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In 1984, IBM added sexual orientation to its United States nondiscrimination policy (IBM Out and Proud, 2). In 1991, they created networking groups across the US and Canada for GLBT employees (2). In 1995, a multitude of events caused the IBM Corporation to receive the Human Rights Campaign �Corporate Citizens Award�, and they were featured in �Best Companies for Gays/Lesbians� by Cracking the Corporate Closet (3). Such events included the Chairman and CEO, Louis V. Gerstner, commissioning eight executive diversity task forces, including the IBM Gay and Lesbian Executive Task Force. Also, they sponsored the National Gay and Lesbian Business and Consumer Expo in the United States (3). In 1996, the distinguished corporation receives more awards from the Human Rights Campaign such as the �Corporate Citizens Award� and the �Michigan Corporate Award� (4). Same-sex domestic partner benefits were added to their policy in 1997, and they received more awards including one of Out Magazine�s �Top 100 Best Companies for Gay and Lesbian Employees� (4). From 1999 to the present, the company has reached such a pristine global representation of GLBT equality that it has received many awards from multiple organizations (5-7).
IBM has all the requirements that GLBT employees aspire, but they also go beyond the normal benefits. Other companies may offer the partner benefits and the diversity groups, but do they offer benefits for adopted children by same-sex couples? IBM offers this and other advantages such as a one week vacation. Usually in policies pertaining to same-sex partner benefits, they don�t include the usual �one week vacation� that hetero couples receive, but IBM extends this award to their GLBT employees with a steady partner (Saulman, 2005).
Presently, IBM Corporation is looked upon by other large companies as an inspiration for GLBT rights in the workplace. They continue to receive numerous awards from many different organizations, and they impact corporate society on more than a matter of business. They serve as a model to follow, and they represent structure that is flawless to discrimination. |
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