Oct 27, 2020 Ford Motor Company Southern Africa, FMCSA, Pride month, Neale Hill,
Ford Redefines the Concept of #BuiltTough and #BuiltProud during Pride Month 2020
October is Pride month in South Africa – a time when we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and take stock of the progress that has been made, while identifying the challenges that still lie ahead.
For Pride Month this year, and in celebration of Pride Week this week, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is redefining and reframing what it means to be tough, especially when expressing individual identity. “When it comes to vehicles, ‘Built Ford Tough’ is usually associated with our immensely capable Ford Ranger, but for Pride Month we wanted to relook the concept of ‘tough’ and how it applies to people, and specifically the LGBTQIA+ community,” says Neale Hill, MD of FMCSA.
“In the human context, being tough means being proud of who we are as individuals and, now more than ever, standing united in defence of equal rights for all, breaking down stereotypes and putting an end to discrimination,” Hill adds. “The hashtag #BuiltProud embodies Ford’s ongoing drive towards embracing and promoting diversity, and striving towards inclusion in all aspects of our business and the broader community.”
For Pride Month 2020, Ford is taking the opportunity to start discussions and define how we accept challenges and overcome them with confidence, courage and optimism. After all, Ford put the world on wheels with the legendary Model T and embraced disruption to evolve into one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers. “We need to apply this same level of courage and ‘Built Tough’ and ‘Built Proud’ of who we are as individuals when tackling diversity, both within our organisation and society as a whole,” Hill states.
At Ford, we feel it’s important to remember and honour the courage of the individuals that staged the first Pride parade held in Johannesburg on 13 October 1993.
This was a bold and important step to recognise and highlight the LGBTQIA+ community and ensure that our freedoms and liberties are upheld in line with South Africa’s constitution. It added to the global chorus of entrenching human rights as paramount, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. It’s also crucial to accept the reality that 27 years later, we still see discrimination and prejudice targeted against members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and we need to remain resolute against those who seek to exclude, harass and even endanger the lives of people that they deem different from themselves. We need to continue breaking down stereotypes and create an environment in which people can be proud of who they are.
“Being ‘BuiltProud’ means we never give up and we look to what has already been achieved to keep motivating diversity and inclusion,” Hill says. “It is encouraging to see the wave of acceptance that has been evident in recent years, with a shift towards a more inclusive world where gender identity has become more fluid, and people are able to express themselves – and not only be accepted, but are being embraced and celebrated.”
Throughout Ford Motor Company’s 117-year history, and its 96 years in South Africa, it has proved that – as one of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and providers of mobility – it is resilient and here for the long haul. “Our focus is on empowering, training and promoting the best-qualified individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender or gender identity,” explains Hill. Accordingly, Ford has established a number of programs to advocate diversity and inclusion in the workplace, provide diversity awareness training amongst its employees, and to create opportunities for networking, socialising and communication among its LGBTQIA+ employees.
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