As Pride month draws to a close for another year, we’re delighted to announce the creation of our new network for LGBTQ+ colleagues and their allies.
Pride is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) people and their allies to celebrate gender and sexual diversity, coming together to show how far gay and trans rights have come, and to push for further change.
Last year, we launched our new purpose, vision and values, one of which is ‘respect’. We want everyone who works with us to feel safe, included and respected when working with us.
SGN Pride has been set up by Communications Officer and EDI Partner Bradley Barlow (he/him), who will also be acting as Chair for SGN Pride. As part of the LGBTQ+ community himself and having been a vocal EDI Partner for many years, Bradley is passionate about a range of LGBTQ+ issues and is excited for what the network can achieve.
Our Executive Committee are in full support too, with Director of Legal Services Nicola Graham-Shand (she/her) serving as the network’s Exec Sponsor.
The network’s main aims include:
- Peer-to-peer support – providing a space for LGBTQ+ colleagues to express concerns and share experiences, and helping those who may not be ready to disclose their sexuality or gender to feel supported at work.
- Holding the company to account – scrutinising our policies and processes, feeding back concerns, and making suggestions for improvements including developing policies specifically supportive of LGBTQ+ colleagues.
- Raise awareness of issues facing the LGBTQ+ community, empowering colleagues across SGN to step up as allies.
- Learning from LGBTQ+ networks at other organisations and sharing resources. This week, our Head of Resourcing and EDI attended Ofgem’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Energy Conference and met with industry colleagues to discuss issues facing LGBTQ+ colleagues.
It also forms part of our commitment to our Safe to Speak Up initiative, providing colleagues with a pathway to raising concerns about unethical, unsafe or inappropriate behaviours without consequence.
SGN Pride will be our second network for employees following the creation of Women at SGN, which is approaching its first anniversary. Find out more here.
Both networks have been launched following the arrival of CEO Mark Wild OBE, who pledged to increase diversity and inclusion at SGN following his arrival in August 2022.
