Together. Courageous. Queer.
“[…] at a time when companies may be abandoning this topic because they are afraid of a shitstorm and discussions and becoming a target, it is important to say: We’re sticking with it!” – Marc Opelt, Chairman of the Divisional Board, OTTO.
With this strong statement, Marc Opelt, Chairman of the Divisional Board at OTTO, welcomed the audience to the PROUT AT WORK Conference 2024 on October 24 and 25, 2024 at Lead Partner OTTO in Hamburg and virtually in front of the screens. Under the motto “Together. Courageous. Queer.”, many interested people once again took part in this year’s specialist and industry event to exchange ideas and get to know new committed people and see old acquaintances again.
The PROUT AT WORK Conference 2024 in numbers
215 participants from 81 companies and organizations. Two-day program with two keynotes, two panel discussions, three interviews and seven breakout sessions. Interested parties from all over Germany and beyond gathered at the new OTTO headquarters to take part in interactive breakout sessions, discuss in large and small groups and take presentations from inspiring speakers back to their own companies or organizations. In order to make the event more inclusive and develop it further, there were also three sign language interpreters on site this year to make the conference presentations accessible to deaf people.
“I really love the way you bring company representatives together! At other events, it often feels like a reverse cold call from consultants and coaches. Here I actually had the opportunity to exchange ideas with people from other companies and networks!” – anonymous conference participant
In addition to external speakers, numerous company representatives also set the tone, providing participants with best practices from their respective companies and thought-provoking content.
We would like to thank lead partner OTTO, the supporting companies Audi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clifford Chance, Deutsche Bank and Novelis as well as mobility partner MOIA for making the PROUT AT WORK Conference 2024 possible. Recordings of the presentations and insights into the event can be found on the conference website.
Panel Talks
What does Queerness mean to you?
Speakers & Moderation
After the welcome address, the PROUT AT WORK Conference 2024 kicked off with the first interactive format of the day, which took the audience on a journey to answer the question “What does queerness mean to you?”. After an introduction by speakers and moderation, the conversation was repeatedly opened up to contributions from and short discussions with the audience. The resulting exchange underlined the motto of the event and provided aha moments, thoughtful faces and the desire to exchange ideas even after the content contribution.
„If you do not understand […] try to understand the other’s perspective! I think that this will help us bring more freedom into our community and stop the hate and discrimination we are still facing today.“ – Dr. Traugott Gruppe, Medical Director Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim
Pride Day Contest
Speakers & Moderation
Lorenz Finsterhölzl (he/him), Senior Consultant at Capgemini Invent
Emma Weilbier (she/her), Working student in Diversity Management at Capgemini Invent
Björn Jahnke (he/him), Senior Consultant / Network Spokesperson Diversifly, Deutsche Lufthansa
Petra Wallner-Rübeling (she/her), Equal Opportunities Officer, Jobcenter Frankfurt a.M.
Enea Cocco (he/him), Project Lead, PROUT AT WORK
This year, it was not the audience favorites with the most votes that took the stage, but three actions selected by PROUT AT WORK and their representatives. These actions represented best practices from different areas and organizational sizes, demonstrating the diversity of actions submitted for PRIDE DAY GERMANY 2024. The ideas – from raising the rainbow flag to creating queer awareness training and external marketing initiatives – were discussed in depth, challenges were addressed and the importance of the day of action was emphasized.
“We had an incident last year where a customer came and wanted to tear down the rainbow flag in a property because he was totally outraged by it. This led to discussions among our seven property managers, and the manager who was affected said: “Well, now you can see how necessary it is to really show our colors together.” That was also the name of our campaign this year, and now the banner doesn’t just stay up during the campaign period, it hangs all year round.” – Petra Wallner-Rübeling, Equal Opportunities Officer, Jobcenter Frankfurt a.M.
Interviews
Responsibility of companies
Speakers
Martin Frommhold (he/him), Head of Corporate Communications, OTTO
Albert Kehrer (he/him), Executive Board, PROUT AT WORK
Martin Frommhold from OTTO and Albert Kehrer talked about the tension between entrepreneurial attitude and economic interests. The interview focused on how attitude can be made visible both internally and externally, whether a diversity quota in advertising makes sense and how OTTO deals with the flood of hate comments.
“When I look at our trainees […] new generations are coming in now, and it’s wonderful to see. It’s not something that develops out of necessity, but rather happens quite naturally.”
– Martin Frommhold, Head of Corporate Communications, OTTO
Being out in sports
Speakers & Moderation
Emily Bessoir and Marcus Urban shared their very different experiences as openly queer professional athletes. While Emily encountered almost exclusively positive reactions in basketball, Marcus faced significantly greater challenges in football. In conversation with Ingo Bertram, they reflected not only on the differences between men and women in sports but also on how strongly the environment within each sport shapes the coming-out process.
“[…] be yourself. Especially as a woman: You can take up space, you can be successful, you don’t have to make yourself smaller. And exactly, just show up as you are. I once read a quote: Be so authentically yourself that everyone else feels comfortable to be themselves too. […] That’s what I would tell everyone.” – Emily Bessoir, Professional Basketball Player
“Que(e)r durchs Land”
Speakers
In 2024, Brix Schaumburg cycled across the country for the third time as part of the “Que(e)r durchs Land” tour. Joining for the first time—but certainly not the last—was Robin Scheerbaum. Together, despite several rainy stages, they covered 1,640 kilometers in 17 days and visited 16 queer organizations along the way. Their message: time to rethink corporate mindsets. In collaboration with companies, they aim to develop queer-focused campaigns. During their tour, they raised a total of €7,000 in donations, which they presented to PROUT AT WORK at the conference.
