Pride at TD Canada Trust

I forgot to add:  TD Bank is the #1 Sponsor of World Pride Toronto 2014.  CLICK HERE for their announcement.

This is a timed post because I am in Toronto in the middle of my big, fat, gay World Pride weekend. Woo-hoo!

Today's Pride parade will be one of the biggest ever and I decided to participate as a spectator rather than than accept the invitation to walk with my professional organization.

 Much criticism has been directed at corporations jumping on the LGBTQ bandwagon in the commercialization of Pride festivities.

But the reality is, corporations MUST become involved.  It is the final step in the movement for LGBTQ folks to becone normalized in the ccorporate world, not just with social jjustice issues such as same sex marriage.

I really liked this week's comments of the CEO of one of Canada's leading banks:  TD Bank's Diversity A Point Of Literal Pride For CEO

From a CBC article:   

An enlightened approach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is good for the bottom line, but it’s also the right thing to do, says TD Bank CEO Ed Clark.
(Note:  TD refers to "Toronto Dominion").  

One executive told him the bank was losing customers to rivals because it was so openly supportive of gay issues. He said he told him to go work for a competitor if that's what he felt.

In 1994 Clark offered same sex benefits to his employees but was shocked when only 55 signed up in an institution with 55,000 employees.  Clark realized that people were afraid to reveal their sexuality to colleagues and began a personal initiative to change the culture inside the bank.  He learned that in order to change the culture internally, the bank had to also present a public face in support of LGBT issues. 

People would mark it against us and say ‘Do you really want to bank with someone who supports Pride Parade?’” Clark said.   And we said ‘if that customer doesn’t want to bank with us because we support Pride Parade, we’ll show them a bank that they’ll feel more comfortable with.’

I doubt many people get emotional over their relationship with their bank, but reading Mr. Clark's words fills me with pride and admiration.  I've always had an extremely positive relationship with TD since I opened my first account as a 12-year-old.  

But I will be forever grateful to the many TD employees in my home town who provided advice and support, both financial and personal, throughout my harrowing coming-out and divorce journey.

They saw me through the division of our assets, RRSPs and chequing accounts, selling and buying houses, arranging appraisals, lines of credit and provided me with strategies to counter the unreasonable demands of my ex.

They were (and continue to be) among my biggest and most important supporters on my gay journey.  All were highly professional, compassionate and a pleasure to work with.

Thank you, TD Canada Trust!  Happy Pride!