GBG announces key strategic partnerships to support increasing focus on inclusion and diversity

October marks Black History Month in the UK and the start of our own Inclusion@GBG event. During the first two weeks of October we will run talks and webinars to give our team opportunities to learn about topics such as social mobility, equitable action and equality.

It is therefore the perfect time for us to reflect on what we’ve done to drive forward inclusion and diversity (I&D) at GBG, as well as looking forward to how we improve things further.

Moving the dial on diversity and inclusion

At GBG, we’re proud of our rich tapestry of people. We’ve worked hard to make sure our team feel secure and confident enough to bring their true selves to work and it’s something that makes us stand out as an employer of choice.

Our diversity and inclusion programme, ‘be/yourself’, is designed to ensure that everybody feels comfortable identifying as their authentic self and has allies at the workplace. The five different focus areas within the programme are - age and experience; gender equality; neurodiversity, accessibility and mental health; race, religion, nationality and location; and sexual identities, including LGBTQ+ and gender fluidity.

A key aim of our be/yourself programme is to ensure our team feel valued and welcomed at GBG, so that they can bring their true and best versions of themselves to work. By offering training, inviting in expert speakers, and ensuring that all are team feel engaged and listened to, we’ve taken key steps in improving I&D at GBG. We have also taken steps to understand, at a business level, how diverse we are as a company so that we can use these insights to drive continuous improvement.

Partners in change

Despite this great work, we know there is so much more to do if we want to develop a truly inclusive culture here at GBG. Therefore, we’re announcing three partnerships with organisations that are experts in inclusion and diversity – the Black Young Professionals (BYP) Network, the Tech Talent Charter and Stonewall.

By developing partnerships with organisations that are leading the way in some of our focus areas, we can move faster on driving this change. Our be/yourself programme is not just about celebrating important events and raising awareness on key issues, it’s about taking action to make real change to our business, our culture and our processes. More details on how we will work with each partner can be found below:

• Black Young Professionals - Our partnership with BYP is another positive and progressive step in our commitment to increasing representation of Black and Minority Ethnic people within the business. As highlighted in the open letter signed by our CEO Chris Clark last year, we are committed to long-term, sustainable action on black inclusion. BYP will be providing GBG with access to a community of talented and motivated young black professionals looking to break into the industry, while GBG will give back by providing advice and mentorship.
• Tech Talent Charter (TTC) - TTC is a non-profit organisation leading the movement to address inequality in the UK tech sector, by driving inclusion and diversity in a practical and uniquely measurable way. With the help of TTC we will challenge our existing systems and processes, make long lasting and real changes to our culture and be clear on creating inclusive practices to support a diverse team. Our customers, our stakeholders and our team will all benefit if we can attract more diverse talent into the tech sector.
• Stonewall – Stonewall is an internationally known and respected charity, dedicated to supporting members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. This partnership will help GBG understand and support our LGBTQ+ team members. Working with knowledgeable partners, who provide an extensive range of resources and guidance, will allow us to create a culture of inclusion and acceptance.

We will be working closely with our partners over the coming months to raise awareness on key issues, to attract and retain talent and to ensure that we can continue to learn, grow and evolve as a business.