Over the years organisation in both the private and public sector have focused their attention on fairness and equality in the workplace.
Gender diversity has been at the top of the agenda for many, and rightly so.
Having a more diverse workforce can create real benefits for businesses, but it seems more work needs to be done to tackle discrimination in the region’s businesses when it comes to the LGBT+ community.
Despite Manchester’s thriving LGBT+ scene, people are still afraid to disclose their sexuality in the workplace.
LGBTQ equality charity Stonewall recently announced that coming out at work is still a major issue across the 海角视频, with an estimated 35 per cent of LGBT people saying they have hidden their identity at work due to fear of being discriminated against.
The same report – facilitated by Stonewall and YouGov – reported that one in five LGBT people in the 海角视频 say they have been bullied or received negative comments about their sexuality in work within the last 12 months.
According to Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, we have come along way – especially in Greater Manchester – but there’s still more work needed.
“Through the work we do with organisations, it’s clear that many companies are doing more to make people feel comfortable coming out in the workplace, but sadly there are many, many people who still feel uncomfortable disclosing their sexuality to their employer,” says Fletcher.
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“Levels of discrimination are still prevalent. People feel that coming out could have an impact on their progression within an organisation, or on how they are perceived by their colleagues. Today, there’s still a fear that revealing who you are will go against you at work.”
Fletcher says fostering an environment of true equality at work has manifold benefits. According to the Out Now Global LBGT 2020 study, the 海角视频 economy could save around £678m a year if businesses ensured that their policies encouraged LGBT people to be themselves.
“Savvy managers and the heads of organisations are finally cottoning on to the fact that creativity soars and productivity is much higher in a workplace where individuals are free to be who they,” says Fletcher.
“As a region, we are leaps and bounds ahead of other areas in the 海角视频 but LGBT+ people still face many levels of discrimination based on gender, race, HIV status or disability.”
Many of the continuing problems stem from a lack of understanding on what indirect and unintentional discrimination looks like at work.
“Because some people don’t actually understand all levels of discrimination, we’re finding that LGBT+ people experience it even when working in organisations claiming to be LGBT+ friendly or in companies listed on the Stonewall Equality Index.
“One of the things we’re doing as a charity is asking audiences at our own events what levels of discrimination they are facing while at the event. I was shocked and mortified by some of the discrimination people have experienced while in LGBT+ safe spaces.”
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In response, Manchester Pride is rolling out a trailblazing LGBT+ charter, which it has asked all partners, suppliers and grant recipients involved with the charity to sign.
Fletcher says there’s been a positive response to the Inclusion
and Equality charter so far and the charity is now inviting all Greater Manchester businesses to sign up online for free, thereby pledging to unite and tackle all discrimination and inequality faced by LGBT+ people in the region.
Manchester Pride already works with many Greater Manchester businesses to help educate and advise on all aspects of LGBT+ discrimination. He cites Auto Trader and Thomas Cook Airlines as two local partners that have worked tirelessly to foster a culture of inclusion and equality.
Auto Trader’s LGBT+ representation of the total workforce has increased by 1% in the past year. According to the company’s annual employee experience survey, 88% of its LGBT+ colleagues are proud to work for Auto Trader, while 90% of LGBT+ colleagues feel “Auto Trader has teams that are diverse”.
Christos Tsaprounis, head of people and culture at Auto Trader, comments: “Our dedicated Diversity and Inclusion working group has committed for the past three years to design and deliver a comprehensive strategy concentrating on all diversity strands with a focus on LGBT+, gender equality, disability and neurodiversity and BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic people).
“All new starters this year participated in one-day workshops focusing on creating a common understanding of diversity and inclusion as well as exploring participants’ unconscious biases and how they can impact their own behaviour and relationships with other people inside and outside of work.”
In August last year, more than a hundred Auto Trader employees participated in the Manchester Pride parade and were awarded “Best Corporate Entry” for the third consecutive year.
“We’ve also sponsored the film Invisible Women as part of the Superbia culture festival; a short documentary charting the last 50 years of Manchester LGBT+ history through the personal story of two incredible women,” says Tsaprounis.
“We took part in the Stonewall 海角视频 Equality Index and have moved up the rankings by more than 100 places, compared to last year, after making significant progress including reviewing our policies and processes while improving the employee experience of LGBT+ colleagues.”
Tsaprounis asserts that Auto Trader won’t stop there.
