For third year, Tec one of the best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality

For the third consecutive year, Tecnológico de Monterrey has received the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” certification and is once again the only educational institution in Mexico to have received this distinction from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

Inés Sáenz, the Tec’s Vice President for Inclusion, Social Impact, and Sustainability, said that this certification is the result of the institution’s efforts and work to generate good practices that promote social change for equity in Mexico.

“It’s a recognition of the institution’s commitment and determination to be more inclusive, promote equal opportunities, and recognize all people for their talent,” said Sáenz.

The sixth edition of the HRC Foundation’s MX Equity report certified 252 employers for their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion based on the pillars established in the Global Workplace Equity Program in Mexico.

The report was presented at the EGADE Business School on Monterrey campus on December 5, in the presence of Tec executives and representatives of the HRC Foundation and ADIL Mexico, which was in charge of conducting the survey in the country.

A certification that recognizes inclusion

The HRC Equity MX: Global Workplace Equity Program report evaluates the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in workplaces at Mexican and multinational companies.

The HRC Foundation established this global program in Mexico six years ago, starting with 32 companies and it has managed to increase the number of participating employers since then. 298 institutions were evaluated this year, 36 more than the previous year.

Of the total number of participants this year, 252 employers including Tec de Monterrey managed to receive the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality 2023” certification by obtaining the 100 points established by the Mexican Labor Equity Program.

To date, the Tec is the only educational institution in Mexico that has obtained this distinction, meeting all the criteria of the required categories.

Hernán García, the Tec’s Vice President of Talent and Experience, noted in his message as host that the Tec has allocated efforts and resources focused on diversity and inclusion.

“At Tecnológico de Monterrey, we continue to fortify ourselves as an empathetic and inclusive institution that recognizes diversity as an important strength and that puts people at the center of its decisions,” said García.

“This certification carries with it the responsibility and commitment to inspire more people and organizations to join, foster environments where differences and similarities are respected, and generate conditions for greater equality of opportunity,” he added.

“It’s important because it sets the tone for other educational institutions and gets people talking about the topic in public and at meetings on personal and professional development in companies,” said Ray Villanueva, Tecmilenio employee and member of the Tec’s LGBTQ+ Gender Diversity committee.

The Tec’s commitment to inclusion

In 2012, the Tec declared its principles of equality and non-discrimination, which have been part of the effort to align talent processes, foster equal opportunities, and promote actions for greater equality of staff members.

García mentioned actions that the institution has taken to promote diversity and inclusion based on the principle of equality and non-discrimination.

For example, it has created more inclusive work spaces through investment in physical accessibility on campuses and created the Center for the Recognition of Human Dignity and Service Points in various regions.

Some initiatives have included the creation of a protocol to deal with cases of gender-based violence and the implementation of programs to raise awareness of human dignity.

In addition, it has created five diversity and inclusion advisory committees, one of which is focused on the LGBTQ+ community.

“These and other data allow us to view our progress, but they also give us a baseline against which we need to continue working to fortify ourselves as a more inclusive university that values and respects diversity,” García added.

“At Tecnológico de Monterrey, we continue to fortify ourselves as an empathetic and inclusive institution that recognizes diversity as an important strength.”

This year’s HRC Equity MX Report evaluated national and multinational companies based on the following central pillars of LGBTQ+ inclusion:

• Adoption of non-discrimination policies
• Creation of diversity and inclusion resource groups and boards
• LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion education and training
• Participation in public activities to support LGBTQ+ inclusion 

“As part of this community, these types of certifications give you visibility and the confidence that there are more people like you within the institution, who support you and respect you for being who you are,” said Matías Ramos, of the Tec’s LGBT+ Gender Diversity advisory committee.

Click here for a complete list of the companies that were distinguished by the HRC Equity MX report.

HRC Equity MX report presented at the Tec

This edition of the report, which certifies national and multinational companies for promoting diversity and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace, was presented at the EGADE Business School on the Tec’s Monterrey campus.

The ceremony was attended by RaShawn Hawkins, director of the HRC Foundation’s Global Workplace Equity Program, and Carlhey Bolz, deputy director of the HRC Foundation’s Global Workplace Equity Program.

In addition, Fernando Velázquez and Francisco Robledo, representatives and implementing partners of Equity MX, reported that this initiative has impacted 1.4 million people in the country this year.

“When we think of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility, it all comes down to treating people as humans and making sure we’re all visible,” Hawkins said.

“For the Tec, it’s a step forward in this movement that aims for more and more people to have safe spaces, where they can be authentic. It’s important because diversity and inclusion are human rights in the end,” Bolz said.

In addition, professionals such as Lilia Nahon, Gerardo Granados, Xóchitl Blanco, and Daniel Morales shared their stories of how they have managed to mobilize their institutions to become more inclusive and safer for the LGBTQ+ community. 

The Tec community was represented by Karla Urriola, leader of the Gender and Safe Community Office at the Tec’s Center for the Recognition of Human Dignity, and Alejandro Poiré, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Government.

“This is an extraordinary effort we’re witnessing from many people and organizations, which we’re proudly working hard on at Tec de Monterrey,” said Poiré.

“Today, 1 in 4 people of college student age don’t declare themselves heterosexual. We’re in a world with more freedom for people to express themselves as they are, and that’s something we must prepare for as quickly as possible,” he concluded.

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