We are in a moment when the voices and actions of a few are attempting to dim the light and progress of an entire movement.
And while it may seem overwhelming, we must remember our potential, our strength, and our value. In times of adversity, doubt, and challenge, Queer joy and resilience will always outshine and persevere. Each one of us possesses this light inside of us that when nurtured and joined by others is magnified. It becomes a beacon of hope, connection, truth, and safety. Every day in our workplaces, LGBTQ+ people–and their allies–work relentlessly to illuminate paths toward inclusion and belonging.
And through the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, we will harness, nurture, and grow that light. We will remind our collective community and the world of the brilliance and power we hold.
We will remind them that we are an unstoppable, radiant force.
2024 Workplace Summit Sessions and Key Dates
Workplace Summit attendees consistently report that it is both a life-changing experience filled with meaningful connections and a potentially game-changing opportunity to build and share best practices through workshops, keynotes, and conference activities. The Workplace Summit has become the most trusted and reliable global source of LGBTQ+ workplace equality learning and development. The learning framework includes soft skills, hard skills, networking, and contributing to a transformative experience for attendees. This unique convening of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practitioners, LGBTQ+ executives, and Resource Group leaders enables attendees to be part of a powerful network that collectively moves the needle on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion both in the USA and around the globe.
Please read the CFP instructions carefully. Proposals that are not submitted in accordance with the guidelines will not be reviewed.
2024 Timeline
Thursday, April 11th (1 PM ET USA) - CFP Briefing Webinar for Out & Equal Partners only - Watch the recording here. Passcode: ?D?%^7d*
** Friday, May 24th - Proposal Submission Deadline (5 PM ET USA) **
Monday, July 8th - Notification of acceptance/rejection.
Friday, August 30th - Submit session decks & downloadable resources for Out & Equal review
Monday, October 7th - Pre-Conference Day
Tuesday, October 8th - Workplace Summit begins
Thursday, October 10th - Workplace Summit concludes
2024 Highlights
In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’re excited to share some highlights about the 2024 Workplace Summit submission process:
Put your best foot forward! With only 90 workshop sessions available, and more than 400 submitting organizations, please focus your proposal development efforts on your most compelling work in LGBTQ+ workplace belonging, policy, and advocacy. The acceptance rate in 2023 was 19% and we strongly recommend each organization limit the number of submissions to your top three proposals.
To improve communications and serve you more effectively, please submit all your organization’s proposals under the same Primary Contact. If you are already an Out & Equal Partner, your O&E Primary Contact can delegate proposal administration and still be added as a cc to stay in the loop on all emails sent from the proposal portal.
Hot topics
Advocacy, Law & Public Policy
Global and Regional Focus (Latin America, APAC, EMEA, Southern States)
Intersectionality
Mental Health and Well-being
To stay current with emerging trends, we’ve updated the Areas of Focus:
Allyship is back!
Storytelling is the new name for Leveraging Narratives.
Workplace Culture is the new name for Belonging & Workplace Culture.
Each proposal must have ONE main Area of Focus selected and can add up to two others.
To enhance the attendee experience, there is deeper emphasis on attendee engagement. Proposals that include attendee activities beyond standard Q&A are more likely to be considered for acceptance than those that do not.
To Begin Your Proposal
- Click on LOGIN to create a new profile and use the "New User?" link to create a new user account.
- Login with your credentials to begin your proposal.
- Refer to the the CFP Instructions for guidance on building your proposal.
- Once you begin, you can save your proposal as a work in progress and submit later before the deadline. Please be mindful that you do not create duplicate proposals.
Questions?
- VIEW the CFP Instructions to help you with any technical issues or proposal guidance
- WATCH the Call for Proposals Briefing Webinar on April 11, 2024 - a Partner-exclusive benefit. Passcode: ?D?%^7d*
- EMAIL learning@outandequal.org with the subject line: 2024 Summit Proposal. Please include your company name in all communications.