What makes an inclusive working environment?
That’s a question we’re on a journey to answer and National Inclusion Week is a perfect opportunity to focus on every individual in our company and reflect on how we could become an even more inclusive environment.
With the recent launch of our new Purpose, Vision and Values, we’re focusing on how inclusion aligns with our values.
Mark Wild, our new CEO, has shared his thoughts on inclusion with our people and outlined why it’s so important and the benefits inclusion can bring.
Simply put, it’s about making sure everyone feels valued and respected while working here.
As Mark says, inclusion is particularly important in relation to our values of openness and respect – being able to be open with one another, sharing and discussing ideas and issues we have without the fear of receiving a negative reaction.
That’s also about having respect for one another and our customers, making sure everyone feels they have a place and a right to be heard.
For Raj Ghai, our Head of Head of Resourcing, Diversity and Inclusion, National Inclusion Week is more than just a tick box exercise and sees it as an opportunity to add positive changes to everyone’s working life at SGN.
Raj says: “I absolutely echo Mark’s sentiments in his video. I would add that another one of our values, innovation, cannot be lived if we have five Rajs sitting around a table making decisions. We need diversity of thought across our business, and all our leaders need to empower individuals to this end. I am committed to ensuring SGN is where equality and inclusion underpins all that we do”
To support our people in making the most of National Inclusion Week, we’re highlighting and introducing a range of resources to challenge, educate and inspire everyone across the company:
- A playlist of diversity and inclusion videos has been developed and we’ve selected two videos in particular for our colleagues to focus on this week, and provided thought-provoking questions to spark honest conversations and debates with one another, led by our network of D&I Partners.
- We’re making British Sign Language training available to everyone in the company. With one in five UK adults affected by hearing loss, and with hearing loss expected to rise in coming years, it’s going to become increasingly important to find ways to communicate with colleagues and customers.
- Our reverse mentoring programme Different Perspectives is returning and we’ll be sharing the experiences of from some of the participants with our colleagues and encouraging them to get involved.
It’s all part of our ongoing diversity and inclusion ambition – a roadmap to having a positive impact for both our colleagues and customers. You can find out more about it here.
