Babson Honored for Hosting Inaugural Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Business Awards

When the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce needed a place to hold its annual conference last fall, Babson College answered the call. And when the chamber wanted a home for its first awards ceremony, it called again on its longtime supporter and friend.

Babson hosted the inaugural Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Business Awards event Friday morning at Knight Auditorium, bringing together top business leaders and allies from across the state of Massachusetts, as well as U.S. Representative Seth Moulton.

Alexandria Eberhardt, executive director of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, praised Babson for not only continuing to support the chamber’s programming but also welcoming the business community to its campus again for its awards ceremony.

“In a moment when it would be easier to keep their heads down, Babson stepped up even more,” said Eberhardt, who announced that the awards ceremony will return to Babson next year. “They doubled down on the chamber at a time when others were quietly backing away, sending a clear message to their students, their faculty, and their business community that inclusion is not a trend to be abandoned; it’s a value to be held.”

Sadie Burton-Goss, Babson’s chief inclusive excellence officer, noted in her welcome remarks that the College has supported the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce since its founding in 2018.

“We share a belief that inclusive economic growth is not only possible but essential. This chamber has consistently shown what entrepreneurial leadership looks like when innovation, equity, and impact are pursued together,” she said. “The inaugural LGBTQ+ Business Awards affirms inclusion itself is an act of innovation, and that leadership requires imagination, courage, and a deep commitment to access and opportunity.”

Inclusion Innovator of the Year

Fittingly, Babson was honored for its support and leadership, as Burton-Goss and Jerry Epps, the College’s director of supplier and community engagement, received the Inclusion Innovator of the Year Award.

“Jerry Epps and Dr. Sadie Burton-Goss are the kind of leaders we hope to emulate and the kind of partners we’re lucky to have in our corner, role models for the community of students,” Eberhardt said in presenting the award. “Their leadership at Babson has helped create space for courageous conversations, allyship and action, and genuine accountability around belonging.”

In addition to Babson’s support for the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, as well as its ongoing efforts to foster inclusion on campus and beyond, the College hosted its Inclusive Excellence Summit last year. The summit, led by Burton-Goss and the Inclusive Excellence Committee, featured real estate developer Richard Taylor, who shared his experiences creating inclusive business opportunities across Massachusetts.

“The inaugural LGBTQ+ Business Awards affirms inclusion itself is an act of innovation, and that leadership requires imagination, courage, and a deep commitment to access and opportunity.”
Sadie Burton-Goss, Babson’s chief inclusive excellence officer

“Inclusion is simply good business, but it is more than that,” Burton-Goss said. “It really is thinking about being on the edge of possibilities. It’s thinking about going where others are daring not to go. It’s deciding that you actually want to build and create something important.

“What we’re most proud about with Babson is that this isn’t a ‘nice to do,’ ” she continued. “It is simply what we were built to do. We are the entrepreneurial leaders of the world, and we want to exemplify a model of what inclusive excellence is at its best.”

Supporting the Community

In accepting the award, Epps noted the inclusivity work that Babson has done not only for the LGBTQ+ community but also for all underrepresented constituencies.

“As an anchor institution, we support our community,” Epps said. “And we know for a fact the economic wealth gap that stands among big businesses and small businesses. We’re a willing participant to help close that gap.”

Epps was instrumental in helping the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce bring its annual conference—and now its Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Business Awards—to Babson’s campus.

“We doubled down on our inclusive excellence mission. We’re the only ones that really had open arms,” Epps said. “It’s just our inclusive nature and how we accept people from every background and perspective.”

Burton-Goss added: “It’s very much in alignment with our mission and our strategy. When you talk about entrepreneurial leadership or having social and economic impact, it is in collaboration with organizations like this that we actually live out the mission and the strategy.”