Dow recently announced that seven of its leaders earned recognition on three 2020 OUTstanding lists: LGBT+ Executives, LGBT+ Ally Executives, and LGBT+ Future Leaders. Two of these individuals ranked in the top 10 for their respective categories.

2020 marks the eighth year OUTstanding, a professional network for LGBT+ executives and their allies, has published these lists. A Dow leader has been recognized on one of these lists each year since 2014. Annual rankings are based on a review process of nominees selected among professionals actively contributing to an environment where employees feel safe, respected, and valued both within and outside of the workplace.

“Role models inspire the next generation of leaders to live meaningful lives and lead by example with integrity, optimism, hope and determination,” said Karen S. Carter, chief inclusion officer and chief human resources officer, Dow. “I’m grateful and proud to have these seven leaders on Team Dow inspiring us all.”

In addition to this year’s honorees, after being named to the Top 100 LGBT+ Executives list for five consecutive years—including ranking #1 in 2018—Jim Fitterling, Dow chairman and CEO, will be elevated to the OUTstanding Hall of Fame, joining other longstanding advocates for LGBT+ inclusion. Dow leaders honored as Top 100 Leading LGBT+ Executives include:

• Javier Constante, president, Latin America (#7)—Constante has been a longtime advocate for Dow’s equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives, supporting the establishment of a more inclusive and diverse culture both at the company and within its communities. He serves as a member of Dow’s Presidents Inclusion Council, driving inclusion at the highest levels of seniority on a global scale, and he has been directly involved in various Employee Resources Groups as a member, including GLAD, Dow’s LGBT+, and Ally ERG. While serving as commercial vice president in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Constante supported GLAD in increasing the company’s participation in Zurich Pride by a factor of 10. He continues to serve as a mentor to LGBT+ talent, guiding them through the specific challenges faced by LGBT+ people in a professional environment. Constante has participated for the last three years at the Young African Leadership Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, focusing on LGBT+ inclusion and more recently, he has spoken on panels for Out & Equal on the Latin American landscape for LGBT+ inclusion and participated in “Fórum de Empresas e Direitos LGBT,” an organization in Brazil that brings together companies to take action on LGBT+ inclusion.
• Louis A. Vega, president, North America, and vice president, Government Affairs and Advocacy (#12)—Vega is global advisor for GLAD and executive sponsor for Dow’s Social Justice Council. He has worked with GLAD chapters globally to promote a more inclusive workplace for all employees, helping Dow achieve a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for 15 consecutive years. With a focus on intersectional inclusion, Vega is helping to lead the implementation of Dow ACTs, the company’s strategic framework to address systemic racism and inequality. As vice president, Government Affairs & Advocacy for North America, Vega is engaged in conversations with elected officials and industry leaders on the importance of inclusive workplaces. He leverages these relationships in support of the bipartisan passage of the Equality Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Using his international experience, Vega drives greater equality for LGBT+ people and all underrepresented communities globally through continued engagement with worldwide NGOs and partners.

Dow leaders selected as Top 50 Ally Executives include:

• Amy Wilson, general counsel and corporate secretary (#10)—As the executive sponsor for GLAD, Wilson has helped propel Dow towards becoming one of the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive, and sustainable materials science company in the world. She has hosted numerous internal sessions and events that focus on various aspects of inclusion, such as racial injustice and LGBT+ inclusion. As part of Dow’s Leadership Education Series, Wilson emphasized the importance of inclusion across all levels of business and used her extensive experience with Dow’s board of directors to inspire change. Additionally, Wilson serves on the board of directors for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance. Wilson’s legal knowledge makes her an ideal external spokesperson on matters of LGBT+ inclusion across global business.
• Terri Johnson, global champion, Employee Experience (#40)—As the first-ever employee experience champion at Dow and a 35-year employee, Johnson is focused on improving the company’s culture for all, and the commitment to inclusion, including LGBT+ inclusion, is one facet of the cultural change. She is working on progressing Dow’s policies and practices, tools and resources, and overall work environment. While serving as the North America executive sponsor of GLAD, Johnson has revamped the GLAD strategy, refocusing the organization creating more inclusive and equal workplaces and communities for LGBT+ employees through both internal and external activities. Johnson is active in the Midland, Michigan, community, serving as a member of the Midland Inclusion Council, a volunteer group addressing and assisting with inclusion and diversity opportunities and enhancements; vice chair of the board of trustees, Greater Midland Community Centers; and chairman of the board, The H Hotel Properties.

Dow leaders chosen as Top 100 LGBT+ Future Leaders include:

• Jarrod Trusler, product manager (#11)—Trusler was the first regional leader for GLAD in Asia Pacific (APAC), and is a member of GLAD’s global steering team. He worked to make Dow APAC more open and visibly inclusive for LGBT+ employees through education, training, sharing stories, and highlighting LGBT+ talent. He helped grow the ERG in APAC from 35 registered participants to over 680. Trusler has also been a keynote speaker at Dow's first APAC Inclusion Conference and at Dow Inclusion Seminars across the region, discussing LGBT+ inclusion. He also serves as a panel member discussing LGBT+ inclusion, tolerance, and human rights across Asia. He was previously a member of the Dow Thailand Inclusion Council, advising country leaders in their efforts to make Dow's Thailand sites and workplaces more inclusive. He was named one of Dow's eleven Global Champions of Inclusion for 2020. Trusler is also a founding member and executive committee member of Thailand’s first LGBT+ business network: Pride!@Work Thailand.
• Jose Alberto Pino Andrade, global strategy leader, Consumer Solutions (#29)—Andrade is the global NGO Liaison for GLAD and is also on the ERG’s global steering team. He was an ambassador for Dow's 2019 Global Pride Campaign and leads trainings on diversity and inclusion across Latin America. Andrade is also a keen speaker on LGBT+ inclusion and has conducted a TED talk during an Instituto Empresa: LGBT@Work event in Madrid. He is a regular panelist at events, having spoken at Out&Equal, REDI, and UDEM, among many others. Andrade advised on the creation of an LGBT+ ERG for Univar Latin America, one of Dow’s commercial partners in Latin America and around the world. He is also president of EXATEC Diversidad LGBT+, where he promotes the values of inclusion and economic empowerment for LGBT+ entrepreneurs. He also mentors students in Mexico's leaders of the future program.
• Alex Papastrat, operations leader (#38)—Papastrat is an operations leader at Dow’s Texas City plant and global leader for GLAD. He works to set the strategy for the network, aligning it to Dow's ambition. Under his leadership, Dow received several recognitions, including the company’s 15^th consecutive perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) corporate equality index, the 2020 Out & Equal Workplace Equality Award, and listing as a top employer for the LGBT+ community by Diversity Inc. Often seen as a panelist at events, Papastrat promotes numerous U.S. state-based legislative initiatives to both support and oppose policies affecting the LGBT+ community and has been instrumental in supporting HRC's Federal Equality Act legislation.

For more information about Dow, visit www.dow.com. For more information about the OUTstanding Role Model Lists, visit https://outstanding.involverolemodels.org.