When we say we welcome Inclusion and Diversity in every sense, we really mean it. We are committed to creating an environment where our colleagues feel safe and supported to be who they want to be, and where we are all advocates for each other, truly working as One Big Team.
How do we put Inclusion and Diversity into practice?
Our Global Pride Network, creating a safe space for our colleagues
In 2022, an employee-led Global Pride Network for LGBTQIA+ colleagues and allies from different countries and cultures developed. The network is ever-expanding and is testament to the inclusive culture and diversity across all of IMI. There are now two network subgroups as well as an Executive sponsor. One subgroup focuses on events relating to Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community and the other looks into learning and building awareness.
The network holds regular meetings and creates a safe space where LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies support each other, share stories, promote inclusivity and raise awareness, recognising that some colleagues may feel vulnerable. Members of the network come together to discuss a range of topics and content relating to LGBTQIA+ matters to educate one and other and use experience as a means of understanding in order to grow.
IMI at Birmingham Pride 2023
With the aim of building a community where all people are able to live without fear or prejudice, Birmingham Pride is one of the most important LGBTQIA+ festivals in the UK, attracting in excess of 40,000 people over the course of the event each year.
For the first time, at the end of May, members of our Pride Network took to the streets of central Birmingham to celebrate Birmingham Pride 2023, IMI style. Parading behind an IMI branded milk float, people from different teams came together, head-to-toe in bright colours to dance, laugh and walk together to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Visit our Inclusion & Diversity page to see how our team celebrated.
Educating our people
We all have a role to play in helping our colleagues feel included.
Inclusive language acknowledges and respects individual identities, backgrounds, and experiences and helps to avoid misunderstandings, assumptions and unintentional biases. By embracing inclusive language, colleagues can create an atmosphere that encourages collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving. Recently, we held an inclusive language Q&A session with an LGBTQIA+ consultant and educator to answer some of our colleagues’ questions; not only offering guidance on inclusive language, but also tips on how to be a good ally to the community.
Our internal communications platform acts as a force for good to educate our people on a variety of topics. Across the month of Pride, different types of content have been communicated by our colleagues globally. By sharing lived experiences, highlighting some of the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, exploring the importance of allies and educating our people, we are showing why awareness month matters not just during June, but every month of the year.
Our dedication to creating a Better World is not limited to protecting the world around us through our products, it’s also about creating a Better Working World where our people feel included and where diversity is embraced.
