C RE LGBTQ N E T W O R K
interview series Colin Kimber Associate Director
PARETO FM LTD Do you see more/less acceptance of LGBTQ in society? That’s difficult one to answer. One the one hand – Yes. LGBTQ people are far more visible in society and the media now. There have been some “rights” won, such as same sex marriage. Younger generations are much more openly fluid about themselves and within their own groups this has created a much safer space for them to be themselves – but it has also created a degree of blindness to the struggles of the past that still affect other generations that came before them. Where I would say No to this question is mainly in connection with different groups within the LGBTQ community. Whilst Gay Men and Lesbians have become relatively well integrated into wider society, Bi people are still treated extremely poorly and we cannot ignore the very real struggles that are happening for Trans people – most recently in the Government decision to remove Trans people from any ban on Conversion Therapy. In short I would say we have certainly come a long way since I was a fledgling Gay in the world, but I think we have a long way to go. My worry is that we will become complacent because there has been a degree of progress. How important is the role of inclusion and equity groups within organisations, and how is the output of such initiatives directly supporting your teams? I think these groups are extremely important. We spend a large amount of our lives at work. So to see support for ourselves within the organisation is powerful and reassuring, it creates comfort at work and commitment to the organisation by individuals. It also gives opportunity to learn about other diverse groups and supports allyship from those around us. I think in many ways the business world has more opportunity to impact society as a whole as it deals with people directly. There has certainly been a noticeable increase in the number of candidates we see for roles at Pareto that specifically cite our approach to EDI as part of the reason they are attracted to the opportunity. For my Teams it has created a safe space where people can be themselves, but also allows everyone to be curious about what they don’t know. We know that equity, diversity, and inclusion are important for commercial success. What does it mean for you, and [how] has it impacted your own personal journey? EDI has had a huge impact on me personally. Being freed up to be my whole self at work has been liberating. Until I became so actively involved in this area I had no idea how hiding uses so much energy and in my case made me seem inauthentic in some of my interactions with people. I feel a real sense of self-confidence now and that gives me the opportunity to help others and be a champion for change.
How did you make it possible to be successful leader and at the same time, a proud member of the LGBT community? For me it was about being brave and open about myself. To start with I felt like I was bringing it up all the time and worried that people would view me as the person that “brought up the Gay thing” at every opportunity. But having now seen the impact I can have on other people that may be struggling themselves it makes it all worthwhile. I am really pleased to be involved in EDI on a broader scale now – this gives me such a great opportunity to learn about other groups outside of LGBTQ and hopefully have a positive effect on their lives as well. Has there been an organisation that helped or supported you as an active LGBT member throughout your career? The main organisation that has helped me in my career has been LGBT+ in FM, and of course the company I work for Pareto FM. Being part of the network has taught me a lot and given me the supportive platform I needed to grow in this area. Pareto have been almost aggressively supportive from the get go and whilst this was a little terrifying at the start, it has made me confident to be bold about the things I feel passionate about now. What do you think is yet to improve for the LGBT community? I’d like to see a real positive change for Trans rights. It makes me quite angry that Trans people are being separated from the rest of the community and penalised. Unfortunately there are differences of opinion with the LGBTQ Community itself and this is what allows the separation to happen. If we were truly unified we would be more difficult to attack. I heard a speaker recently say that if all the LGBTQ people in the world got together we would be the 2nd or 3rd largest country on the planet. This really made me think – perhaps we should realise the strength we could have together. We like to think of ourselves as individuals in society and that’s great – but it could serve us better to be able to consider ourselves as part of a group or tribe at times and put our individual needs aside. How can we create spaces that are inclusive, safe, and respectful of all people? In the workplace I think open and ongoing communication about EDI values gets the ball rolling, Senior Sponsorship, of course – but authenticity is key. Educating people on how to become great Allies is important and creating a space where ongoing discussion and challenge can happen. I always say this at some point – accept that there is no one action that can be taken to “fix” this challenge and that is fine. Getting past that and realising that this is an ongoing journey of learning really helps. I haven’t seen this perfectly delivered anywhere yet – but I am prepared to play my part in working towards it. I hope everyone else can see their way to this point too.
If you would like to take part in these CORE LGBTQ+ series, you can contact Krishnan: krishnan@corecruitment.com