“We talked about so many different topics while cycling—and that’s exactly what we want to do with the companies we partner with on the tour: to come up with campaign ideas together, to design campaigns together. It’s not just about us riding through Germany with their logo on our chests, but about creating a full campaign and embarking on a shared journey.” – Robin Scheerbaum, systemic coach & consultant / content creator for queer activism
Keynotes
Diversity Fatigue
Speaker
In her keynote, Alex Gessner spoke about diversity fatigue—the exhaustion that comes from endless efforts to build DE&I structures without seeing sufficient progress. She encouraged the audience to think beyond their own bubble, to question their privileges, and to actively seek out missing perspectives. Her practical tip for networking—both in the figurative and literal sense: instead of forming closed circles, create half circles—this keeps the view outward open and makes it easier for new voices to find their way in.
„We have the same problem even within our community. We have people arguing over pronouns, whether to use gender-inclusive language or not. Which flag to use? […] We are fighting for visibility. You don’t have to buy it, you don’t have to display it everywhere, but please don’t take up space, time, and resources to discourse about which flag we should be using. Let people use the Progress Pride flag!“ – Alex Gessner, Chief Operating Officer, ACI Consulting
Trans* visibility in parliament
Speaker
Dr. Adrian Hector, a trans* member of parliament for the Green Party, has transformed his anger over experiences of transphobia into political engagement. With passion, he advocates for queer people to know their rights and for anti-queer hate crimes to be consistently prosecuted. To strengthen visibility and a sense of belonging, he invites queer individuals to the Hamburg City Hall—a place where they, too, should feel welcome and represented.*
“What is important to me in my political work is the topic of visibility and empowerment. Being trans has a lot to do with shame, with doing everything possible so that no one sees that I’m trans, to have good passing, to look like a ‘real’ man or a ‘real’ woman, so that no one notices and I don’t have to expose myself to it, because it is so heavily associated with shame. And I find that terrible, because being trans* is perfectly fine!”**
– Dr. Adrian Hector, Member of the Hamburg Parliament for the Green Party
Breakout Sessions
Sovereign instead of fearful: How to respond correctly in the case of racism complaints
Speaker
No one wants racism in the office or workplace. Clearly. But sometimes it happens – someone files a complaint with HR or a supervisor about a racist incident in the company. What to do? How can managers and HR verify the allegation? How should they respond? In the short term? Medium term? And long term? The practical breakout session provided guidance and was specifically aimed at people who are currently or will be in leadership positions.
Rainbow Families in Companies: The Legal Situation, Status Quo, and Challenges
Speaker
In this exchange format, the focus was placed on the legal situation of rainbow families in the workplace. Where should support begin? What structures need to be established to ensure sustainable engagement? Participants reflected on the status quo in their own companies and potential challenges in addressing the topic.
Recognizing and Addressing Queerphobia in the Workplace
Speaker
What does queerphobia mean, and what are microaggressions? What prevents people from reacting appropriately in such situations? In this interactive online breakout session, the focus was not only on how to recognize queerphobia and discrimination in everyday (work) life. Participants were also provided with tools for intervention and communication strategies to effectively respond to such situations.
No Diversity Without Democracy: How Companies Can Engage with Employees for Democracy
Speakers
In the workplace, where people from all walks of life meet every day, promoting democracy and diversity plays a crucial role. Strengthening people and the local economy are goals that Deutsche Bank pursues with its holistic approach to societal engagement, as well as to the promotion of diversity, equal opportunities, and participation. In a time when societal challenges such as racism, populism, extremism, and social inequality are becoming more and more prevalent, more dialogue and encounters are urgently needed. In the workshop, participants gained insight into how Deutsche Bank and its employees live and practically implement their social responsibility both in Germany and worldwide.
“Our Stories – Sharing is Caring” – An Empowerment Space
Speakers
Charlotte Wunn and Sy Legath opened a safer space in this session and invited participants to engage in small group discussions about personal experiences related to the topic of “discrimination within and outside of one’s own communities.” The conversations were open, supportive, and conducted without questioning the experiences shared. In addition to providing an opportunity for exchange, the space primarily facilitated mutual empowerment and made solidarity tangible.
Hate Speech Online: Experiences, Approaches, & Solutions
Speakers
In this session, the focus of the discussion was on experiences with hate speech related to queer topics and how to handle it. Large companies, in particular, often generate significant social media backlash through high-profile events. Examples of this are provided by AUDI AG and Deutsche Telekom. How do these companies handle such issues internally? How do they express their stance externally? What solutions are available? These intriguing questions were explored in an interactive session.
Is inclusive leadership just a buzzword? Let’s talk!
Speakers
Is (Inclusive) Leadership just a buzzword? Yes? No? In this breakout session, participants learned how Inclusive Leadership can unlock the full potential of themselves, their teams, and the entire organization. How can leaders be held accountable for creating a safer space where everyone can thrive? The session invited participants to challenge their own assumptions and discover strategies and practical best practices to foster high-performing teams and a truly inclusive “we” culture.
More impressions from the PROUT AT WORK Conference 2024 can be found in the archive.
We would like to express our sincere thanks for the kind support of:
Lead Partner
Supported by
Mobility Partner
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