Veritas Celebrates Pride Month, an interview with Nate Witte
As an enthusiast for cultivating an inclusive and diverse work environment, I’ve had the opportunity to join PAVE, Pride at Veritas Empowered, an Employee Resource Group at Veritas as an ally to share my support for the LGBTQIA+ community. I’m excited to share with you what I learned about Nate Witte, PAVE’s ERG lead. He is so kind to share his thoughts and experience as a member of the LGBTQA+ community.
“I have been working at Veritas as a Senior Renewals Account Manager for six years as of June 5th of 2023. I love the closeness and warmth among the people, teams, and even cross-functionally at Veritas. It’s one of the most inclusive and true "work family" environments I've ever seen or experienced” says Nate.
Q: What does Pride Month mean to you?
Pride Month, which takes place in June, holds great historical significance and represents a time of change for the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s important to remember and honor the trailblazers who paved the way, as well as celebrate each other’s authentic selves. The battle for equality extends far beyond one month and still has a long road ahead.
Q: Why is it important for a company to prioritize and promote inclusivity?
Having experienced the pain of trying to fit into a certain mold for acceptance during my childhood, I understand the negative impact a non-inclusive environment can have on a person’s well-being. Considering that we spend about one-third of our lives at our jobs, it’s crucial that each individual feels supported, heard, and respected.
Q: Can you share a time when you felt included, valued, and heard?
It’s difficult to pinpoint a specific instance because I feel heard and valued every day. I am grateful to work at a company that celebrates and recognizes my unique perspective. I wouldn’t be able to thrive in an environment that devalues me.
Q: How has your team, colleagues, and/or manager promoted and created a safe and inclusive work environment?
Honestly, it’s what they haven’t done that speaks volumes. Many times, discomfort, or lack of knowledge about a person's orientation or identity leads to perpetuation of stereotypes seen in media, hasty assumptions, or complete avoidance of that person. However, I've had the opportunity and platform to share my experiences, claim my own identity, and be my authentic self with my colleagues without fear or hesitation. When other people genuinely care about who you are, we can better support one another, and everyone benefits.
Q: What impactful engagements have you noticed or participated in at Veritas? For example, ERGs, Mental Health/Pride/Wellness Webinars.
As a co-champion of Heathrow's PAVE ERG for the past four years, I've had the privilege of meeting many new friends, allies, and community members. PAVE has allowed us to contribute and participate in special events with other PAVE members, colleagues, leadership, and the Orlando community beyond Veritas. I love seeing ERGs working together to uplift people, regardless of their group affiliations. Additionally, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team's sessions on mental health and personal well-being are incredibly helpful. Everyone should participate to make time for their personal growth.
Q: What ideas do you have to improve DEI efforts at Veritas? For example, incentives to attend company virtual webinars.
In PAVE, we like to add fun perks to incentivize attendance at sessions. For instance, we have an upcoming snack box prize drawing for attendees of our June 7 Pride Month Kick-Off event. While we believe people would attend without tangible incentives, adding that extra layer of fun enhances the overall experience. I would love to see more of that in the future.
If you enjoyed Nate’s story and would like to learn more about Life at Veritas, check out our Employee Value Proposition. And if our Employee Value Propositions resonate with you, consider joining us! See our open roles on our careers page.
