#WelcomeTalent 2024 highlights the impact of inclusive brands on recruitment and retention

This year's #WelcomeTalent event in Madrid, organized by myGwork in collaboration with IE University’s IE Out And Allies, focused on the power of inclusive brands, and their impact on recruitment and retention strategies.

The fourth annual event comprised keynote speakers, engaging discussion panels, and its first careers fair showcasing inclusive employers, which attracted hundreds of students and graduates. The inclusive careers fair offered valuable networking opportunities and job prospects with inclusive employers, such as ABB, Yugo, Telus International, Diageo, American Express, Swiss Re, Oracle, WTW, Aqualia, Colt, and Haleon.

This year’s event featured discussions with some of Spain’s politicians, celebrities, as well as business leaders, on topics such as the strategic allyship between marketing and HR/DEI to create truly inclusive campaigns; how to avoid pitfalls of pink washing; as well as how to successfully attract and retain LGBTQ+ talent. 

Mela Habijan, Miss Trans Global 2020 and a member of the IE Out and Allies Club delved into the transformative power of advertising campaigns that embrace diversity. Spanish journalist Adrian Bono shed light on ground-breaking brand campaigns, such as Virgin Atlantic's shift to gender-inclusive uniforms, which allows staff to wear skirts or trousers depending on what they are comfortable with, that resulted in a doubling of job applications. Spain’s Olympic figure skater Javier Raya and industry leaders such as American Express’ Amara Pazos, Haleon’s Esther Castro and Diageo’s Celia Serradilla highlighted best practices in LGBTQ+ inclusion in DEI and marketing, showcasing a genuine commitment to societal values.

In her presentation, OUT to Succeed, myGwork’s Business Development Director Michi Raymond shed light on the role of employer branding in attracting diverse talent. She shared stark statistics from several surveys, including myGwork’s latest research, on the challenges of coming out at work and staying out, and why many LGBTQ+ professionals (54%) remain closeted at work to their clients and customers. “In 2024, professionals can be legally fired in 114 countries for being LGBTQ+. Out of 195 countries, only 81 countries offer employment protection for LGBTQ+ employees,” pointed out Raymond. 

The event concluded with Madrid’s Deputy Mayor Inmaculada Sanz, alongside IE Out and Allies Club’s President Mariano Andres Gigena-Kazimierczak, IE Foundation's Vice President Gonzalo Garland, myGwork’s Director of Iberia & LatAm Miguel Garzón, and Business Development Manager, Michi Raymond, honoring stand-out inclusive companies with Welcome Talent! Certificates. Companies including ABB, Accenture, Amazon, American Express, Boston Scientific, Diageo, Fleishman-Hillard, lululemon, Microsoft, Moodys, RS Group, RWS, Standard Chartered, Swiss Re, Taylor Wessing, Telus International and Yugo were celebrated as 'inclusive employers' for their ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion

Commenting on the success of the event, myGwork’s Miguel Garzón stated: “Over the last four years, #WelcomeTalent has evolved into an established global event to connect DE&I with top-tier talent. Each edition serves as a platform for companies to share and adopt best practices to foster an inclusive environment to reach the best and most diverse talent. Our well-attended and successful event consistently delivers exceptional content and boasts high-level, distinguished speakers. This year, we also proudly introduced our inaugural job fair, which received amazing feedback. We are already looking forward to the next one!”

Watch all of the photos from the event here: