Taking Pride In Our Work

Supporting our colleagues is vital within our organisation. We are building a culture of inclusion, equality, opportunity and trust as well as a service where clients and our own people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.

The Internal Equalities Network is made up of colleagues from across our organisation. They play a vital role in helping co-ordinate all of our equality work and build expertise and understanding on the protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act while supporting colleagues delivering our equality objectives.

Our Internal Equalities Network is open to everyone in our organisation, whether they identify as LGBTI+ or are an ally and want to support colleagues and get involved in the network.

To mark Pride Month, we asked some of our colleagues in the Internal Equalities Network what Pride means to them.

Ruth is one of our Workforce Planning Partners:

“Pride Month tends to bring with it an air of joy and celebration which is an integral part of June for the LGBTI+ community. However, it is also a good time to reflect on how remarkable it is that in 2022 LGBTI+ people are able to bring their full selves to work each day when it was not that long ago that we were prevented from being out in the workplace.

“Even now, there is still work to do to ensure that everyone in the community under the LGBTI+ umbrella feels safe and accepted at work but I am proud to work for an employer that makes space for LGBTI+ people to advocate for ourselves, and make our workplaces truly inclusive. Happy Pride Month!”

Laura is a Team Leader in Risk and Assurance:

“As an ally Pride for me is about celebrating our LGBTI+ community, friends and family. Both on how far the rights for the community have come, but also thinking of the awful struggle and journey to get there. But also making sure as an ally I’m visible in showing my support, recognising there is still some way to go.

“I love taking my kids to our local Pride events and explaining why the celebration is so important. They’re such a fun event and the day time celebrations are really inclusive for young people. Happy Pride month everyone.”

Karen works in the communications team:

“It’s a huge relief to be able to be open about being non-binary and have my proper pronouns used in work as it makes me feel much more comfortable. Me being bisexual doesn’t really come up at work but knowing that if it does it’s not something I have to hide.”

We wish a Happy Pride month to all our colleagues, stakeholders and clients.