Bank on Diversity

Charlie Ellaway, Chief People Officer at Hodge, the bank, answers questions on her organisations’ LGBTQ+ initiatives and culture.

Q: How long have you supported LGBTQ+ specific initiatives – either within the business or externally?

A: This year will be the first time we have sponsored Pride Cymru but over recent years, we’ve advocated allyship in the community through donations to local LGBTQ+ run businesses such as the Queer Emporium and TBoi in Cardiff.

We’ve also made a conscious effort in the past year or so to educate colleagues internally, engaging with Stonewall to provide a space for open discussion, learning and allyship. 

Sponsoring Pride is a huge step for us at Hodge, but it’s a step built on a solid foundation of regular and well considered events, talks and educational activity.

Q: What was your primary reason for identifying and supporting this part of the community, both in your business and externally?

A: We’re committed to continually ensuring Hodge is a work place where our colleagues can be who they are and thrive. To be able to foster this culture, our business must genuinely be a place where colleagues from all kinds of communities feel comfortable to be who they are and be celebrated for who they are. 

Ultimately, the primary reason is because it’s simply the right thing to do, to be an ally externally to the community in addition to creating a culture where colleagues feel safe and respected, and are thriving because they don’t have to hide. 

Q: What would you say has been the overall impact of these initiatives for your business and people?

A: We know people are able to perform more successfully and are more engaged when they can bring their whole selves to work. These initiatives have hopefully supported in creating a safe, open and inclusive working environment for our colleagues which in return, has resulted in higher performing and engaged colleagues for the business. 

Q: Have there been any pitfalls/missteps along the way or do you feel the work/changes/initiatives you’ve followed have been well researched, designed and have hit their target well?

A: I think its vital employers recognise we always have more learning to do. At Hodge we strive to always consider initiatives thoroughly and engage with our colleagues who represent communities to ensure the activity achieves the intention. 

We’ve found our initiatives are more successful when they’re informed and led by our colleagues, with our best initiatives having been guided by our Inclusion Network. So, ensuring a space where feedback is continual and listened to is vital for considering the success of any changes and acknowledging there will always be work to be done too. 

Q: Is there an argument for specifically working to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues or does this sit within a wider more general openness and inclusion framework for the business?

A: There’s an argument to spend time focusing on raising awareness and education of LGBTQ+ individuals and considering business processes, culture etc in relation to ensuring a safe and open working environment for the community while also advocating for allyship. 

But, it’s important to consider it within a wider inclusion framework, a genuinely inclusive business will consider intersectionality and recognise colleagues won’t fit within a particular box or diversity category. A LGBTQ+ colleague may also have faced other openness challenges in work, for instance in relation to socio-economic background, race, age etc and to ensure true openness and inclusion within a business, inclusion across intersectionality must also be considered.

Q: Have you ever sought to find a clear ROI on these initiatives, wither in financial terms or through other data and if so what would that ROI be?

A: Our ROI is our culture – it’s integral to Hodge and something we are very proud of, we engage in initiatives because it’s simply the right thing to do. Any impact, whether it be through increased ED&I data, higher performance and engagement or financial impact are simply benefits of doing so.