Pride is Powerful

Pride is powerful.

Whether you’re a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community or you’re proud to be an ally, your pride has the power to create lasting change.

While we’ll celebrate the progress and achievements made within the LGBTQ+ community throughout Pride Month, we’re committed to supporting legislation, implementing workplace policies and amplifying voices of the community year-long.

At Capital One, we believe it’s our responsibility to continuously advocate for an equitable and inclusive society, where everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression feels empowered to be themselves and have an equal opportunity to thrive. 

As part of those efforts, we’re thrilled to announce that we are making a direct investment in the community through more than $500,000 in funding to support two of our partners that are driving change.

• Out & Equal: This nonprofit works with executives, Human Resources and Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging professionals and LGBTQ+ business resource group leaders to strengthen their role as internal change agents, bolstering their effectiveness and helping them incorporate and advance best practices in Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging work.
  • Our funding will directly aid in Out & Equal’s efforts to support equality for the LGBTQ+ community and people of color in the workplace. 
• The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE): NCTE advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.
  • We are supporting NCTE's efforts to field the United States Transgender Survey and provide much needed information to help the public understand the lives and experiences of transgender people in the United States.

“At Capital One, we're all in on advancing equity, equality and inclusion for LGBTQ+ communities so that they can thrive,” says Rolddy Leyva, Managing Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB) for Capital One who also serves on the board at Out & Equal. “Everyone is included and everyone has a role in creating a culture of belonging where people feel safe to live their lives authentically and where they can achieve their full purpose and potential.”

Those grants build upon the Capital One Impact Initiative, an initial $200 million, five-year commitment to support growth in underserved communities and advance socioeconomic mobility by closing gaps in equity and opportunity.

Advocating for an inclusive society

At Capital One, we’ve had a long-standing commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and most recently advocated for the passage of the Equality Act to ensure its members equal protections under the law.

The Equality Act is designed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Denying the LGBTQ+ community these basic protections runs counter to the ideals of our democracy and the values we cherish at Capital One. 

Capital One continues to advocate for the passage of the Equality Act in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and other groups. Our partnership with HRC builds on our track record of supporting public policies that advance critical protections and equality for the LGBTQ+ community. 

Previously, Capital One:

• Advocated for marriage equality before the landmark Supreme Court decision in 2015 
• Worked through the HRC’s Business Coalition to champion the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), legislation that would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment practices
• Signed a letter led by the HRC and Freedom for All Americans  expressing deep concern about a slate of anti-LGTBQ+ state level bills, many of them specifically targeting the transgender community and calling for lawmakers to abandon those efforts. 

In addition to our support of the Equality Act, we have a long track record of advocating for policies that advance all dimensions of LGBTQ+ equality, from housing and employment protections to marriage equality. 

As one of the first major companies to offer same-sex partner benefits back in 1997, Capital One is proud to have been an early adopter of policies promoting equality and belonging in the workplace. We were recognized as a DiversityInc 2021 Top 50 Company for Diversity and honored to be ranked #1 on their Top Companies for LGBTQ Employees list. 

“Capital One’s values go beyond its internal-facing practices,” says Eileen Filler-Corn, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. “Capital One effectively uses its voice and influence externally to oppose discriminatory legislation and support legislation that promotes and protects women, minorities and LGBTQ+ populations.”

Celebrating, elevating and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community

In addition to supporting our community partner organizations, efforts will come to life through: 

• Activating our associate Business Resource Group (BRG) Out Front to support the LGBTQ+ community through associate engagement and events. 
• Leveraging our cafés as inclusive spaces that amplify important issues facing the community. During Pride Month, our cafés will transform into a space that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community while raising awareness about the work that still needs to be done.  
• Sponsoring events, amplifying stories and partnering with people in the LBGTQ+ community to celebrate Pride and advocate for change. 

There’s still awareness to be raised, policy to be changed and equality to be achieved. 

But when we come together as a community, our voices are more powerful, celebrations are more memorable and our impact more lasting.  

For more information about our commitments, visit capitalone.com/about and our 2019-2020 CSR report.