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O voices in the profession, increase the pipeline of
ver the past few decades, there has been
an evolution in lesbian, gay, bisexual,
LGBTQ+ individuals into staffing and leadership
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) support
can better support the LGBTQ+ community.
within public accounting firms. In the beginning, roles, and promote education on how organizations
that support focused primarily on the basics, like “The goal of [the committee] is making sure our
equal access to employee benefits and the ability to profession is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community,
be out at work, but today firms recognize that truly so they’re not thinking of us as a stodgy old profes-
supporting LGBTQ+ staff requires a multifaceted sion that might not be welcoming to them,” Crespo
approach. said.
The goal is to create a welcoming workplace About 1 out of every 6 Generation Z adults
where LGBTQ+ employees feel safe and respected (those ages 18–23 in 2020) identifies as LGBTQ+,
as their whole selves, said Chris Crespo, CPA, according to Gallup research. Crespo argued that
inclusiveness director at Ernst & Young LLP. firms should never leave such a large group out of
Crespo is also a member of the AICPA LGBTQ+ the pool for consideration.
Initiatives Committee, and she was co-chair of the
LGBTQ+ Networking Group, which preceded the STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES
committee. Accomplishing that goal may require If your organization is looking to increase its
employee resource groups and learning about support of LGBTQ+ employees, consider the
various identities and intersectionality, which means following strategies:
overlapping disadvantages related to race, gender,
and class, within your community. Start with the basics
A welcoming workplace isn’t something taken If you are starting from scratch, a good first step is to
for granted. According to the Human Rights make sure you’re supporting the basic needs of your
Campaign, 46% of U.S. employees who identify as LGBTQ+ employees, including things like ensuring About the
LGBTQ+ remain closeted at work. the safety of your employees, shielding them from author
“Sometimes you compartmentalize your life, and discrimination, and making sure they have equal
Hannah Pitstick is
it’s easy to say I have my gay life, I have my church access to company benefits.
a content writer
life, and I have my work life, but we need to give Look at your employee benefits plans to make
for the Association
people the space to not compartmentalize,” Crespo sure they’re inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees.
of International
said. Some changes you can make to render them more
Certified
While the ethical case for supporting LGBTQ+ inclusive might be as simple as updating a few
Professional
employees should stand on its own, there’s also a words. For example, you might change the words
Accountants.
clear business case. Analysis from Credit Suisse “husband” and “wife” to “spouse” or “partner,” and
has found a correlation between LGBTQ-friendly you might consider making the language through-
companies and stock performance, and U.S. out your benefits plans and onboarding documents
Chamber of Commerce Foundation research has gender-neutral.
shown that LGBTQ-inclusive companies are more In addition to spousal benefits, firms might
successful at attracting, retaining, and engaging consider increasing support for things like adop-
talent. tion and fertility treatments. For example, EY has
“From personal experience, I was much more a program called Pathways to Parenthood that
productive, comfortable, and happy at work when was initially rolled out to support couples with
I wasn’t trying to hide the fact that I was married medical infertility, which inadvertently excluded
to a man,” said Nick Moore, CPA, senior manager same-sex couples and single people. It was later
in the audit methodology and standards group at expanded beyond infertility to also help LGBTQ+
Grant Thornton LLP and co-chair of the AICPA employees.
LGBTQ+ Initiatives Committee. An increasing number of firms are also offering
As part of an effort to improve LGBTQ+ transition benefits for their transgender employees.
diversity and inclusion across the profession, the Grant Thornton has offered such benefits for
AICPA created the LGBTQ+ Initiatives Commit- more than five years and produces a transition
tee in 2021 out of an existing LGBTQ+ network- guidebook to help not only the staff member
ing group formed in 2018. The committee aims to who is transitioning but also everyone around
expand U.S. efforts to globally support LGBTQ+ them. For example, the guidebook helps educate
AICPA and CIMA members, amplify LGBTQ+ the co-workers of the person transitioning so

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