Company Will Be One of the First Businesses to Participate Safe Spaces Certification
SOURCE: AEG
DESCRIPTION:
June 2, 2022 /3BL Media/ - In June 2019, AEG, the world’s leading sports and live music company, pledged its support to the development of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative’s (SIGBI) LGBTQ+ Safe Space standard.
Today with the kick-off of Pride Month, AEG has committed to becoming one of the first businesses to be certified using the SIGBI Safe Space certification program. Other companies that will also participate in the certification program include Brooklyn Brewery, Jägermeister, and JetBlue.
SIGBI announced the launch of its Safe Spaces Certification Program at its annual Pride kickoff event on June 1, 2022. The Safe Space Initiative was launched in response to a survey SIGBI conducted that uncovered that 89% of the LGBTQ+ community believe that most spaces are not aware that LGBTQ+ people feel unsafe, and 97% believe the LGBTQ+ community would benefit from more safe spaces.
SIGBI’s 10-step certification process was developed in partnership with some of the brightest minds from marginalized communities nationwide and is being rolled out starting in June 2022 to entertainment venues, food and beverage locations, stores, businesses, and other public venues, so they can become certified as a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ members of the community.
In addition to meeting certain criteria to become a Certified Safe Space, employees of the participating businesses and venues must also complete a training component designed by Jennifer Brown Consulting to ensure that they are creating an inclusive environment.
"We need to make sure that businesses that say they are Safe Spaces for the LGBTQ+ community actually are,” stated Stacy Lentz, CEO of the Stonewall Inn Give Back Initiative. “This means they are putting in the work and supporting our community year-round, not just during Pride. “It is imperative that we offer training and resources to companies, venues, and stores that are committed to being a safe, welcoming space where LGBTQ+ individuals can celebrate, thrive, work, shop, and live freely," added Lentz.
“At AEG, we are proud to partner with SIGBI and are committed to being one of the first companies to become certified,” said Jae Requiro, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AEG. “It is important for us to create a sense of belonging not only for our employees but also for fans attending our events by providing welcoming and safe environments where people can feel a sense of trust and the free to express their authentic selves.”
The Stonewall Inn has long been a global beacon of hope and is seen as one of the original safe spaces and community centers for the LGBTQA+ community for over 50 years. The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative is inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQA+ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Rebellion of 1969. Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising, and candid public dialogue, The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative supports grassroots organizations and marginalized communities across the globe with a focus on those where progress toward equality has been slow and spreading the Stonewall Inn Legacy to places where it is most needed.
In addition to participating in the SIGBI Safe Space Certification program, AEG received a perfect score of 100 on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
KEYWORDS: AEG, Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, Stonewall Inn, SIGBI Safe Space Certification, LGBTQ+ Safe Space Initiative
