Growing with PRIDE: How the LGBTIQ+ community is built at JTI

At the forefront of JTI’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is the PRIDE Employee Resource Group (ERG), where employees come together to support queer colleagues across the company. Established to foster connections and promote growth, the PRIDE ERG has been instrumental in creating safe spaces and advocating for the LGBTIQ+ community within JTI.

The PRIDE ERG has been organising summits across the globe to strengthen networks, share best practices, and enhance visibility for the LGBTIQ+ community inside the organisation. These summits have taken place over the past year in the Americas, Western Europe, and most recently in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. They serve as platforms for connection and growth, uniting employees across different regions in a shared mission of inclusion and support.

In June, the beautiful city of Manila played host to the PRIDE ERG’s third summit for LGBTIQ+ inclusion. This two-day event brought together queer employees, allies, advocates, and ambassadors from various markets across the Asia-Pacific region.

myGwork spoke with PRIDE ERG’s global team members, Arch Co and JB Tabuzo, whose contributions extend beyond their corporate responsibilities into event leadership, data policy research, and advocacy. Both Arch and JB are dedicated to championing LGBTIQ+ representation and shared valuable insights from the summit.

Arch Co, from the people and culture team in the Philippines, and JB Tabuzo, brand manager at JTI HQ in Geneva, are clearly committed to fostering togetherness and visibility for the LGBTIQ+ community. Arch took the lead in organising the summit for Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Reflecting on the event, both highlighted the alignment between JTI’s values and its support for LGBTIQ+ initiatives, reinforcing the company’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.

“This year, our theme is to ‘Grow with PRIDE.’ We want to grow our connections, our awareness, and our footprint of chapters. We have two chapters so far in the Asia- Pacific, and more on the horizon. Of course, we want to ensure that people are increasingly aware of the support we offer—a community of advocates, allies, and just friends. Besides, every new member is a celebration for us here at PRIDE,” Arch explains. “ERGs like PRIDE provide visibility and representation for the LGBTIQ+ community. These elements are critical because, personally, I feel that I can bring my authentic self to work when there is a recognised community in the office.

After all, we spend many hours in the office, and we all deserve a working environment that empowers us to bring our human best, allowing us to show up just as we do in our personal lives!”

Arch elaborates: “‘Grow with PRIDE’ means two things to me. Firstly, since most of the summit attendees have yet to establish their chapters, we wanted them to find comfort in the bond and community we were able to build during these days. Secondly, we aim to expand the community across the region by encouraging the establishment of chapters in their respective countries.”

Networking was a crucial element of the summit, allowing participants to forge meaningful connections, share best practices, and collaborate on initiatives. These interactions are vital for building a supportive network that transcends geographical boundaries, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.

JB echoes this sentiment, revealing how his time working in an inclusive environment has helped him grow, both personally and professionally. He remarks on the value of his role in nurturing team members throughout the organisation: “There is a very meaningful feeling when you are able to make a professional and personal impact in the lives of the people you work with,” JB reflects. “At the summit, it was incredible to see the enthusiasm and hope in people—their dedication to helping colleagues and their commitment to driving positive change. Witnessing this collective energy highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces for our community. That’s why PRIDE ERG adopted the ’embassy model,’ which ensures that, regardless of local regulations and laws, we strive to create a safe environment within our offices everywhere we operate.”

Leadership support was pivotal in the success of the summit. Arch highlights the importance of the welcome messages from JTI’s DEI Director and the Philippines’ General Manager: “This sent a clear signal of strong backing, not just for the event, but for the causes championed by our community.” He emphasises that these messages played a crucial role in boosting the confidence of attendees from countries with legal restrictions on LGBTIQ+ representation. The summit acted to reinforce that, despite challenges, initiatives are being undertaken for their community, whether big or small.

However, organising such a transformative event wasn’t without its challenges. From securing venues to communicating with participants from different countries worldwide, the logistical hurdles faced in executing the summit were significant. “I definitely encountered challenges… just like any other event,” Arch admits. “One thing that saved me was humility—humility to accept that, though we hope the event will be perfect, there will inevitably be bumps along the way. Humility to ask for help.”

Looking ahead, both JB and Arch are optimistic about the lasting impact of the summit on JTI’s culture and the LGBTIQ+ community. “Having this PRIDE Summit in the region, we do not expect every country to instantly establish their own chapters. Step by step, we hope our peers in the region will create small-scale initiatives to raise awareness about the community, helping our LGBTIQ+ members feel that there is an international effort to support them,” reflects JB.

The next PRIDE Summit is set to take place in Eastern Europe. This move aims to strengthen the region’s commitment to LGBTIQ+ inclusion and continue the momentum generated by previous summits. These summits are perfect platforms for reflection, learning, and growth, fostering a sense of community and representing JTI’s dedication to inclusion. They set a powerful example for organisations worldwide.

JTI is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTIQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTIQ+-friendly job opportunities at JTI.