At Bright Network, diversity and inclusion is a key part of our mission to give every student the tools and the connections to build successful careers. That’s why on Friday 18th October, we ran our inaugural event for LGBTQ+ members of our network: Proud to B. On the day, we were joined by some of our brightest members from the LGBTQ+ community and six of our partner firms who are truly passionate about fostering an environment where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work.
After some warm-up networking, members heard from our keynote speaker for the day: Giorgio Siracusa, Vice President of Human Resources for Europe at our premier partner, P&G. He talked to members about all of the vital work that P&G are doing to promote inclusivity in the workplace and to ensure that everyone feels confident coming to work.
Next we had an inspirational skills session from members of the P&G team on the topic of “How to bring your authentic self to work”, with the aim of helping members find strategies that would help them navigate the world of work and enable them to be their authentic self. Members also heard about the personal experiences of P&G's employees and could learn from how they managed to overcome their own challenges in the workplace.
We then moved into open networking, where members had the chance to network with representatives from all six of our partner firms: P&G, Aon, Baillie Gifford, BP, Enterprise and Rothschild & Co. As well as learn about their fantastic undergraduate and graduate opportunities, this was our members' chance to find out more about each firm's inclusivity initiatives.
Next up, we had a panel session on the topic of authenticity at work with panellists who identified as LGBTQ+ from each of our partner firms. When asked what their top tip would be that they would give to the audience, one of our panellists emphasised the importance of "[having] confidence in the fact that you have value to bring to an organisation. All of you in this room will make a difference for future generations to come."
To wrap up an inspiring and empowering day, we thanked our Proud to B Student Advisory Board who helped us shape the event and make it a success. We couldn't have made the day so special without them and all their help with executing the event.
