By working together, both the Firm and BNP Paribas are able to do more for LGBT diversity than we could achieve separately.
Jane Rueger, partner and Co-Chair of the US Spectrum Affinity Group, Washington, DC
In 2017, White & Case took its partnership with longstanding client BNP Paribas to promote LGBT diversity to a new level. We participated with BNP Paribas in New York’s and London’s annual LGBT Pride parades, co-hosted several in-house events on LGBT topics, including a conversation with transgender technology entrepreneur Natalie Egan, and held an LGBT employment law session for BNP Paribas executives in London, led by White & Case associate Helen Levendi.
Before the New York parade, our Spectrum LGBT Affinity Group and BNP Paribas’s PRIDE Network co-hosted a brunch, which was open to everyone in our New York office, along with family and friends. Afterwards, attendees were invited to ride on, walk or dance alongside our joint parade float. Firm Chairman Hugh Verrier gave opening remarks at the brunch, along with BNP Paribas’s Robert Hawley, Managing Director and Deputy Head of CIB Americas.
In London, a pre-parade brunch was also held. Attendees included champions of the LGBT community who had been named on the Pride Power List 2017, a publication that also was co-sponsored by BNP Paribas and the Firm. Attendees from BNP Paribas and our London and Germany Spectrum Affinity Groups then made their way to a co-sponsored parade float.
“By working together, both the Firm and BNP Paribas are able to do more for LGBT diversity than we could achieve separately. And we can learn a lot from each other going forward, particularly by sharing our insights about allocating resources and enhancing internal diversity and inclusion initiatives,” says Jane Rueger, White & Case partner and Co-chair of the US Spectrum Affinity Group.
Vinay Kapoor, Americas Head of Diversity & Inclusion at BNP Paribas, concurs: “BNP Paribas is delighted to be collaborating with White & Case on our global LGBT journey. Our efforts to date have included best practice sharing and co-sponsoring the Pride parades in both New York and London. Going forward, we are excited to deepen our relationship with an LGBT Peer Mentoring Program and to extend the geographical reach of our joint LGBT diversity efforts.” He adds, “Collaboration is key vis-à-vis diversity and inclusion, and we are thrilled to be working with White & Case—a firm which is equally committed to developing an LGBT- inclusive workplace.”