Marcelo Santiago, Chief of Staff for PRIDE, EMEA, shares his insights on the global impact that PRIDE Cisco has made over the last year.
Marcelo has served as Chief of Staff for CISCO PRIDE EMEA in Turin for nearly two years, following his tenure leading CISCO PRIDE POLAND in Krakow. With a background in working within gay-friendly cities like Paris and Madrid, Marcelo was motivated to take on this role to make a meaningful impact on the local community. Reflecting on his experience, Marcelo says, “There’s a varied cultural landscape worldwide concerning LGBT rights, and Poland, in particular, presents unique challenges. The community was not as visible, and safety concerns were prevalent, but I was determined to help.”
One of Marcelo’s proudest achievements was securing Cisco as the inaugural official sponsor of ‘Queer May,’ Krakow’s annual pride parade, which became the largest Pride Parade the city had ever seen. Marcelo explains, “While major cities like Paris or London attract big corporate sponsors for Pride events due to marketing opportunities, smaller cities often lack such support. I saw an opportunity to bridge this gap.” By leveraging his connections with the organisers of Queer May, Marcelo successfully persuaded Cisco to significantly increase its funding for the event, resulting in a record-breaking turnout of 12,000 attendees. He adds, “Though it was a substantial portion of our annual budget, Cisco’s ethos of ’empowering our future for all’ drove our decision. Witnessing the vibrant celebration with music, floats, and promotional materials was immensely gratifying.”
Marcelo’s pivotal role in orchestrating Queer May’s success earned him recognition within the company, leading to his enrolment in an internal leadership development program. He emphasises, “Demonstrating tangible impact and aligning with Cisco’s values is pivotal for garnering support. Our prudent resource allocation further underscores our commitment.”
Beyond his involvement in Queer May, Marcelo has spearheaded external collaborations for PRIDE initiatives, such as partnering with Slovakian artist Dorota Holubová for a photo exhibition showcasing LGBTQI couples and families in Slovakia. This initiative, which commenced in Amsterdam and now travels across Cisco offices in EMEA, aims to raise awareness of historical human rights violations against the community. Marcelo says: “Engaging in such external partnerships expands our reach beyond the corporate sphere, fostering a broader sense of purpose. The exhibition has resonated profoundly with an international audience.”
Since 2014, PRIDE Cisco has actively participated in the Workplace Pride Global Benchmark, a platform assessing LGBTIQ+ policies and practices. This year, Cisco not only attained the Benchmark’s highest tier but also achieved its highest rating to date, marking a 27% increase from the previous year.
Internally, Marcelo has pioneered PRIDE’s inaugural impact report, providing a comprehensive overview of the network’s achievements, membership growth, and employee sentiment. Marcelo says, “Our annual impact report serves as a testament to our collective efforts and enables us to share valuable insights with sponsors, fostering ongoing support and collaboration.”
Marcelo credits Radius with equipping him with the tools to drive impact within PRIDE Cisco, particularly in areas like branding and engaging with executive sponsors. He emphasises the importance of learning from peers facing similar challenges, and says, “Sharing experiences and strategies for overcoming obstacles has been invaluable in advancing our initiatives.”
