McKinsey Montreal's Evening to Celebrate Being "Queer & Corporate"

McKinsey & Company and McCarthy Tétrault Fierté event organizers: Norman Carra, Laurie Lanoue, Charlene Theodore, Bryn Gray, Liela Touré, and Ruth Knox

McKinsey & Company and McCarthy Tétrault Fierté event organizers: Norman Carra, Laurie Lanoue, Charlene Theodore, Bryn Gray, Liela Touré, and Ruth Knox

December 2024 – Recently, McKinsey & Company had the immense pleasure of partnering with McCarthy Tétrault to co-host a landmark event celebrating Montreal Pride: "Queer & Corporate." The inspiring evening brought together thought leaders, advocates, and industry professionals to explore the current state of Canada's 2SLGBTQIA+ community and to share strategies for fostering inclusive corporate environments.

The event opened with McKinsey Montreal Office Managing Partner Laurie Lanoue and Associate Partner Norman Carra presenting the latest insights on the standing of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Canada. Their data-driven approach highlighted both the progress made and the challenges that still lie ahead.

Lack of inclusion can lead to lower performance, increased pressure, and mental health challenges for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community . These challenges likely contribute to a notable gap in senior 2SLGBTQIA+ talent, with only 0.15% of board members publicly out in TSX-listed companies.

"Diverse teams are more innovative and better equipped to solve complex problems," said Laurie Lanoue. “We embrace diversity across all facets here at the Firm, not as a “nice to have” but rather as a business imperative. This is an issue at every level of the funnel, starting at the hiring stage it is astounding to note that 2SLGBTQIA+ respondents are 3.3x more likely to feel their orientation negatively impacts their job prospects.”

Despite good intentions, the transformative DEI ambitions many companies have, can often lack the necessary infrastructure for success. Ineffective employee resource groups (ERGs), for instance, can hinder DEI goals if they are not supported and aligned with broader business strategies.

As an example of a successful DEI transformation in action, McCarthy Tetrault’s award-winning Inclusion Now strategy was reviewed during the evening. After resetting their DEI strategy in 2019, McCarthy Tétrault saw a 56% increase in the number of DEI initiatives in 2023, including book clubs, education campaigns, panels, and policy support. This ecosystem approach helped drive accountability and collaboration in achieving DEI progress.

Photo of panalists, Elle Anderson, Sébastien Barangé, Frédérique Drainville, and Bernard Truong. Moderated by McKinsey Engagement Manager Ruth Knox.

The heart of the evening was a panel discussion featuring the remarkable voices of Elle Anderson, Sébastien Barangé, Frédérique Drainville, and Bernard Truong. Moderated by McKinsey Engagement Manager Ruth Knox, the panelists shared their personal experiences, professional journeys, and actionable insights for fostering inclusivity in the workplace.

"Being authentic in the workplace shouldn't be an aspiration; it should be a reality," remarked Elle Anderson. "The last thing you should do is find 'the only' at your office and give them hours and hours of DEI work to be responsible for."

Sébastien Barangé echoed this sentiment, adding: "I never had a ‘coming out’ at work; it was more about continuous conversations with colleagues. Now that I’ve reached a senior position and am Vice President, I see where the workplace needs to catch up with the lived reality of our community. Non-birthing parental-leave and similar company policies or benefits are ways you can ensure inclusivity across your organization."

Photo of Equal at McKinsey walking at Montreal's Pride Celebration parade

For nearly 30 years, McKinsey has had its internal network for the LGBTQ+ community globally, titled Equal at McKinsey. Equal at McKinsey's early mission of support has expanded to include recruiting, mentorship, global conferences, learning programs, pro bono work, and research initiatives. The community welcomes people of all orientations, gender expressions, and gender identities.

In the spirit of closing Montréal’s Pride celebration with a strong message of unity and celebration, the McKinsey Montreal office proudly walked in the official parade. This act was more than just a celebration; it was a testament to the Firm’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. It’s an invitation to our LGBTQ+ community just as much as our allies to step forward and protect the rights of the marginalized. Allyship is a crucial part of helping to ensure that all members of the LGBTQ+ community at McKinsey feel supported, included, and seen by colleagues. For queer employees, our research showed that more than half of gay, lesbian, and nonbinary employees had stronger feelings of being an “only” (only person, or one of the only people, of their sexual orientation or gender identity) in the workplace than other employees did—making allyship imperative to the workplace. When each of us opens ourselves to the opportunity to enrich the tapestry of our lives, we can lead with compassion and create a stronger fabric of society.