Chesterfield is set to gather in celebration later this month, as one of the biggest Pride festivals across the region returns to the town.
The celebration of our LGBTQ+ Community will see thousands of people in attendance, to raise awareness of diversity and inclusivity in all walks of life.
As we approach the event, we’ve been finding out how your business can help to support and celebrate staff, clients and customers who identify as LGBTQ+; and how this can have a positive effect on your business in terms of raising profile and enabling further growth.
Ed Fordham is a Chesterfield Borough Councillor and Derbyshire County Councillor, he was the first LGBT+ person in Britain to get engaged to his same sex partner with the passing of the equal marriage laws in 2013.
Sharing his experiences of living and working in Chesterfield, Ed has penned the following blog post to encourage more businesses in implementing a clear and definitive diversity and inclusion policy…
It’s really quite simple: business that understand, embrace and celebrate diversity in their values are more successful. This applies to all aspects of diversity and inclusion, but in this blog post I am exploring the issues for Chesterfield businesses and the LGBT+ communities.
Derbyshire is, I think the only county in England that has two LGBT+ centres – one in Derby and one in Chesterfield. Indeed Derbyshire LGBT+ is a long standing and successful charity serving the community all year round and in good times and in bad. This year we are celebrating 50 years since the first Pride March in the U.K. In London in 1972. Here in Chesterfield our Pride Festival is in year 8. Pride is a celebration, a festival and a party, but crucially it is also a protest, a vigil, a march and a gathering of the community in numbers. It’s safety in numbers for the LGBT+ communities.
Across Chesterfield many companies employ people who self identify as LGBT+ but for each and every one of those staff members they often have an internal dilemma about how well known and public they are about their security. I forget the number of times that I have had to correct people over my own identity. Indeed, I still get assumptions that my wedding ring signals that I have a wife rather than a husband.
Chesterfield Pride will see 6,000 people gathering in Stand Road on Sunday 24th July and the net spend, the investment and the purchase of food and drink alone will be significant for local traders and businesses. In the run-up to Pride spend on fashion, clothing, hairdressers, shoes and more besides is significant in the Borough.
Further, it is known and understood that businesses of the 1950’s that were dominated solely by male managers and men only boards were unrepresentative and staid. Accordingly it is now accepted that business and companies that know their workforce, embrace their identity and ensure they are included, listened to and enabled are more effective. In addition they are more fleet of foot in a shifting economy, and in a world where companies want to be seen and noticed companies that celebrate Pride, empower their staff and reflect the modern world.
The best employers understand their employees, know that they should feel welcome, respected and represented at work. Inclusion in decision, plans and strategy drives better individuals, business and organisational outcomes. And by celebrating Chesterfield Pride in way that us visible and staff led means that staff are able to bring their whole selves to work. All of the evidence shows that when LGBT+ employees feel free to be themselves , everybody benefits. It is further accepted that employee inclusion is picked up by customers and support and commerce increase in line with awareness.
There are national scheme for large employees by Stonewall, but we are fortunate in having such a strong and vibrant Derbyshire LGBT+.as they provide Rainbow Accreditation for companies locally. There are three entry levels: Rainbow Allies, Rainbow Connection and Ranbow Partnership. The level depends on your size of business and the associated costs are pegged accordingly.
Please, do what you can for Pride this year in your business, company and shop window, but for the future and long term, contact Derbyshire LGBT+ today and register for Rainbow Accreditation. Contact John Yates-Harold johny@derbyshirelgbt.org.uk
LGBTQ+ Leaders in Chesterfield
Chesterfield Borough Council
Chesterfield Borough Council has been announced as headline sponsors with Chesterfield Pride for the 2nd year in a row, continuing its support of the annual celebration.
Cllr Sharon Blank, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for governance, said: “We’re thrilled to be sponsoring Chesterfield Pride again this year and to continue this great partnership. It is a fantastic event for our borough and our sponsorship sends a clear message that we stand together as one community to celebrate our diversity with pride.”
The Council also has a clear policy and strategy to welcome equality and diversity in the borough, recognising that both equal treatment and positive action are necessary to counteract discrimination.
Activities to ensure the strategy is implemented includes The Equality and Diversity Forum; a group of representatives from statutory partners, community groups and local individuals with an interest and/or expertise in equality and diversity. The Forum members work together to share ideas, best practice and to raise awareness in the community of equality and diversity.
Find out more about Chesterfield Borough Council’s Equality and Diversity strategy here. For more information about the Equality and Diversity Forum please email policyteam@chesterfield.gov.uk
Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Tom Harrison, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Facilitator said: “At Chesterfield Royal Hospital we are proud supporters of Pride, and once again delighted to be taking part.
“We understand the value of bringing your whole self to work and support these values as a Trust. Several of our colleagues have completed the Stonewall role model programme and are in the process of setting up a staff network to support this learning. We are listening to both colleagues and patients – our listening exercise at Pride three years ago saw us develop training to support our gender diverse staff and patients through e-learning – we revisited last year at Pride and received positive feedback from those who had engaged with us. We are currently listening to views on gender inclusive language and are looking to introduce single occupancy unisex toilets at minimal cost.
“We are proud of the work which our Royal Cultural Community does to promote and support our BAME and international colleagues – alongside our Be Yourself group. We offer a rainbow badge scheme helping colleagues to commit to being an ally and offer rainbow lanyards to colleagues so that our commitment is visible in all areas of the Trust. We will be flying the LBGT+ flag outside our Main Entrance with pride.”
To find out more about diversity and inclusion at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, go to: https://www.chesterfieldroyal.nhs.uk/work-us/information-candidates/diverse-workforce
