Outie Awards (the “Outies”) recognize individuals and organizations who are leaders in advancing equality for LGBTQ people in workplaces globally. Outies are awarded at the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit.
This award recognizes an LGBTQ individual based in one of Out & Equal’s countries and/or regions of focus outside of the United States – Brazil, Latin America, China, or India – who is actively advocating to improve their organization’s inclusion efforts, pushing significant adoption of best/innovative practices, benefiting LGBTQ employees and advancing their organizations’ standing as a true leader in this work. These advocates are bold and are making a difference outside their workplace to drive change and equality in their community, their country, and the world.
The 2021 Global LGBTQ Corporate Advocate Outie Award honorees are below. The Outie winners were announced at the annual Workplace Summit happening October 6-8, 2021.
Winner
Luiz Felipe Centeno Ferraz (he/him), Mattos Filho
Luiz Felipe Centeno Ferraz is a partner at Mattos Filho in Brazil, a leader in the firm’s LGBTQIAP+ affinity group, Mfriendly, and is the only out LGBTQ+ partner of the firm. Luiz is responsible for the expansion of Mfriendly from the Sao Paulo headquarters to the Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Campinas offices. Under Luiz’s leadership, Mattos Filho was one of the first firms in the region to create policies to recruit and support transgender and nonbinary employees. He helped develop mandatory trainings for employees to help raise awareness about the transgender community and ensured that these employees have necessary protections in the workplace. Luiz leads the work with Mattos Filho’s pro bono team to provide free legal assistance to the LGBTQ+ population, specifically helping advance the rights of LGBTQ+ couples, people who have been expelled from their homes, and LGBTQ+ people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the nominator’s words: “Luiz stands out as an LGBTQIAP+ advocate because the effects of his management of MFriendly are clear: the group’s success has strengthened internal relationships among professionals, who have now found themselves able to live their real lives and focus on their professional developments.”
Honorees
Gurchaten Sandhu (he/they), International Labour Organization
Gurchaten Sandhu is a Program Officer at the International Labour Organization in Switzerland and is also the President of UN-Globe, the group that represents LGBTIQ+ personnel in the UN. Gurchaten successfully advocated to the Senior Leaders of the UN for an internal and external UN system-wide strategy on LGBTIQ+ rights and has produced mandatory trainings, allyship programs, and internal campaigns addressing LGBTIQ+ harassment and discrimination. He has also led the initiatives for the recognition of same-gender partnerships ensuring equal access to benefits for partners of UN personnel and has made progress in equitable parental leave policies across the UN. Gurchaten coordinated the efforts that led to the UN successfully obtaining a grant from the U.S government to help empower transgender people in Brazil, which will serve as a model for duplication in other countries. He shares his own story and struggles with mental health, internalized homophobia, classism, and racism to help be a visible role model for other LGBTIQ+ people.
In the nominator’s words: “As a working-class queer person of color and faith, Gurchaten strives to ensure that UN-Globe not only advocates for equality and inclusion, but also ‘walks the walk’ to ensure diversity within its structures. As a leader, Gurchaten strives to create and hold space to ensure that the most marginalized voices are represented and heard.”
Felipe Tuler (he/him), JPMorgan Chase
Felipe Tuler is an Associate at JPMorgan Case in Brazil and the Co-Chair of the Brazil PRIDE ERG chapter. Under his leadership, the group increased their local PRIDE membership in the past two years by 50%. Now over 60% of the Brazil employees are members of PRIDE. Felipe is a member of the firm’s Global Gender Identity and Expression Council where he helped develop gender inclusive and neutral language offerings in Portuguese for local JPMorgan employees. As a part of the council, he has also expanded transgender health benefits and awareness trainings. Felipe’s impact reaches beyond JPMorgan Chase. He is a founding member of the Executive Secretary of OUTStand, Brazil’s Financial Market Pride Group, composed of 29 financial institutions and law firms that work to increase LGBTQ+ inclusion in Brazilian workplaces. He also recently led the launch of a mentorship program where more than 70 corporate leaders provide mentorship to young LGBT+ professionals early in their careers.
In the nominator’s words: “Felipe demonstrates a high degree of thought leadership, coming up with creative and innovative ways to enhance LGBTQ+ equality within the local market and the global LGBTQ+ initiatives across the firm. Felipe’s strong network and respect outside the firm has allowed JPMorgan to hold a strong position with a number of non-profit partners and ensure our support for them is maintained and consistent.”