Employee Resource Groups As a Tool For Achieving LGBT Equality In Corporate Environment

Employee Resource Groups (ERG) are groups of employees based on a shared identity, background, experience or interests, which are also formally established or supported by the company's management. Although their form and activities vary, their main goal is usually to support the voice of the group within the company, as well as education, awareness or counseling. Employee Resource Groups, as one of the tools of diversity management in companies, have existed in Western countries since the 1960s, yet they are a relatively new trend in the Czech environment, as they have only appeared in local corporations in the last decade. In my thesis, therefore, through semi-structured interviews, I analyze how members of seven ERGs aimed at supporting LGBT workers understand the organizational form of these groups and how they construct their importance for achieving LGBT equality. Keywords: Employee Resource Groups, employee networks, diversity management, LGBT, work