Blog: Taking Pride in the work we do

Calum Guthrie

Across the UK, businesses of all sizes from all sectors are recognising the potential value of an association with Pride.

Amidst the branded merchandise and the corporate banners, it can be easy to overlook how significant this show of support can be for LGBT+ individuals. Personally speaking, part of me still considers going along to Pride and similar events to be something of a subversive or rebellious act. Something to enjoy with friends at the weekend but a bit embarrassing to discuss with colleagues on the Monday morning.

It is that same thought process that means some people are often unable to be their complete selves at work, which allows discrimination and harassment to go unchecked. If done correctly, corporate involvement in events like Pride can be a starting point in dispelling this idea and addressing those underlying issues in the workplace. Clearly, a Pride banner and a rainbow flag will not solve everything overnight, but I believe it can be part of the solution.

From the organisation’s perspective, Pride offers the chance to demonstrate a commitment to support and empower LGBT+ people as employees, as clients and as a wider community, and as ann employer of choice and a place where anyone can succeed regardless of background, gender, faith, race, age, disability or sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, that’s a message that still needs to be voiced and articulated, even now. Despite the remarkable transformation in the rights of LGBT+ people, the evidence is that being LGBT+ in the workplace in 2018 is still an issue.

Research for equality campaign group Stonewall’s 2018 Work Report found nearly one in five lesbian, gay and bi people are not open with colleagues about their sexual orientation. That figure is even higher for trans and non-binary people. In the last year, the same research found that one in eight LGBT+ people have been encouraged by a work colleague to hide or disguise the fact that they are LGBT+, while a third have witnessed negative behaviours towards a colleague on the basis of their perceived LGBT+ identity.

The evidence also suggests younger generations are not immune to this trend. In the context of recruitment, the Stonewall survey found more than a third of LGBT+ candidates were worried about discrimination or harassment due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Once they’re in the job the problems persist, with over half of those aged between 18 and 24 saying that they have hidden the fact that they are LGBT+ while at work in the last year, and one in five of the same age group said they do not feel able to be themselves at work.

Given those statistics, I consider myself lucky. While the legal profession in Scotland is not exactly renowned for its diversity, I have been encouraged by the very genuine commitment that I have seen over the last few years to bring about change, particularly within my own firm, Shepherd and Wedderburn.

What’s most encouraging is that, just like many of our clients, we are taking positive, tangible steps to promote inclusion and diversity within our business. Since establishing our LGBT and Allies network group in 2015, we have sought to identify the practical steps that we can take to empower LGBT+ people within our business and beyond.

The firm is taking the traditional view of the legal sector head on, with the introduction of programmes such as our reverse mentoring programme. This allows junior colleagues in our network group to meet up informally with members of our executive team to discuss areas of concern and opportunity. I have had the privilege and responsibility for mentoring one of our senior partners, providing him with an insight into what it’s like to work in our firm while identifying as a gay man. It’s a small, simple step but a clear signal that our senior colleagues are willing to listen, reflect and strive to do better.

For me, however, one of the most important things we have done is also one of the easiest things we have done: the introduction of rainbow lanyards. Any member of our network group, whether LGBT+ or Ally, can choose to wear the lanyard, and it has proven an incredibly effective method of raising awareness and provoking thought and discussion amongst colleagues around a concern that often goes unspoken. By making this available to all members of our network group, I believe we have also managed to foster an element of solidarity, as those colleagues who do not identify as LGBT+ are able to publicly display their support.

Sometimes it’s easy for others to dismiss small gestures like this, but the impact on those that it directly affects can be immeasurable.

While we continue to make progress internally, however, I think it is really important that we, as both a profession and as a firm, also send out a wider, positive public message. A message that the legal profession is open to anyone regardless of background, gender, faith, race, age, disability or sexual orientation. That you can be your authentic self at work without fear of judgement or harassment. That you can join us and you can succeed here.

Pride presents a great opportunity for us and many others to do this. So to all the businesses and corporations who support Pride events across the country, thank you.

Calum Guthrie a solicitor at Shepherd and Wedderburn.