Costa Crociere – Being Gay Friendly isn’t just about customers.

Costa Crociere Gay Friendly :

There areGay cruises, rentals dedicated to the LGBT public, . Redefinition cruiseis one of those, but a shipping company you can say really gay friendly if the policy of inclusivity is mirrored even within the company itself.

We’ll talk to Stéphane Codeluppi, Fleet Performance, Career, Talent and Development / Diversity-Equity-Inclusion Manager – Corporate Human Resources Department di Costa Crociere

Many are gay friendly with customers, who pay, you think that in Italy the speech is different but when the attention is turned within the same companies?

Stéphane replied to:

One of the values that inspired Costa’s corporate culture is diversity. The company tends to encourage and encourage a working environment in which people are free to express themselves in an authentic way, have respect for others, and be inclusive and collaborative. With regard to sexual orientation, it has always been seen as a personal choice to be respected, which must not affect the judgment on the skills and skills of an employee, nor on his career path. In fact, there are several openly LGBTQ+ employees, both on board our ships and in the offices.

We know, and this honours you, that Costa has already joined the PARKS program for several years, to enhance the differences and facilitate inclusiveness in the company. Can you tell us how this type of choice was born in a company of your size?

Our crews come from 70 different countries and speak 35 languages. On board diversity is considered an element that allows the enrichment not only of the staff itself, but also of the guests, thanks to the contribution of different perspectives, sensitivities and cultures. Facilitating the development of an increasingly inclusive culture is part of our DNA as a cruise company: ships and the sea have always brought together people of different cultures, languages, traditions and habits, promoting mutual knowledge and respect. Facilitating the development of an increasingly inclusive culture is part of our DNA as a cruise company: ships and the sea have always brought together people of different cultures, languages, traditions and habits, promoting mutual knowledge and respect. Having Parks as an ally allows us to confront other working realities and adapt new good practices to our needs.

In these years then, something has changed in Costa Crociere?

Even before the Cirinnà Law we recognized marriage, benefits and business permits for same-sex couples. Our crews saw recognized the benefit of being able to invite on board for a certain period of time your partner or your partner regardless of sexual orientation.
If we want to talk about a change this should rather be seen as the desire to create a structured program of diversity management that can capitalize on the good practices that have always existed in the company and implement new practices in line with new needs.

Could you therefore say that an employee of Costa Crociere LGBT+ lives and works in an inclusive environment?

Yes, no doubt on board and in the offices.

Personally, I thank the company policies that are increasingly heading towards “doing the right thing” taking on, at times, also “educational” tasks and raising awareness issues that should be up to the State. I am not just referring to the LGBT issue, but also to the integration of ethnic minorities and equal rights and treatment of women in employment. Do you want to help us respond to those who see behind this attitude a campaign of “PINK WASHING”? How important is it for the HR office of a large company to be able to count on a greater “attractiveness”, to have at its disposal the talents of all employees, free to express themselves to achieve the objectives of the company mission?

If you make a policy of facade sooner or later, things come out. Being inclusive and attentive to the issues of Diversity is fundamental to the well-being of employees already employed in the company and can be a strong element of retention (why should I go elsewhere if I feel good where I am?). But also a strong attraction for new talents. Let us remember that, when we talk about talents, it is increasingly the case that the candidates choose the company where to work, also according to the policies of Diversity or Sustainability put in place. In order to be credible, there must be consistency between what is declared and what is actually done.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)