Shane Jagger
This month is LGBT History Month, a time to celebrate the progress we’ve made to promote inclusivity and the brilliant and brave people who have given us a history worth celebrating.
This should be a positive time to look forward and pave a brighter future for generations to come, yet it feels like there is more risk than ever of backsliding and of a darker history repeating itself.
Over the last couple of months there have been changes in the world which risk eroding the incredible progress we have made. A growing trend of large corporates rolling back their equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and the removal of fact checkers and moderators pose risks to the positive strides we have all made.
In a climate where backlash against EDI is on the rise, it’s important for us to remember that EDI initiatives are not a way to catch people out for ‘getting it wrong’. Rather, EDI initiatives should be viewed as a way to create understanding and inclusion, encouraging open conversations and fostering a culture of respect. At Henry Boot, EDI is about the care and respect we have for each other. It’s about making the effort to ensure each of us feels comfortable to be themselves and to receive the opportunities we deserve. It’s about appreciating and celebrating what makes us different, as well as what we have in common. Our business and, more broadly, our society, can be better, more enriched places when we engage with and learn about these differences.
By approaching 2025 with optimism, it’s still possible for us to still make history in a great way this year. It’s the year to celebrate differences and support one another in all the ways we can.
From an LGBTQ+ perspective, it’s the year to maybe attend a Pride event or two - if you’ve never been to one before, you won’t be disappointed. A year to voice your support in the workplace and beyond, helping to create a culture where people feel confident to come out and be themselves. It could be the year you take part in one of our wonderful networks.
We need to reinforce that EDI is a positive force for change, a chance to show care and respect for each other, to show how good we can be and to get the best from those around us. It’s why Henry Boot will continue fighting the fight for diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging.
