Pride Month 2024 culminated with a Human Library and Queer Flea Market in Gurugram

Gurugram, India: Reckitt, world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, announced the culmination of Pride Month 2024 by hosting a Human Library and Queer Flea Market at its headquarters in Gurugram. A testament of the company being one of the strongest allies for the LGBTQIA++ community, the celebrations were attended by senior leadership and employees from across Reckitt.

The Human Library organized in partnership with Naz Foundation, a non-profit organization that works for the rights and well-being of marginalized communities in India, provided employees an opportunity to learn from life stories of the community members. It witnessed esteemed speakers including Ms. Anjali Gopalan, Founder, Naz Foundation India and LGBTQIA+ advocate, Chandra Ji, a proud advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights and Bobby Ji, a resilient LGBTQIA+ advocate and self-discovery beacon, found strength in embracing her femininity. The Human Library was followed by a Queer Flea Market where entrepreneurs from the LGBTQIA++ community such as Rajinder, Hira, Mona and, Avinash set up stalls for the employees to engage and buy their products.

Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt said, “We, at Reckitt, are proud to be one of the strongest allies for the LGBTQIA++ community members in India and are committed to fostering a culture of equality that supports every individual. We have been paving the path for a world where inclusivity and equality takes the center stage. With our initiatives such as Durex The Birds & Bees Talk (TBBT), we have been consistently working towards building an inclusive and understanding society and, address the challenges of growing up among young adults and kids.”

Commenting on the Pride Month celebration, Abhishikta Das, Regional HR Director, South Asia, Reckitt said, “At Reckitt, we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive workplace for everyone. We are continuously making efforts to empower LGBTQIA++ individuals and conducting sensitization activities and targeted interventions in our organization. Our initiatives aim to bridge the gap of inequality, ensuring individuals have an equal platform to showcase their skills and share their experiences.”

Reckitt organized multiple on-ground activations that ran throughout the month of June dedicated to support and empower LGBTQIA++ community members:

Stronger Together- A panel discussion: Conducted a panel discussion focused on how to be better allies for the LGBTQIA++ community with Mr. Harish Iyer, DEI Head, Axis Bank, Mr. Ravi Bhatnagar, Director External Affairs & Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt and Ms. Asha Gopalakrishnan, Finance Director, Reckitt as the key panelists.

Unleash the Rainbow: To raise awareness amongst employees about the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA++ community, and how to be better allies, Reckitt launched the ‘Unleash the Rainbow’ campaign, where posters and tent cards were placed across employees’ desks to educate them around the usage of a proper language while addressing the LGBTQIA++ community members.

Furthermore, over the past years, Reckitt has undertaken several initiatives to empower the LGBTQIA++ community, such as introducing Conscious Inclusion Modules for its employees. Through each step, Reckitt aims to further enhance its approach to create an inclusive environment, that empowers everyone to be their authentic selves at work.