Bright Horizons

Cultural & Racial Equality

We are focused on taking action to make real change, not for a moment in time, but for the long term. We are making the following commitments to you today:

1. Leadership: By focusing on career development, recruiting, and ensuring a supportive culture, we will have better representation of Black women and men in leadership roles at Bright Horizons. We will be accountable to all of you and the Board of Directors, to whom we will regularly report on our progress.
2. MLK Holiday: Beginning in 2021, Martin Luther King Day will replace what had been a floating holiday. We will all celebrate MLK Day to commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement in America.
3. Partnerships with HBCUs: We are committed to creating meaningful partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). EdAssist will start by making the addition of HBCUs to our Horizons Teacher Degree Program a top priority. We will also work toward partnerships with these schools to aid in recruiting and leadership development.
4. College Coach Scholarships: We are creating a scholarship program to extend the free College Coach counseling benefit (academic and financial advisory services) that we currently provide to our own employees to economically disadvantaged Black students in the communities where we live and work.
5. Employee Advisory Groups: We will further invest in our Employee Advisory Groups (Asian Pacific Islander; BRIDGE: Black Resources for Inclusion, Diversity, Growth & Equity; Hispanic Latino) and expand opportunities for engagement through honest conversation. Bright Horizons needs to continue to be a safe place for everyone to share their voice and concerns, and we need to be sure these opportunities are available and accessible to all.
6. Education and Training: In addition to our existing mandatory training, we will be launching new education and training on unconscious bias and anti-racism. We will hold everyone accountable for what they learn and how they act.
7. Classroom Curriculum: Our Education and Development team will be working even harder with a fresh lens to ensure our educators have the resources and training they need to teach more than inclusion. Our curriculum will ensure we are growing children to be anti-racist and to stand proud as a new generation who can lead us to a better future. We will also make these resources available to other educators in our field.

Finally, we are committed to the fact that this is just a beginning. Recent events are just that – recent – but they are not new. Centuries of systemic bias and inequity will not be undone with one gesture, no matter how grand, or through one generation, no matter how bold. But we cannot be deterred in our journey to make real and lasting differences and to never let up. We are determined to do our part as an organization and as individuals, and we encourage everybody to do something.

Speak up. Listen. Teach. Ask questions. Vote. Protest. Donate. Educate. Learn. Care. Change lives. Together we can make a lasting difference in the world.

LGBTIQA+

Bright Horizons proudly announced that it has been named to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the 18th consecutive year, the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.

“At Bright Horizons, we encourage all employees to bring their whole selves to work,” says Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons. “We have spent more than 30 years creating a culture where employees feel inspired to be their authentic selves, and we are honored to be recognized by the HRC for the 18th year in a row for our success in creating an inclusive workplace.”

The Bright Horizons community is inclusive of all children, families, and employees who represent a wide range of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. The company has an established Diversity and Inclusion Council and Pride Employee Advisory Group, provides opportunities – through webinars, company community pages and panels – for employees to share the LGBTQ+ perspective, hosts a book club to encourage dialogue around what it means to be a member of the LGBTQ+, and participates in Pride events across the country. Through these initiatives, as well as our diversity training for all employees, Bright Horizons strives to create a culture that welcomes everyone and celebrates their unique differences.

“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. “We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere.”

The results of this year’s CEI showcase how 1,271 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. This year’s CEI reflects growth across every measurement category, from the adoption of inclusive non-discrimination policies, to equitable healthcare benefits for transgender employees.

People with Disability

We believe it is our responsibility to create workplaces where every person is embraced and appreciated for their talents and accomplishments and where all have equal potential to grow careers.

1. Our ADAPT: Abled & Disabled Advocates Partnering Together EAG (Employee Advisory Groups) is wholly supported by leadership and empowered to give voice to inclusion issues across the company.
2. We require all employees to attend trainings that help them lead and interact without bias.
3. We are actively committed to increasing representation — from our own center operations to the Early Childhood Education field as a whole.
4. Our Inclusion Steering Committee and Inclusion Council unite senior leaders and employees in informing strategy for change and creating accountability for how we progress.

Gender Diversity

We believe it is our responsibility to create workplaces where every person is embraced and appreciated for their talents and accomplishments and where all have equal potential to grow careers.

1. Our Men TEACH, Professional Women, and Working Parents EAGS (Employee Advisory Groups) are wholly supported by leadership and empowered to give voice to inclusion issues across the company.
2. We require all employees to attend trainings that help them lead and interact without bias.
3. We are actively committed to increasing representation — from our own center operations to the Early Childhood Education field as a whole.
4. Our Inclusion Steering Committee and Inclusion Council unite senior leaders and employees in informing strategy for change and creating accountability for how we progress.

Disadvantaged Youths

As an education and care provider, we are equally committed to driving change outside our walls as well as inside them and actively engage in services and partnerships to advance the larger goals of DEI.

We support equity through education for all students, from young learners in our communities (the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children) to adults going back to school (free degrees through our Horizons Teacher Degree program).

We’re continually growing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to advance education opportunities and support the students we serve.

Our college admissions and finance experts work with community organizations to support high school students pursuing their higher education dreams.

As part of CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, we’ve joined a coalition of more than 1,500 leaders of the world’s top companies and business organizations to turn stated goals into measureable actions.