Corporate Responsibility
- August 1, 2019

Celebrating our Heroes at Berlin Pride 2019

27 July 2019, Berlin Pride. 50 years since the Stonewall riots and half a century’s worth of Pride celebrations since the first march took place in New York City. The Stonewall riots marked the beginning of an international gay rights movement that continues to this day.

27 July 2019 also marked the first time Delivery Hero attended the Berlin Pride (Christopher Street Day) celebration with its very own Proud Heroes truck.

We want to empower our employees to celebrate the things they care about, which is why it’s important that this initiative was driven by our Proud Heroes. The idea to sponsor a company float at the Berlin parade was suggested by an employee, and a project team was set up with members of the LGBTQI+ community and allies, to come up with a campaign that reflected our Heroes’ values.

“It’s been great to see the project come to life”

Andrew Barr, Associate Recruiter, first introduced the idea of having a Delivery Hero truck at Berlin Pride. Together with a project team he brought the Delivery Hero Pride ‘Bring Your Flavor’ campaign to life, from rallying volunteers and coordinating the truck decoration to organising an in-house Pride special at our headquarters.

Andy Barr Delivery Hero

Andy kicked off the Delivery Hero Pride project

“When I approached our diversity & inclusion team with the idea of participating with a truck at Pride, they were excited and ready to support us every step of the way,” Andy says. “It’s been great to see the project come to life.”

“I think it’s very important that businesses support their employees. By taking part in Pride, Delivery Hero actively shows support for the LGBTQI+ community,” Andy says. “The struggles of this community have been well-documented throughout history and it may sound cliche that we’ve come so far but there is still a long way to go.

“Pride to me means acceptance of who I am and feeling content in the skin I’m in. It means celebrating all that makes me, me!”

“It means a lot that I get to work alongside people who show their support for the LGBTQI+ community”

Johanna Goergen, Senior Software Engineer, volunteered to help decorate the truck ahead of the big day. “I am thrilled that Delivery Hero is participating in Pride! When I was much younger, I imagined that I’d always have to keep my sexuality and my personal life completely hidden from my professional life,” Johanna says.

Johanna Goergen Delivery Hero

Johanna Goergen

“When I came out in my early teens, my parents were very supportive but often mentioned that they “feared life would be harder for [me]”, which aligned with my fear that being gay really could get in the way of my future and career opportunities.

“The fact that could dance and celebrate at Pride this year alongside my colleagues on the Delivery Hero float is the farthest possible outcome from what I imagined. It means a lot to me that I get to work alongside awesome people who are excited to show their support for the LGBTQI+ community at Pride, and it was amazing to celebrate with them!

“Pride is hands-down my favorite time of the year! It’s a time to celebrate the strength and honor the (in many ways ongoing) struggles of the LGBTQI+ community. I also find the reflective aspect of Pride to be important – We’re lucky that Pride today is known for outrageous parade floats and costumes and performances, but I hope Pride will always bring a bit of reflection and reverence to the party alongside all the glitter and fun.”

“Diversity is a benefit, not an obstacle, to business”

Matthew Saliba, Senior Director Corporate and M&A Law, is a member of the Proud Heroes community at Delivery Hero. “By actively participating in Pride, Delivery Hero is not only supporting the rights of the LGBTIQ+ group, but also showing that it does not conform to any discrimination or social exclusion, and is welcoming and supportive of diversity on all levels,” Matthew says.

Matthew Saliba Delivery Hero

Matthew Saliba

“It is, in my opinion, critical for large multinational companies such as Delivery Hero, with presence in so many countries, to put the message out there that we welcome all types of people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation or any other differentiation.

“It is through messages such as these that people living with discrimination or fear can find hope that their situation does not have to be a permanent reality. It also sends a message to other companies that diversity is a benefit, not an obstacle, to their business.

Delivery Hero is not only supporting the rights of the LGBTIQ+ group, but also showing that it does not conform to any discrimination or social exclusion.

Matthew Saliba

“Pride is a celebration of diversity and the uniqueness of individuals. To me this is an annual message to all people that we should embrace our differences and celebrate all together. But more importantly, Pride is a message that when people stick together, they can bring about change that affects thousands of people all over the world.”

The Delivery Hero Pride truck

The Delivery Hero Pride truck

The Bring Your Flavor Pride campaign came together with the helping hands of our teams all across the Berlin HQ – from brand to communications, talent acquisition to diversity & inclusion – and of course the ongoing support of our Proud Heroes community. A big shoutout to all involved for making the entire process so meaningful.

Written by


Robin Nierynck

Senior Specialist, Global Communications Delivery Hero

Recent Blog Articles