Life at General Mills
Celebrating Pride and Strengthening our Culture of Belonging
General Mills’ Betty’s Family brings employees together in celebration of Pride month.
Culture of Belonging
At General Mills, we believe that a diverse workforce fostered through inclusion and a sense of belonging is the right thing to do for our employees and our business.
We know when our employees are at their best, and can show up as their true, authentic selves, General Mills is at its best.
Betty’s Family Employee Network
We established our first employee network more than 25 years ago and today, have seven communities that create spaces to connect, process, react and grow.
Betty’s Family, one of our oldest employee networks, provides support and allyship for LGBTQ+ employees.
Throughout June, Betty’s Family hosted several events and activities in celebration of Pride that brought employee network members and allies together to celebrate.
Flag Raising
To kick off Pride month this year, we proudly raised the Progress Pride Flag at our World Headquarters, plants, and business centers around the country.
This annual tradition, led by Betty’s Family in partnership with our Veteran’s Network, is a moment that brings together hundreds of employees across the country to showcase our support of the LGBTQ+ community and display meaningful allyship.
General Mills began this tradition in 2019 – one of the first Minnesota companies to do so.
Pride Reception
In 2010, we hosted our first Pride reception for the LGBTQ+ community at our World Headquarters in partnership with Betty’s Family and local nonprofits.
Nearly 15 years later, we still welcome employees and community members for an evening of championing Pride together.
“I’m proud to say that at General Mills, we’ve been championing pride for decades. But it’s not about the past… this is a journey that is ongoing. I’m so glad that we have our Betty’s Family LGBTQ+ network leading the way, with the help of many allies, to ensure we are continuing to champion pride together, today,” said Jacqueline Williams-Roll, chief human resources officer, General Mills.
Pride Parades
From Cincinnati, Ohio, to Des Moines, Iowa, employees across the U.S. participated in local Pride parades and showcased their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
In our hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, employees walked alongside our General Mills float and were joined by a couple of our favorite mascots – Buzz and Lucky.
Pride 365 Days a Year
At General Mills, we’re proud of our strong culture of belonging. In fact, it is so important to us that we elevated “Champion Belonging” as our latest company core value in 2022.
“When I came out, I knew I had many future conversations ahead of me in my personal life. But not at General Mills,” says Kat Ricker, president of General Mills’ Betty’s Family Network. “This company has such a unique and inclusive culture that I didn’t have as many fears, and when I told my personal story during National Coming Out Day in front of 1,000 employees, the response was incredible. I still feel that invisible hug to this day, and it's something I try to replicate for others.”
While this year’s Pride month has come to an end, ensuring that all employees feel like they belong at General Mills happens all year long. We’re proud of our company’s longstanding commitment to champion belonging and will continue to foster an inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive.