Everyone is welcome at our table.
At HelloFresh, our passions are fueled by creating a positive and welcoming atmosphere within our communities. We strive for a work environment where our HelloFresh employees–our HelloFresh Family–feel that they can bring their whole selves to work.
In doing so, we have established several inspiring Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) within the company, focusing on important dynamics like female empowerment, education, and promoting diversity within the workplace.
FreshPride, one of our very first global ERGs, creates and maintains an inclusive and safe work environment, fosters professional development, and organizes outreach opportunities for LGBTQIA+ employees at HelloFresh.
“We want to make sure that people are welcome and feel that if they choose to share other parts of their lives, or live freely as themselves, they can,” says North American FreshPride Chair, Keith Sherman.
After spending years in different industries and not finding joy in his work, Sherman came to HelloFresh and immediately connected with the team. That connection with like-minded managers and team leads eventually brought him to FreshPride. “I never worked somewhere that had any type of program like that,” he says. “So I was really excited to be a part of something that focuses on a community that I’m a part of.”
He jumped head-first into FreshPride, quickly began planning events and becoming a key facilitator for open, positive, and necessary conversations. “I think HelloFresh does a great job of highlighting and creating space for these types of efforts,” says Sherman. “That was when I thought: ‘Wow, I really enjoy working here. We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk.’”
Aside from a vibrant calendar of events during Pride Month, FreshPride oversees a variety of initiatives year-round.
- Partnerships: FreshPride works with nonprofits and creative entities to help spread awareness of LGBTQIA+ rights and programs. This year, FreshPride supported the Lesbian Bar Project, created by Erica Rose and Elina Street to “celebrate, support, and preserve the remaining lesbian bars in the US.”
- Events: In order to bring people together to celebrate their true selves year-round, FreshPride shifts its programming focus to highlight key seasonal and cultural events such as black & queer gatherings during Black History Month and women-led events during Women’s History Month. “We really try to connect dualities that a lot of people within the community share, to make sure that we’re not just catering to one facet of them,” Sherman says.
- Authentic Leadership Training: In partnership with Authentic Leaders, HelloFresh employees that identify as LGBTQIA+ are given the opportunity to reflect on the 3 P’s: Pretending, People-Pleasing, and Perfectionism. This collaboration means that queer employees can learn how to break through the queer glass ceiling by leveraging their true selves and unique leadership purpose.
- Active Allies: FreshPride is also dedicated to fostering a safe space for those employees interested in learning more about the LGBTQIA+ community as allies. Geared toward allyship, their Active Allies event series focuses on education and opening the door to better understanding the queer community from the outside.
Creating space for people with every kind of background or self-expression to connect is important for creating an authentic community. FreshPride is dedicated to ensuring that no voice goes unheard, and that everyone feels welcome to express themselves in any way they feel best.
Though there is always room to grow, we feel confident that FreshPride is navigating us in the right direction. Learn more about the FreshPride ERG here.
