June is a month of celebration for the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Rainbow flags can be seen decorating shop fronts, corporate logos, and the sides of buses throughout the month. However, there is much more to the celebration behind the rainbow flag, including fundraising and community events to honor LGBTQ+ individuals and activities to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and history. It's a month where LGBTQ+ individuals celebrate being proud of who they are, in contrast to a history of hiding and masking these identities, and it’s also a time when allies and friends show their support.

The LGBTQ+ network group at Hymans Robertson highlight below some plans for the month and actions taken over the year to create a more inclusive workspace for LGBTQ+ colleagues.

Key initiatives over the past year:

• Celebrating LGBTQ+ Colleagues: Throughout the year, numerous LGBTQ+ colleagues have shared their experiences about belonging to different elements of the LGBTQ+ spectrum and what can be done to support them.
• Educating on Key LGBTQ+ Issues: Quarterly open dialogue sessions have facilitated great discussions between LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies on various issues, including “Coming out” and “LGBT history.”
• Providing Peer-to-Peer Support: A monthly online drop-in session has been introduced for LGBTQ+ individuals or those with LGBTQ+ family members to provide support or discuss any challenges.
• Promoting Change: Continued partnership with Stonewall has provided access to resources to create a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals. Participation in the Workplace Equality Index has allowed benchmarking progress on lesbian, gay, bi, and trans inclusion in the workplace, resulting in a Silver award.

Plans to celebrate this year’s Pride month include:

• LGBTQ+ and Neuro-diversity Open Dialogue: A conversation about overlapping LGBTQ+ and neuro-divergent experiences will be facilitated.
• The Long Read: There will be internal articles on how allies can help foster and build a society of acceptance and community alongside LGBTQ+ people.
• Coffee Mornings: LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies will be able to discuss their experiences.
• LGBTQ+ Art Gallery: The well-being art gallery will showcase pieces from LGBTQ+ artists throughout June in one of our office locations.

If you are interested in seeing more from these events, follow us on Instagram.