ACCENTURE HAS signed on as the first corporate sponsor of the Gaze LGBT film festival as an external reflection of a company networking initiative called the Straight Allies programme.

The management consultancy, technology and outsourcing company said it was supporting the 20th year of the festival – which showcases Irish and international LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) film – to engage with the wider LGBT community, alongside the company’s in-house diversity and inclusion strategy.

Accenture Ireland managing director Mark Ryan says Straight Allies was created by LGBT and heterosexual staff at Accenture to foster an inclusive work environment and look at how company policies may affect same-sex couples.

“While Straight Allies is a company initiative, we wanted to be proactive in our support of the wider LGBT community in Ireland, and the Gaze festival gives us the opportunity.”

Accenture’s involvement secures the ongoing success of Gaze, according to Noel Sutton, producer of the festival, which takes place from August 2nd to 6th at Dublin’s Light House Cinema.

“We’re hoping to build on our reputation as a festival that is not only cerebral, creative and thought-provoking, but also great fun.”