Corporate Sustainability Manager

"I grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where identifying as part of the LGBTQIA community would open you up to loneliness at best or ridicule and violence at worst. I grew up with several friends who didn’t identify as part of the community until left town, a fact that has bothered me since 2001 when I left for college.

Being an ally in the Andersen PRIDE+ ERN to me is one way to speak out against discrimination, fight ignorance, and do what I can to make sure people now don’t have to endure what my friends growing up had to."

Manufacturing Engineer

"Since I’ve started my involvement with PRIDE+, there has been so much more support than I would have imagined. It has been entirely heartwarming to hear testimonies from people who feel more welcomed at work and also to create a safe space for people to express how they maybe don’t feel as comfortable at work. It has also been really comforting to feel support coming from leadership, including my own supervisors as well as executive leadership at Andersen and in between and connect with many of these people by attending the Twin Cities Pride Festival, presenting at a staff meeting, or just having a casual conversation about a PRIDE+ article on our intranet...

Experience Manager, Renewal by Andersen 

"Every day, as the Renewal Experience Manager, I talk about treating others with respect, building trust in relationships, making sure people know you care and focusing on a goal of ultimately delighting others at the end of any interaction. I try to live this every day. I am mindful of my words and actions to ensure I am respecting others, I focus on building trust in relationships by doing what I say I am going to do.  I try to connect with others, ask questions about them and show appreciation for their contributions and work to make sure they know I care, and I try to have some fun! I always try to make sure to say hello to those I pass in the hall and say thank you and good-bye to those I interact with on my way out the door. I believe it’s the littlest things, and smallest choices you make each day that can impact others, and I try to show up every day and deliver Signature Service to those around me."

SVP/Chief HR Officer

"I consider myself an LGBTQ Ally. My cousin is in a same-sex marriage, my husband and I have several close friends with children who are part of the LGBTQ community and our family has many dear friends who are part of the LGBTQ community. While I do not personally identify as LGBTQ, I am 100% committed to actively listening, being aware of implicit biases, understanding and reflecting on my own privileges and doing research to better understand how I can drive positive change and eliminate marginalization...

Territory Sales Rep, NJ & NY 

"No matter if I am at work, with my family, or at a social gathering, I am always myself. People can always pick up if you are being something other than yourself. I can embrace my surroundings very quickly by listening, observing and being aware of the situations I encounter. Some may take my listening as quiet, but I whole-heartedly believe there is a time and a place for every conversation. I would rather be thought of as saying something with meaning, than to be known as saying anything at any time. Building relationships is a gift that I have, and it took me a long time to embrace that. I believe that when I finally embraced that gift, was when I began to see the fruits of my labor."

Sales Operations Administrator

"It means so much for the company that I work for to be supportive of and engaged in the queer community.  I help facilitate a Coming Out support group at a community center here in metro Detroit, and every week I see folks who are taking the brave and sometimes incredibly difficult steps toward fully embracing themselves… for companies like Andersen to be visibly, genuinely, actively involved in the LGBTQIA community matters deeply in creating more safe spaces and room for open conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equity. 

Coming to work for Andersen in 2018 was like a breath of fresh air for me – it truly renewed my faith that companies do exist that care about more than just profits, but about giving back to their community and supporting their employees.  PRIDE+ is just one more reason for me to be proud to be a part of the Andersen team!"

Manufacturing Operations Manager, Bayport Windows 

"I don’t look at being a female as a barrier unless you allow it to be.  I haven’t thought of my gender as being a constraint.  My male counterparts treat me as a team member and we don’t allow gender to be an obstacle.  I am a servant leader and care about the people I work with which is what a leader should focus on.  I have high expectations of my team but I help when they need it.  I have built a rapport with many groups in the organization and not once have I felt like gender was an issue."

HR Business Partner, Renewal by Andersen

"I joined Renewal By Andersen as a Human Resource Business Partner and had a great first impression on the first day of the employees I met. Everyone seemed friendly and genuine. There has been positive momentum towards DE&I, which started before I joined the company. The Talent Acquisition team implemented recruiting strategies to attract and recruit talent that are diverse not just ethnically, but of varied backgrounds who can provide different perspective both professionally and from personal experiences.

Diversity simply makes us stronger, attractive and confident as a business.  We can’t lead effectively with integrity, excellence, partnership, innovation and responsibility if we don’t invest in diversity...