During Pride month, Amgen celebrates the contributions of its LGBTQ+ colleagues to Amgen and the communities where we live and work. This year’s theme is allyship, said Andy Edgar-Beltran, principal engineer and Global Chair of the Amgen PRIDE employee resource group.
“I’m grateful to work for a company where people support and encourage their colleagues to be their authentic selves,” said Edgar-Beltran. “Too many people around the world continue to suffer the injustices of being silenced, closeted, or openly persecuted for who they are or who they love. We take pride in knowing that we work in an environment where our unique voices are heard and uplifted.”
In a visible show of allyship, Pride flags were raised at Amgen sites around the world. In addition to the traditional rainbow colors, the progress pride flag design now includes colors to represent the transgender community and people of color.
Attendees at the Amgen Thousand Oaks (ATO) flag raise ceremony, where the company is headquartered, included Jon Graham, executive vice president, general counsel & secretary, executive sponsor of Amgen PRIDE and Derek Miller, senior vice president of Human Resources. Graham recalled that his engagement as an ally began to take shape in high school and college.
“Allyship can be a journey,” he said. “It’s about understanding, supporting and taking care of other human beings.”
Amgen partners with TransCanWork, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing workplace inclusion for transgender people. As part of the collaboration, Amgen recently updated the language of some of its HR policies and revised guidelines to better address the needs of staff who are transitioning.
Gwen Cummings, Vice President of Finance, said that while it’s important to celebrate Pride month, the need for support is ongoing.
“As the proud mother of a transgender son, it has been my honor to share our family’s experience with my Amgen colleagues,” said Cummings. “Sharing our story is an important piece of my commitment to allyship and the opportunity to be truly seen and understood has contributed greatly to my sense of belonging at Amgen.”
