USA 
United KingdomKaleen Love,
CPCO at PMI
Philip Morris International’s CPO makes her position on equity clear, and reveals how she creates a culture where LGBTQ+ employees are supported year-round...
Kaleen Love,
CPO at PMI
Philip Morris International’s Chief People & Culture Officer makes her position on equity clear, and reveals how she creates a culture where LGBTQ+ employees are supported year-round...
While Kaleen Love, Chief People & Culture Officer at Philip Morris International was proud to don her rainbow shoes in June, she’s keen to impress that LGBTQ+ support and DEI isn’t just about dressing up and going to festivals and parades.
For Love, it’s about promoting safety and belonging year-round. At PMI, she works to create a safe space for all employees, knowing firsthand how hard it can be to hide a major part of one’s identity and inner life at work, and the impact it can have on work performance.
Love speaks with HR Grapevine to outline how she has built a culture of equity, and how PMI’s People and Culture team will protect this foundation in 2024 and beyond to create a joyful workplace that employees love to be a part of.
If we think of diversity as having a seat at the table and inclusion as being heard, equity acts as the hallway—it ensures everyone has an equal opportunity to enter the room. When these three elements of DE&I work in harmony, they amplify each other, allowing organizations to leverage fresh and unique perspectives.
We know companies are better when they have real, diverse opinions, ideas, and experiences; this becomes even more critical when an organization is going through mass transformation like we are, as we march towards our smoke-free vision. I cannot begin to say how much of a dream role this is for me, as I have an opportunity to help set the tone and ensure every person feels safe and comfortable coming to work and being themselves.
Feeling valued and respected really matters. Everyone wants to be seen and appreciated for who they are, and this also helps to create a more productive, creative workforce.
We know companies are better when they have real, diverse opinions, ideas and experiences; this becomes even more critical when an organization is going through mass transformation
People have gotten smart about “rainbow washing”—when companies try to use Pride Month as an opportunity to join the conversation without taking any actual action to support the LGBTQ+ community. We’re working to ensure we have workplace policies and benefits in place that walk the walk, rather than just talking the talk.
It’s essential for organizations to think about ways to support their LGBTQ+ team members beyond just 30 days in June. As leaders, it’s on us to ensure workplaces are inclusive all year long, for all employees. We must regularly create space for joyful celebrations of uniqueness and give employees the opportunity to be themselves, without fear of judgment or discrimination.
We know that our younger generations of employees are increasingly seeking alignment with values when applying for new jobs. Employers stand to attract and retain top talent if they are taking action to create a workplace that promotes, embraces, and enforces diversity.
In our Stamford, Connecticut headquarters where I’m based, Pride is a very well-celebrated occasion. Our LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), STRIPES, works hard for many months to ensure it’s a month equally packed with joy and education. They bring in amazing and diverse voices who speak about current and relevant topics that are impacting the community. This effort is meant to empower our colleagues, no matter their background, to serve as allies.
Outside of Pride, STRIPES is an extremely active resource group all year long, dedicated to providing support, guidance, and resources to LGBTQ+ employees and allies. They continuously help to create space for our employees to unite, share experiences, and offer support to one another.
Further, as one of our leaders, I have a unique chance to help set a tone throughout the organization. I am authentic and real about my own experiences, whether that be my own coming out story or what it's like being a mother to twins. I’m also able to share my support for our STRIPES ERG. Living and breathing our values publicly helps to create alignment across the organization.
As part of the LGBTQ+ community myself, it’s an honor to work for a company that supports the expression of individuality and is committed to being inclusive. I’ve heard from numerous employees about how proud they are to be part of a company that supports the LGBTQ+ community publicly and year-round.
I know it makes us better as an organization. Having diverse opinions and empowering employees to show up as their real selves is helping to spark innovation and new thinking, and helping our organization stay at the forefront of the future of work.
T he foundation of fostering a loyal and productive workforce starts with the employer accepting their employees for who they are
As leaders, we’re in charge of fostering an environment that encourages employees to give their discretionary energy to the shared mission of our business daily. That’s why the foundation of fostering a loyal and productive workforce starts with the employer accepting their employees for who they are and continuing to exhibit their support no matter what the circumstances are.
Firstly, listen and act. Create clear opportunities for honest and open dialogue with employees about what’s working and what can be improved, including for LGBTQ+ employees. This is one of my favorite parts of my role and I take great pride (no pun intended) in turning suggestions into actions to improve our mission. It’s so important to create space to allow employees to share how they feel and then implementing solutions is critical to showing support.
Secondly, regularly assess how you are supporting your LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace and use the findings to create an even more supportive and accepting workspace.
Thirdly, empower employees to be advocates within the organization by creating employee resource groups (ERGs) and providing the ERGs with the resources they need to make an impact. This creates a safe space for employees to discuss their concerns and issues they are facing, allowing them to relate with others who share their experiences. These groups can then bring the entire organization in, whether it be by hosting programming, suggesting improvements to processes, or by implementing new training programs.
