PROUT EMPLOYER o2 TELEFÓNICA
“A workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves without fear isn’t just safe – it enables peak performance and fosters true community.“
Nicole Gerhardt has been with Telefónica Deutschland since August 2017 and serves as Chief Organizational Development & People Officer, overseeing organizational development and the company’s people department. In this role, she takes a holistic view of the organization, its development, transformation, and capacity for renewal, and drives these forward. As the sponsor of the PRIDE Community at o2 Telefónica, Nicole Gerhardt is a strong advocate for a diverse and inclusive corporate culture.
Why is it a matter of the heart for you
to support queer employees?
Nicole Gerhardt: At Telefónica, we believe diversity is the engine of innovation and resilience. Diverse perspectives bring new ideas and strengthen our organization. Queer employees play an indispensable role by expanding our thinking and dismantling barriers. A workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves without fear isn’t just safe – it enables peak performance and fosters true community. And that’s what people are looking for, especially now.
What initiatives do you pursue in your company with regard
to equal opportunities for queer people in the workplace?
Nicole Gerhardt: At o2 Telefónica, we focus on initiatives that create an environment in which everyone can develop authentically. Our PRIDE community plays a central role in this: it raises awareness of queer issues and promotes exchange at all levels of the company. We create concrete structures for equal opportunities through regular training, awareness-raising measures and visible support from the Management Board, including in other dimensions of diversity. Our goal is to actively counteract discrimination, amplify queer voices within the company, and, most importantly, learn from one another while breaking down fears.
What are the next steps, wishes and
goals for queer diversity at Telefónica?
Nicole Gerhardt: It’s not about taking many steps, but the right ones – consistently and with conviction. It doesn’t have to be complicated: communication, training, and the awareness that this work is never truly finished are key. For example, we talk far too little about the fact that LGBTIAQ+ discrimination is once again on the rise here in Germany. Our societal achievements must be continuously defended. I want us to embrace our role as bridge-builders, both within and beyond the company, even more strongly.
Where do you hope to get concrete support
from PROUT AT WORK?
Nicole Gerhardt: We look to PROUT AT WORK primarily for professional expertise and practical support. We understand that implementing effective DE&I measures in socially and economically challenging times requires a special level of sensitivity and experience – qualities that PROUT AT WORK brings to the table. Additionally, we value the opportunity to engage in constructive and confidential exchanges with other companies.
What advice would you give to other companies
that have not yet discovered queer diversity for themselves?
Nicole Gerhardt: Start—but only if you mean it. The time for tokenism is over. Companies that listen, learn, and create spaces where everyone can be their authentic selves gain the best ideas and the strongest teams. But it’s about more than business: queer inclusion is a contribution to a fairer society—the kind we all want to live in. The first steps? Small, intentional actions like awareness training, open dialogue, or policies that truly address queer needs. This shows that real change doesn’t come from the outside – it starts from within.
Dear Nicole Gerhardt, thank you very much for the interview!