To Our Allies

We talk a lot about great leaders at Out Leadership. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned through the years, to be a great leader, you have to be a great Ally.

If you’ve ever joined us at one of our global summits, CEO dinners, or VIP receptions, you’ve seen how Allies have always been at the heart of our work to advance LGBTQ+ equality.

As you may know, the Out Leadership Team has monthly or quarterly strategic advising meetings with our member companies to help them navigate their current business and talent environment as well as to help them best-utilize our research, data, best practices and global convenings.
And, in the last five months, we’ve been hearing a few familiar questions from more and more of our member companies—concerns that reflect the growing pressure and uncertainty many are facing, such as:

“Are allies welcome at your events, or are they just for LGBTQ+ employees? We completely understand either way, but if allies aren’t included, we won’t be able to send anyone or promote the event internally.”

Spoiler alert: Allies have always been welcome and have always been present at Out Leadership events (just think of how many of the 1,200 CEOs who have spoken at our events are LGBTQ+). Allies have been at our table from the very beginning–which is why we published the first global Ally Research, AllyUP™  and they are now even MORE vital to protecting the progress we’ve made.

“Do we continue with our Self-ID in the current US environment (which is where most companies started the process) given the risk that it could put our employees in?”

“As federal contractors, we’re getting mixed messages from the Current US Administration…DEI is bad and we can’t do it, but the EEOC reached out in May and requested the annual report with one month’s notice!”

This is the political climate in today’s America we’re now operating in—where companies are increasingly cautious, even combing through invitations and websites to confirm that the word “ally” is present–worried they could be targeted by the federal government simply for associating with an organization seen as “too focused” on LGBTQ+ equality.

Another country that’s continuing to advance on LGBTQ+ inclusion is India–progress so many leaders got to hear about first-hand from my friend Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, the first openly gay Crown Prince of India!
Out Leadership sponsored the tour for his inspiring memoir, “A Royal Commitment,” written by the Prince and his husband Duke DeAndre. The two amazing men traveled (by car!) over 3,600 miles, participating in more than 30 events across 14 states, connecting with more than 25,000 individuals, across a spectrum of public festivals, private engagements, spiritual gatherings, wellness sessions, and interfaith conversations (including WorldPride Washington, DC!).

They ended the tour with a 6-day stay at my home in Fire Island Pines leading yoga and meditation on the deck every day, making appearances at Tea, and graciously allowing me to have a small cocktail reception with some of my close friends and neighbors.

To have the opportunity, all of these years later, to have maintained a close relationship through our activism, as well as to be able to support this phenomenal book tour, and to have them in my home, will remain one of my favorite memories of the year.

And for those who wonder why I’m still the eternal optimist, and why I’m still feeling energized about my work–leaders like Prince Manvendra and so many others in our community remind me that while the pendulum may swing, we will continue to make progress. Wherever you are in your journey–whether corporate or individual, LGBTQ or Ally, thank you for being here—with us, and for each other.

As Kenji Yoshino puts it:
“The heart of allyship is not perfection—it’s presence.” 

And I look forward to more opportunities to be present with ALL of you this fall and into 2026.

With gratitude and pride,
Todd Sears
Founder & CEO, Out Leadership

PS – Out Leadership is kicking-off 2026 Member Company Renewals AND our 2026 Membership Drive this week!  We’re excited to plan with our current members, and look forward to welcoming new companies into the OL Family to help us drive progress. Feel free to refer us if you know of a company that would benefit from our work!

OutNEXT Global Summit: Coming Soon!

A decade after the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land, a new survey from Republican pollsters shows just how thoroughly Americans, even conservatives, have embraced it. The research by Project Right Side shows 70% of voters now support marriage equality, including 56% of Republicans. That’s a huge shift from the GOP of 10, or even 5 years ago.

Other key takeaways:

People aren’t backtracking—31% say they’ve grown more supportive over time, while just 13% have cooled on it.

Opposition is weak and fading. Politicians pushing to undo marriage equality would likely face a backlash.

Even the current president’s stance (“It’s settled”) seems to have given Republicans permission to move on.

Bottom line? The culture war on this issue seems to be over, and the public (including a whole lot of Republicans) has clearly moved on.

BTW a special shout and with great gratitude to Project Right Side Founder Ken Mehlman for his tremendous work (he hates taking credit)  and who for 14 years has been on Out Leadership’s advisory board!)

Andrew Kassoy, a visionary who reimagined capitalism as a tool for social good, passed away on June 22 at his home in Brooklyn at the age of 55. After a successful career in private equity, he co-founded B Lab in 2006, driven by the belief that businesses should prioritize people and the planet alongside profit. B Lab’s certification system, which recognizes companies as B Corps, has grown into a global movement, with nearly 10,000 certified businesses—including Out Leadership, Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s—committing to ethical practices. Kassoy’s advocacy also helped establish “public benefit corporations” in over 40 states, ensuring companies consider societal impact in their decisions. Kassoy’s passion for systemic change was rooted in his early experiences, from witnessing poverty on the Pine Ridge Reservation to his grandfather’s dedication to education equity. After leaving Wall Street, he devoted himself to proving that capitalism could be both profitable and purposeful. His work reminds us that even small steps toward justice and sustainability can create lasting change.