Education and collaboration are powerful tools for change, and in July 2022, Grosvenor’s UK property business invited employees, suppliers, and occupiers to attend ‘Colouring Outside the Lines’, an event to shed light on the importance of inclusivity in the workplace. Acknowledging we all have a role to play in making workplaces more inclusive for everyone regardless of background, sexuality, disability, ethnicity or gender, our aim was to spark discussions and share practical actions to help make this a reality.
It may seem that workplace discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community is a thing of the past. There are laws against discrimination and organisations are working to become more inclusive and diverse, yet research overwhelmingly shows there is still work to be done.
After our speakers, we were heartened to have created a welcoming and safe space for attendees to network and ask questions. Many felt comfortable to share personal experiences. One attendee commented that this was a ‘great opportunity for small businesses to connect and benefit from learning like this. I am in a standalone HR role in a small charity and really value these opportunities to join other groups for educational events and networking.’
During networking, we encouraged attendees to reflect on what they had learned and how they planned to make their workplaces more inclusive. Read below some of the pledges that people made. We will be holding more events like this for our employees, suppliers and occupiers to help improve inclusivity across our own business, portfolio and supply chain, creating impact beyond our direct activities as a business.
HR Business Partner at SME said: "A great opportunity for small businesses to connect and benefit from learning like this. I am in a standalone HR role in a small charity and really value these opportunities."
Social Value and Community Engagement Manager at Major Construction Supplier said: "The event prompted me to look at creating pronouns on email signatures and leading a Diversity & Inclusion group focusing on LGBTQ+ in my own organisation."