Vodafone is delighted to be recognised as a finalist in the 2019 Rainbow Excellence Awards.

The inaugural awards event will be held on Friday 17 May, 2019 at SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre.

The awards recognise the incredible work companies across New Zealand put into creating a more inclusive environment for their LGBT+ communities. Vodafone is a finalist in the Community and Advocacy category, which recognises outward public commitment to community groups.

For Vodafone NZ Rainbow Whānau Chairperson, Darren Mendonsa, this nomination is a great way to recognise the important work Vodafone is doing both internally and for the wider LGBT+ community.

“Businesses have an important role to play in fostering social change for LGBT+ people, and that begins with our people being the best they can be. While LGBT+ people may not represent the majority of the population in New Zealand, a vast majority of people would know a sibling, relative or friend that may be LGBT+, so with workplaces like ours encouraging the learning of what matters to LGBT+, everyone wins and as a business we can start to influence social change starting from within,” Mendonsa said.

Vodafone’s Rainbow Whānau committee started in 2017 as a group of internal volunteers. It has since grown to over 300 members who participate in Vodafone’s LGBT+ activities with support from the executive team, Vodafone Global, and other stakeholders across the business.

Vodafone aims to ensure no one is left behind – not just by having access to the world’s best digital services, but by ensuring the workplace environment is safe for all.

Vodafone has a zero tolerance stance discrimination, and works closely with leading diversity and inclusion NGOs on the development of materials and programmes for each of its initiatives. This deeply embedded culture of inclusion that values and leverages the diversity of its people allows Vodafone to better serve its customers and community.

A proud recipient of the Rainbow Tick, Vodafone last year committed to the Pride Pledge which is an initiative to increase visibility, inclusion and safety for LGBT+ people in the community. Earlier this year, Vodafone was also the Official Telecommunications sponsor of Big Gay Out.

“There are always critical moments when someone makes a choice about whether they want to be more open about themselves with others,” Mendonsa continues, “If we can ensure that there is a supporting environment at those moments of truth then more people will be able to be themselves.”