B7: Building and sustaining your allies network
Transcript of B7: Building and sustaining your allies network
Speakers:
• Rachel Collier-Wilson, Vice Chair LGBT Staff Network
and librarian, University of Sheffield, and
• Michael Evans, Senior Business Analyst, Accenture
Chaired by:
• Michelle Booth and Ian Rutter, Stonewall
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Building and sustaining your allies network
• Understand the value allies can bring to changing
organisational cultures
• Learn how to engage allies from across your organisation
• Gain ideas on how to motivate your allies from passive
support to proactive agents of change
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What is an ally?
An ally is an individual who doesn’t
identify as LGBT and believes that LGBT
people should experience full equality in
the workplace.
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Allies throughout our Diversity Champions
• 82 organisations in the Top 100 have an employee network group for allies
• 77 DCs have visibly signalled their commitment to sexual orientation and gender identity equality
• 80 DCs have participated in LGBT employee network group events
• 51 DCs helped organise an all-staff event on sexual orientation* equality
• 64 DCs helped organise a recruitment drive for more allies or their equivalent
Open@TUoS
Allies supporting LGBT equalityRachel Collier-WilsonVice Chair LGBT Staff Network (and a librarian)
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#RainbowLanyard
“...if just one member of staff feels
more supported in the workplace, or
one student feels more comfortable to
come forward and talk openly…it’s
worthwhile.”
Gemma Halliwell (Student LGBT Chair)
“if being a visible ally helps just one
person feel that little bit more
comfortable around campus, then I
think I’ve done a great job” James Gregory
“…the idea revolved around making staff
and students feel comfortable and open to
be themselves…” Dr Matt Mears (LGBT Chair)
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Learn
Support
Promote
Challenge
Think
Commit
Link
Imagine
Engage
Volunteer
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What we ask our supporters to do
To educate others and
ourselves and to learn through
doing so, thereby improvingthe world.
University of Sheffield - Mission
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 15
What is our LGBT Ally Program?
Our Mission: To support and encourage straight employees in taking equal responsibility for making out working environment explicitly inclusive of LGBT employees
Our Vision: A workplace that de-mystifies the challenges LGBT staff face at work; helping everyone feel comfortable talking to and about LGBT staff and issues. Where everyone understands that creating an inclusive environment for LGBT employees is everyone’s responsibility and our active and explicit commitmentto LGBT inclusion helps differentiate us from our competitors.
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Why implement an Ally Network?
Engage more than just your LGBT employees
Make more people a part of the conversation
Drive an inclusive culture
Retain & attract talent
Expand professional and personal networks
Allow people to bring their whole self to work
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 17
Our Story
1995: Accenture launches first global I&D strategy
2003: I&D strategy evolves into Global I&D Corporate Function
2004: LGBT Network established
2009: Accenture Diversity Council formed
2010: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity & Expression added to non-discrimination policy
2012: LGBT Ally Network launched
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 18
What makes a mobilised Ally?
As a mobilised LGBT Ally: I will Be Visible
I will Be Informed
I will Be Vocal
I will Be Active
by wearing my lanyard
by adding the flair to my signature
by taking it back to my client / colleagues
by using my charity days to support the community
by starting conversations
by holding brown bags for my team
by speaking up if you see disrespectful behaviour
by contributing to the circle, Accent on LGBT
by sharing news / links / best practice
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 19
24 LGBT Ally Networks across the Business&
11,000 Allies across the organisation
Examples of Best Practice• Canada: Community meetings & Allies’ sharing their personal stories• Netherlands: Workplace Pride Conference• France: Opening up the conversation on Allies with clients, media and students• UK: Monthly ‘Pink Thursday’ socials, engagement with organisations such as Stonewall and
BFI
How are we doing?
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved. 20
What next?
• Increase the number of LGBT Ally Networks • Focus on maturing existing Ally Networks • Ensure more cross-network collaboration with other
groups and Allies at Accenture• Educate even more of our Allies & Network to truly
empower them