DEARBORN, July 7 (FCN) - Last weekend, several members of Ford Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees (Ford GLOBE) represented the company at the Christopher Street Day Parade in Cologne, Germany celebrating gay pride. Ford Motor Company was the only auto manufacturer to make a commitment to the celebration and loaned three vehicles for the event, including a special "rainbow" painted Ka. Approximately 40,000 people participated in the parade with 400,000 to 500,000 spectators. In addition to providing vehicles for the parade, Ford of Germany donated a Ka as the top prize in a drawing to benefit people with AIDS in Cologne.

In addition to the event in Cologne, GLOBE members attended the Michigan Gay Pride March held in Lansing, Mich., on June 26. For this event, Ford Marketing donated a red Mustang Cobra convertible. This is the first time an auto manufacturer has donated a vehicle for the Michigan Gay Pride Parade. The car attracted a lot of attention from spectators. Between the Lines, a weekly newspaper in Michigan for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered(lgbt) readers, estimated 8,000 people attended the march.

Ford GLOBE is a recognized employee resource group. The group's primary mission is to provide a safe work environment free of discrimination and harassment. Ford GLOBE also acts as a resource for Ford by providing marketing and recruiting information to help make the company and its products more attractive to lgbt people.

Lewis Thompson, application engineer, TVC Quality, states the group's goals are mutually beneficial to GLOBE members and the company. By helping maintain a safe, supportive work environment for gay, lesbian and bisexual people, Ford GLOBE is helping to make the company an "Employer of Choice" while broadening Ford's appeal in the lgbt community. 

"The job market and the vehicle market are so tight that Ford can't afford to ignore any segment of the market, no matter how small," said Thompson.

Although Ford doesn't advertise in the gay community, the company has recently increased its outreach to the community through participation in and financial support of local events, recruiting at gay and lesbian university conferences, and contributions to non-profit organizations serving the lgbt community. 

Contact info for GLOBE can be found on their intranet site at : http://www.dearborn3.ford.com/resource/globe or by phone (313)438-1970