Gay men and women like to socialise. We’re friendly creatures. At university and into the corporate environment – LGBT societies are prominent in almost all top companies. Richard Chapman, Co-Chair of MilkroundOnline’s GLAM (Gay and Lesbian Association Milkround) highlights the real value of gay networking!
Working in the world of diversity gives you a clear picture of the prejudices that exist but also the real commitment of some individuals, minority groups and entire companies to equal opportunities and true diversity. The excellent work performed by student LGBT societies is enhanced and even funded by corporate sexual orientation schemes.
Several Diversity Milkround clients are especially keen to cater to their lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender employees and candidates. Our investment banks gather for ‘Out in the City’ awareness events, Deloitte have a GLOBE LGB network, Ernst and Young their EAGLES, Morgan Stanley’s GLEAMS Network, JPMorgan Pride, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ GALES, the list can go on! This sector really aims to redress out-dated images of the Banking/Financial sector as hetero-macho and stuffy.
Other sectors are increasingly forthcoming with their LGB commitments. The public sector, especially the Police, are extra keen to redress their sexual orientation, ethnicity and gender balances. Key diversity advertising has catered to this need, but wider social networks reinforce such a real-life, day-to-day, attitude-free commitment to real inclusivity. West Mercia, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Police have all shown their investment in LGB staff via Stonewall, Investors in People and Diversity Milkround.
Commendable work is clearly being done. Understanding and appreciation of homosexuality and gendered identities is ameliorating LGBT corporate visibility and vice versa. Gay and Lesbian corporate socials are no longer viewed as dubious events but are a real opportunity to cross functional network, improving your own opportunities but also helping inter and intra-corporate communication.
The moral of our story is to get yourself out there. Age-old, established hetero-male networking opportunities have existed and succeeded and so too can minority networking opportunities redress the equal opportunities balance.
Men, women, ethnic minorities; from international to disability and sports groups; every one can all co-exist to provide the right information to the right people to find the right candidate for the right job at the right company.
Get involved with your LGBT society, email HR to see who works for sexual orientation at your company, or visit
www.DiversityMilkround.com for more information.
