At Upside, we believe the best ideas come from teams where everyone feels they belong. Different identities, lived experiences, and perspectives aren’t just welcomed here – they’re celebrated.

That belief shows up in how we work every day – and it shapes how we build a better business and serve the people who rely on our platform. 

This Pride Month, we’re highlighting how we support our LGBTQIA+ employees and allies – through programs, benefits, and partnerships that reflect our values.

Why inclusion matters to our mission

At Upside, innovation depends on understanding the diverse people we serve. That’s only possible when our teams reflect – and feel empowered to represent – that diversity.

As a two-sided marketplace serving millions of consumers across the country, we know that building an inclusive culture internally leads to better decisions, stronger ideas, and solutions that work for more people. 

When employees feel safe and supported, they're able to bring their full creativity and perspective to the table – and that benefits everyone we serve.

“It means so much to me that Upside appreciates me and my colleagues, no matter who we are,” said Reuben Juster, Senior Analytics Engineer.

“Pride at Upside reminds us that we don’t have to mask our identities to feel supported and seen.”

Fostering connection and visibility

Up+Pride, one of our employee resource groups (ERGs), creates space for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies to connect, build community, and advocate for visibility across the company.

The group leads a range of initiatives. Some focus on education and advocacy, others simply bring people together. A few recent highlights:

• National Coming Out Day, co-hosted with UNIDOS, our ERG for LatinX and Hispanic employees, featured Texas drag performer and activist Brigette Bandit, who spoke about identity, allyship, and visibility.
  
  
• Book clubs and speaker events exploring themes like race, queerness, identity, and self-expression.
  
  
• Community-building gatherings such as happy hours, game nights, and virtual Sip Sesh hangouts.

Creating access through partnerships

We also work with organizations like Out in Tech, a nonprofit that empowers LGBTQIA+ professionals in the tech industry. This partnership helps us expand our reach and connect with talented candidates who may not have considered Upside before.

For Reuben, it was a direct path to his role today.

“I attended an Upside breakout session during Out in Tech’s Career Talk series and got to connect with a recruiter,” he said. “That conversation opened the door, and I’m grateful it did.”

Backing up our values with benefits

We believe policies and benefits should reflect the diversity of our team and the realities of modern families. That includes:

• Fertility support through Carrot, which offers up to $10,000 for inclusive family planning resources without requiring a medical diagnosis.
  
  
• Parental leave for all parents, including 16 weeks for birthing parents and 8 weeks for non-birthing or adoptive parents.

“Inclusive benefits celebrate the many ways families come together today,” said Laura Ricucci, Chief People Officer at Upside. “They show that we care about our employees as whole people and want to support them through every stage of life.”

Pride is more than a month

Our celebration of Pride is just one part of a much larger effort to create an inclusive workplace. We’ll continue growing our employee-led ERGs, deepening our partnerships, and improving our policies to make sure everyone at Upside feels welcome to bring their full self to work.

Because when people feel seen and supported, we all thrive.