The Growth Company has been reaccredited as an All Equals Charter member

Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Posted By The Growth Company

GC colleagues receiving All Equals Charter reaccreditation alongside Dr Christopher Owen, Inclusivity Development Manager at Manchester Pride

Following a review of our LGBTQ+ practices we have once again been awarded reaccreditation at the Good Practice level (progressing from Foundation Level during our first accreditation), demonstrating our continued commitment to meet a set of values and principles of intersectional inclusion.

The Growth Company’s Managing Director for Business Support and Business Finance and Sponsor of LQBTQ+ Network, Donna Edwards said:

“At GC, we believe it’s important that every one of our colleagues feels empowered to be themselves, we work to create a safe environment where everyone including our LGBTQ+ community can reach their potential. That’s why I’m delighted we have been reaccredited as an All-Equals Charter member, and we can continue to access the expert knowledge Manchester Pride provides us so that we can continue to create a workplace culture that is inclusive for all.”

The All-Equals Charter is a Manchester Pride programme to help businesses and organisations understand, recognise, and challenge any form of discrimination in the workplace.

Being a member of this charter shows our continued commitment to making our workplace more inclusive, diverse, for everyone including our LGBTQ+ community, and demonstrates how we meet the values and principles of intersectional inclusion.

Co- Chair of the LGBTQ+ Network Lucy Emmingham said, “I am thrilled that GC has continued to uphold Good Practice in the All Equals Charter. We hope the whole of GC will support us with changing practices as we push towards Role Model accreditation and further support for our LGBTQ+ colleagues. I’m proud to be a part of a company that puts such an emphasis on inclusivity.”

These values and principles are guided by:

Equality for all
Inclusion for all
Education
Honesty and openness
Collaboration and;
The Equality Act 2010

Billie Kemp, Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Network, added: “I’m really proud of all the hard work that The Growth Company, and my colleagues have put into achieving the Good Practice All Equals Accreditation. I’m looking forward to continuing the work with Christopher and Manchester Pride to ensure GC is a front runner for inclusive and accessible work practises.”

Following on from the reaccreditation we will be implementing ways in which we can continue to create an even more inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. As a social values organisation we work on a number of initiatives and campaigns to create a more equal, inclusive and diverse environment.

Dr Christopher Owen, Inclusivity Development Manager at Manchester Pride said:

“The entire All Equals Charter team is so proud of the long-standing relationship we have developed with the Growth Company, and we are incredibly impressed with the progress they have made in the continuous work to be inclusive. For example, in their previous accreditation the Charter team recommended that senior decision makers get more involved in the Growth Company's LGBTQ+ inclusion endeavours, and now today we are seeing a very thorough approach to ensure that senior leaders are well-educated and well-equipped to drive strategies for creating positive change for their marginalised staff.

“Additionally, the Charter team also encouraged the Growth Company to better utilise their expansive networks to drive meaningful change for LGBTQ+ communities, and since then they have implemented some incredible pieces of work to directly support the growth of LGBTQ-owned businesses and improve the LGBTQ+ inclusion of non-LGBTQ+ businesses as well. This is the kind of systemic change Manchester Pride is driving through the All Equals Charter, and we are all so glad to see that the Growth Company is an organisation that harnesses its resources and capabilities to make our communities more equal for all.”