Rising Star Award 2022

The award was presented at the "PROUT AT WORK Conference 2022: See. Learn. Grow. LGBT*IQ - The Power of Visibility" last week in Frankfurt. Oliver Pleiß from the Pride@ergo network proudly accepted it.

PROUT AT WORK is one of the leading think tanks, advisor and shaper in Germany on LGBT*IQ issues in the work environment. Its motto is "The Power of Visibility". Since 2018, it has presented LGBT*IQ awards to particularly committed and influential company networks. With these awards, it sets a sign of appreciation and respect for people who give visibility, a voice, a face and at the same time weight to LGBT*IQ concerns in the workplace.

Rising Star category

The award category Rising Star offers LGBT*IQ networks that were founded no more than two years ago the opportunity to apply with their actions and thus once again draw attention to themselves. In this way, the award pursues an important goal: to drive and recognise young initiatives with significant campaigns and actions as outstanding role models.

Why Pride@ergo received the award

PROUT AT WORK explains why they chose the ERGO network: "Above all, the networking of the Pride@ergo network with different levels of the company, such as the Diversity and Communications departments, as well as the support from the Board of Management and the patron, have shown that even a young network can achieve a lot in a short time, whether internally or externally".

The wide-ranging activities and anchoring in the company structure - from raising the LGBT*IQ flag at the company locations throughout Germany, participation with a truck at the CSD Cologne to the company-internal thematisation of LGBT*IQ issues at the trainee start or in the discussion arena - were decisive in the decision for Pride@ergo.

Oliver Pleiß accepted the award in Frankfurt. He - together with the members of the network - is very happy about this award.

Tolerance on both sides

For him, it is important that tolerance is lived on both sides - on the part of the members of the LGBT*IQ community and the rest of society.

Pleiß on diversity at ERGO: "We live diversity! No one should invest time and energy in hiding who or what they are. Be proud and come out. It shouldn't matter what gender orientation you belong to, what gender identity you have or where you come from. Being human counts!"

Congratulations to the Pride@ergo network!