberg’s policies is a commitment to a work place free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of many factors, but particularly gender expression. This meant that when I was ready, I knew I could come to work as my true self and I didn’t need to seek anyone else’s permission or approval.

My #PrideinAction
So much of our society and culture still believes in strict binary divides, whether it be between men and women, or gay people and straight people. We are all people and we all deserve to be respected and included. After accepting my true gender identity, I feel I am able to be a lot more empathetic and I love to be able to provide a small fraction of the support that I received to anyone who needs it. I am always open to listen to colleagues and friends when they need someone to talk to.

Out DELIVER: I was part of a team that delivered MIFID II solutions to more than 750 clients in EMEA.

My name is Kyoko Goto. I am on our Regulatory Reporting Hub (RHUB) Implementation Team.

I implemented and delivered MiFID II solutions to over 750 clients with my team. It was a big challenge but it helped me excel in my career and expand my experience in project management.

My team is very supportive of me and my involvement with the LGBT & Ally Community. Where time allows, my team leader is happy for me to dedicate my time and energy to this community. My team is fairly diverse and we believe that differences are not what separate us, but what helps us bond closer.

My #PrideinAction
I attend the LGBT & Ally Community committee meetings as much as possible and I help organize events to elevate the profile of the community whenever I can. I am proud to be an ally and do not hesitate to express this in and outside of work.

Out SELL: I made the largest add-on sale in Latin America as of 2017, when I sold 25 Terminals in a single order.

My name is Danilo Mazzi. I am a Market Specialist in Global Data Content Acquisition & Business Management for LATAM.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked across several departments at Bloomberg. My biggest accomplishment was in 2013, when I did an add-on sale of 25 Terminals, which at the time, was the largest single order in Latin America.

At Bloomberg, our Diversity & Inclusion policies are taken seriously by management and by our colleagues too. Bloomberg has created an environment where you are encouraged to be honest with yourself and with others around you. For this reason, I feel very comfortable being myself at work. I don’t feel the need to change my personality or pretend to be someone else and this motivates me to produce great work.

My #PrideinAction
Being an ally and a member of a community makes others aware of the cause I am representing and allows me to serve as a point of contact for anyone who may need support.