Rob Mahalik of Ben & Jerry's discusses supporting LGBT professionals and the importance of acceptance and equal benefits at work.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
Generated from the transcript and can be wrong — check the timestamp.
Key Takeaways
- Equal benefits for same-sex couples are essential for workplace equality.
- Sharing LGBT stories helps reduce fear and promotes understanding.
- Acceptance and inclusion benefit both individuals and organizations.
- Ben & Jerry's has been a pioneer in supporting LGBT rights at work.
- Building bridges of acceptance leads to stronger communities and workplaces.
What the video covers
- Rob Mahalik is the Social Mission Director for Ben & Jerry's.
- He praises Lord Brown's book, The Glass Closet, for promoting understanding and acceptance of LGBT individuals.
- Ben & Jerry's recognized the need to provide equal benefits to same-sex couples.
- The company became one of the first to offer same-sex benefits to support civil rights in the workplace.
- Rob emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories to reduce fear and increase understanding.
- The website glass.org is highlighted as a platform for sharing LGBT experiences.
- Greater understanding leads to better workplaces, communities, and overall prosperity.
- The video promotes tearing down ignorance and building bridges to acceptance.
- Rob calls those who come out and share their stories heroes.
- The message is one of equality, acceptance, and social progress.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Hi, I'm Rob Mahalik, Social Mission Director for Ben and Jerry's. Lord Brown's book, The Glass Closet, is an important and courageous piece of work. It throws the door wide open. Actually, you know, it tears the hinges right off the closet, which is what we should do because we need to have understanding to be able to tear down the walls of ignorance. And we need to have understanding to build the bridges to acceptance. It's only going to benefit all of us.
Speaker A
Years ago, here at Ben and Jerry's, we actually went through our own revelation. Some of our gay and lesbian colleagues came in and said, you know, why are the heterosexual couples enjoying the benefits that we should all enjoy?
Speaker A
All of us who have committed, loving relationships. And we said, you know, you're right. It should be that way. So Ben and Jerry's became one of the first companies in the world to have same-sex benefits so that we could all enjoy the
Speaker A
civil rights that we should all enjoy and love whom we love. I think the heroes in this are all of those who can come out and tell their stories and share their stories. And if you go to glass.org, that's a place where
Speaker A
you can witness and share your story. The more we know, the more fear will be allayed. The more we'll be able to understand each other, and it's just going to be better for us in our workplaces, in our communities, and we'll
Speaker A
all prosper for it.
Speaker A
all Prosper for it
Topics:Ben & Jerry'sLGBT rightsworkplace equalitysame-sex benefitsThe Glass ClosetRob Mahaliksocial missionLGBT inclusiondiversity and inclusioncivil rights