“In our company’s annual employee experience survey, only 79% of Auto Trader employees said they feel they can be their true selves at work. We will not be happy until each and every one of us feels they can bring their authentic self to work every day and that is exactly what we are committed to do in the years to come,” he pledges.
“Striving to make Auto Trader an inclusive employer where diverse people can enjoy fulfilling careers while making a positive contribution to the communities we operate in, remains a strategic priority for our business.”
Elsewhere, Fletcher says Thomas Cook Airlines has also made significant positive changes since partnering with Manchester Pride.
“Diversity is very much in our DNA as an airline and we are proud to support inclusion in all its forms,” says Sharon Confue, head of sales 海角视频 at Thomas Cook Airlines, who leads the airline’s sponsorship of Manchester Pride and is a member of the Trade Travel Gazette LGBT+ advisory board.
“There is a core team at our Manchester HQ that leads on all things Manchester Pride and our wider LGBT+ initiatives over the year.
“I’m a very vocal LGBT+ ally and we’re trying to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions that still exist to ensure that our agents give all of our customers the best possible service, so specialist LGBT+ training is now provided as standard for all Thomas Cook agency staff to make sure every customer is represented and we are selling appropriate destinations too.”
The airline, which uses same-sex couples in its marketing, also sponsors Manchester Pride’s Gay Village Party and Gaydio, Greater Manchester’s LGBT+ radio station.
“We have received some, albeit a very small number, of negative reactions from customers in response to our use of same-sex couples in our marketing, as well as our annual sponsorship of Manchester Pride (which we have been involved with since 2015),” admits Confue.
“But this won’t stop us, it just demonstrates there is more to do in the industry to raise awareness. We must continue to learn and we want to be a leading voice. We are absolutely not complacent and we know there is much more to do.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and explore – we don’t promise to have all of the answers and we have, for example, sought advice from external organisations about topics such as transitioning, so that we can represent the whole of the LGBT+ community as best as we possibly can.
“The biggest asset that any business has is its people.
“We have a large amount of LGBT+ people in our workforce, and in turn, as one of Europe’s leading leisure airlines, the LGBT+ community represents a lot of our customers too. So it just makes real sense to us as a business that the LGBT+ community is represented in all that we do.”
Fletcher urges other businesses to make inclusion and true equality a priority.
“We are very privileged to live and work in a city like Manchester. It’s full of formidable people who are committed once they set out to do something.
“We just need to continue to carry that pride as a city forward to keep championing equality in all its forms.”
Jo Sellick, managing director at Manchester recruiter Sellick Partnership, agrees more can be done through the promotion of LGBT role models and allies.
He said: "There is currently a lack of LGBT role models across the business sector in the 海角视频, especially outside of London.
"For example, it surprises me that in Manchester – arguably one of the gay capitals of the 海角视频 – only one business leader made OUTstanding’s 2018 100 LGBT+ Executives 2018 list (Sarah Dimmelow, Managing Director of Core Assets Children’s Services ranked number 33 in the overall list).
"Outside of London only 11 other 海角视频 based business leaders made the list.
"London performed much better, with 40 leaders making the list, but can we really expect business leaders from one city to inspire young LGBT people across the 海角视频?
"This also raises the question as to why there are not more LGBT business leaders in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow, or if there are, why they are not speaking up."
He continues: "I am not saying there is a problem in any of these cities. But I do believe that if we are to continue being a diverse and inclusive society, and tackle workplace discrimination, we need better representation of LGBT leaders in businesses across the 海角视频. But what can business leaders do to rectify this?
"Firstly, we need to remove the stigma that still surrounds being LGBT in the workplace within many businesses and sectors across the 海角视频. This can only be done by having a wider representation of LGBT people in business.
"We also need more straight allies (heterosexual and cisgender people who support LGBT rights) to be vocal about their backing and for businesses to continue making a stand. By using a combination of subtle messaging and bold statements – internally and externally – businesses and allies can create an inclusive atmosphere within workplaces that will filter through the entire organisation and society as a whole.
"Negatives aside, I am convinced that we are on the right track and the issues surrounding LGBT discrimination in the workplace are decreasing.
"Each year more and more 海角视频 businesses make diversity a core part of their business strategy. Many of which choose to appoint diversity representatives and take part in Pride events.
"I also believe that on the whole, society is becoming more accepting.
"We just need to ensure that LGBT acceptance and equality filters down to every part of the 海角视频, and that businesses continue to champion diversity if we are ever going to truly eradicate LGBT discrimination in the workplace."