Pride Month: Creating an inclusive work environment
By Veronika Pickford – UKI Diversity & Inclusion Manager
Jun 20, 2024
June is LGBTQIA+ Pride month and that means rainbows. During the celebrations we’ll see rainbows shared by people, companies and governments, and while that’s important, it’s equally important that there’s some substance behind the show of support.
When the rainbows leave social media at the end of June, we won’t be sitting back until next year. Creating an inclusive environment is a full-time job, and we want to use that time to create a lasting impact on our business.
In the UK&I, our first inclusion-minded action was appointing an organisation to audit our processes and culture. Our second significant step was appointing me as the first Diversity and Inclusion Manager to embed inclusivity into all our practices and share the learning with our sites globally.
Our new EDI strategy has firm objectives. We want to focus on equitable actions with specific deliverables that remove barriers to success for all people from underrepresented communities, creating a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our executive and senior leadership team is committed to supporting and amplifying the work we do within equity, equality, diversity and inclusion.
Through awareness campaigns, policy changes, learning opportunities, inclusive hiring practices, and sharing lived experiences, we engage our employee community to set measurable objectives that demonstrate our commitment to building a more equitable working environment.
Pride also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the collective effort that it takes to create a lasting impact, and the work needed to achieve true equality and inclusion does not stop now. By honouring the past, embracing the present and envisioning a future where diversity is celebrated and valued, we can create a more just and equitable world for all.
The birth of our PROUD employee network group more than a year ago now, was the catalyst in beginning conversations around LGBTQIA+ at SPS UK&I. Some argue that conversations around sexuality don’t belong in the workplace, however, data tells us that workplaces carry a huge responsibility in removing barriers and creating an environment where employees can be their authentic selves.
According to Stonewall’s LGBT in Britain - Work Report, over a third of LGBTQIA+ employees hide that they are part of the community for fear of discrimination.
One in ten Black, Asian and people from other ethnic groups (accounting for around ten percent) have experienced physical violence at work from a customer or colleague; and nearly 40% of bi people are not out to anyone at work.
A 2019 study by BetterUp found that workplace belonging can lead to nearly a 60% increase in job performance, 50% reduction in turnover and a whopping 75% decrease in employee sick days. This evidence reaffirms our believes that the impact of taking equitable actions does also have commercial consequences.
This is an exciting time for SPS as we continue our focus to embrace a new culture – to hold one another accountable with kindness and empathy, call out unwanted behaviour, and empower our allies with tools to help them confront inequalities. Collectively we will take steps to become better and do better.
One of our goals for the next 12 months is to create a comprehensive LGBTQIA+ policy focusing on all aspects of inclusivity in this area. Our all-encompassing Transitioning policy is already underway and some of our plans include raising awareness around trans issues and challenges the community faces.
Embracing diversity and promoting inclusivity not only benefits the individual employees but also contributes to the overall success and reputation of the organisation.
We’d love to learn from our network and hear how you’re tackling some of the challenges the LGBTQIA+ community faces and closing the equality gap in your organisation.
By the time we are resharing Pride flags on social media next year we hope we won’t just be talking about the next steps on our journey, but instead celebrating the progress we’ve made, and taking inspiration from other businesses sharing their impactful stories.
Through collective effort and commitment we will generate lasting change and build a future where diversity is not only embraced but celebrated as a source of strength and resilience.
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