In a recent interview with The Alliance Network, Kieran Halpin-Danby shared his inspiring journey of establishing a Pride network at Pendragon. As an openly gay male working in the traditionally male-dominated motor industry, Kieran’s initiative aimed to create an inclusive environment where everyone can bring their true selves to work. Through his story, we hope to inspire others to set up their own Pride networks, fostering diversity, support, and allyship in their workplaces. Kieran’s experience offers valuable insights and practical advice on overcoming challenges, engaging stakeholders, and driving meaningful change.
Initial Motivations and Goals
What inspired the establishment of the Pride network within your organisation?
As an openly gay male the inspiration came from me directly, and working in the motor industry, which in the past has been labelled a “male dominated” industry, I was keen to get a group off the ground to make sure everyone can bring their true selves to work. Having worked at a previous company who had a similar group, I could see the benefit this bought to the business so it was a no-brainer to get started with it.
What were the initial goals when the network was founded?
Our initial goals were:
- To provide networking, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for group members.
- To foster positive and inclusive environments for all employees, and influence policies and procedures that make a more equitable and welcoming work environment.
- To offer support and camaraderie, strengthen confidence, and provide a sense of belonging to members of the group.
- Spread awareness and promote allyship
Planning and Implementation
How did you go about planning and setting up the Pride network?
Having worked at another large business, and working for them at the time they set-up their network, I had a rough idea of what we might need to do. I researched how we could set-up an Employee Resource Group (ERG) and found that there were other options and ways of setting up a group. I engaged with some senior executives in the business to get their buy in, I created a mini business case explaining the benefits to the business of having a network and thankfully they were very supportive and here we are now, almost 2 years on!
What challenges did you face during the implementation phase and how were they overcome?
Identifying the correct person to engage with to have this conversation to start with was a challenge, but only because as a business we had never had this opportunity become available so it was a brand new thing for the business.
Who were the key stakeholders involved in the setup of the network, and what roles did they play?
Alongside myself, another colleague called Michael helped out with the initial set-up of the group and initial goals. Also, our Chief People Officer Lizzie Downes, Director of Performance, Reward and Engagement Sarah Lambert were also pivotal in the set-up and helped us get off the ground. Lizzie spoke to the Board of Directors to get their buy in, and Lizzie is now our Senior Sponsor. Sarah’s initial support was invaluable as she was our initial go-to person for the set-up of the group.
Engagement and Membership
How do you encourage employees to join and actively participate in the Pride network?
The core is communication. Use of all internal channels including intranet, email and teams channels. Mix it up, create some videos, quizzes and in-person events if you can. Don’t be afraid to sound like a broken record – the message needs to be consistent and the same message needs to get out to all areas of your business. If you’re thinking of starting a network yourself, be prepared to put yourself out there!
What strategies do you use to ensure inclusivity within the network?
We have three Network specific core values of “Respect, Inclusivity and Support” which all our Network members live by.
Can you describe a few key events or initiatives that the network has launched?
The Network engaged the business to sponsor Nottinghamshire Pride in 2023, this was the first time ever that the business had sponsored a Pride event. The day was great and we were joined by 40+ colleagues from around the country. All key dates in the LGBTQ+ calendar have been recognised by the network via internal communication – again this was in the form of videos, quizzes or articles.
Impact and Successes
What impact has the Pride network had on your workplace culture?
Colleague survey results have produced positive comments and we can see incrementally the satisfactory scores have increased in each round in the D&I space.
Can you share any success stories or positive outcomes resulting from the network’s activities?
As a business we have recently attended the Automotive Management Awards in London where we were nominated for the “Leader in Diversity and Inclusion” award, which is a direct impact to all of our networks that have been created in the last few years.
The sponsorship of Nottingham Pride is also a particular highlight as that came from the Network, so from the bottom up, and we were delighted the business agreed to sponsor the event.
Challenges and Learning
What were some of the unexpected challenges the network faced?
People are forever changing in business’ so sometimes you can get a connection with someone and then they leave, which is natural attrition at any business. Managing expectations can sometimes also be a challenge, particularly when someone in your network comes up with a superb idea that you want to explore, but find other areas of the business are just not ready or do not have the capacity to support your idea. Patience is a virtue because we all want to move at 100 miles an hour and want to be “the first” to do something, but you need everyone to be available.
How have you adapted the network’s strategies based on the lessons learned over time?
Yes – we have created a calendar of dates for all networks in our business which helps manage peoples expectations, capacity in other business areas and empowers people to plan accordingly.
Support and Resources
What kind of support does the organisation provide to sustain the network?
Having regular access to our senior sponsor and an allocated budget is a massive help to us. We’re also truly lucky to have regular communication with our Head of D&I who is a really good support for us, as we have co-chairs who also have a day job, so having Claire (our head of D&I) as a support is brilliant.
Are there specific resources allocated to the Pride network (e.g., funding, training, communication tools)?
As stated above we have financial support via our senior sponsor. An ambition of ours in the future is to have some training material specific to the LGBTQ+ community.
Visibility and Communication
How do you promote the Pride network within and outside your organisation?
Social media posts (LinkedIn and Facebook), we try to create our content so that it is both internal and external friendly. We also have a section on our recruitment page that profiles our network so prospective candidates can see we’re a prideful employer.
What communication channels are most effective for reaching your audience?
We try a host of channels as mentioned in one of the questions above, in terms of the most effective, our intranet posts seem to get the most engagement as this is the central host point of all news for out business.
Advice and Recommendations
What advice would you give to other organisations looking to start their own Pride network?
Go for it! What are you waiting for?! It has so many benefits. But don’t wait for perfection, whatever you are doing will be a step above what is already there. So go easy on yourself, set-up some plans and goals, keep them small to begin with, but keep your overall end goals in mind.
What are the key factors for sustaining a successful Pride network within a corporate setting?
Keeping yourself focussed on what you want to achieve, again don’t be afraid to be a broken record, don’t spread yourself too thinly and reach out to others in your business as everyone has a contribution to make to help it be successful. We have a “working group” who are all involved in our plans and often bring the ideas up themselves, so ensuring you keep them engaged by constant communication is also a key factor. Lean on the fact that it is a Network – everyone is involved.
Future Plans
What future plans do you have for the development of the Pride network?
As a business we are currently undergoing a merger, so we would like to further the reach out to everyone to help get everyone on the same page and welcome new members. Other plans involve training materials and hopefully attending a few more Pride events around the country.
How do you envision the growth or evolution of the network in the coming years?
How long is a piece of string? I know what I think from a personal perspective, but I think this depends on the people in the Network and where they want to take it. I hope we can become an industry leader in the long term.
Summary
We hope Kieran’s journey has inspired you to consider the positive impact a Pride network can have in your organisation. If you’re passionate about fostering inclusivity and support in the workplace, we invite you to join The Alliance Network. By becoming a member, you’ll gain access to a wealth of resources, advice, and support from a community dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion across the Midlands. Together, we can help you set up your own network or enhance the ones that already exist. Sign up today and be part of a movement that’s making a difference!
The Alliance Network 