Belonging

Belonging is central to being part of any organisation – being part of a community working together to achieve a common goal. That’s why we made it the focus of our recent Army recruitment campaign to show that no matter who you are, you belong in our Armed Forces.

Belonging is also about inclusion; it’s about creating a welcoming space for everyone – no matter your ethnicity or sexual orientation. We are hugely proud of our team at Capita and the work they are doing to increase the representation of all communities in our Armed Forces.

The Armed Forces has greatly moved forward over the years, but potential LGBTQ+ candidates may still carry perceptions about what their experience will be like. There are a number of things that need to be done to promote inclusivity, and one of these is to shout loudly about these wins and spotlight the stories of LGBTQ+ people and Allies making strides in the sector.

Traditionally the Armed Forces have often been seen as a more rigid organisation with entrenched views making it look from the outside like LGBTQ+ people are not welcome. These outdated perceptions are starting to shift as the Armed Forces make changes to increase representation. But this alone is not enough – we need to shout loudly about these wins and spotlight the stories of LGBTQ+ people and Allies making strides in our sector.

This is why the LGBTQ+ Awards are a vitally important event to highlight the work that LGBTQ+ people and Allies are doing. The inaugural final, which is taking place today, brings together all three branches of the Armed Forces, the Civil Service, defence firms and suppliers to celebrate LGBTQ+ contributions to defence. The Awards recognise ED&I trailblazers but also other LGBTQ+ achievers who simply through feeling able to be themselves at work have maximised their value to UK Defence.

This year, we’re happy to announce that three colleagues from Capita have been named as finalists, of all whom are part of the Recruiting Partnership Project with the British Army. These are the Capita members who were shortlisted and the reasons for their nomination:

• Advocate of the Year Award Finalist – Rose Worthy, DE&I Operations Manager Working tirelessly to create an inclusive environment for all candidates Raising awareness of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people Promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion right across the recruiting process
• Rising Star of the Year Award Finalist – Gareth Sterry, Change Communications Manager Producing engaging content for the Gender Equality Network Creating highly informative content packs on a range of challenging issues Supporting with LGBTQ+ volunteering initiatives?

And I’m proud to add that I make up the third person from Capita to have been nominated. I was absolutely elated to make the shortlist; it made my day and I wanted to tell everyone I know. It is difficult to quantify the impact being an ally has on others, it is just a part of who I am. It is so important to provide this support, not just to my LGBTQ+ friends and colleagues, but to any community that needs it.

• Ally of the Year Award Finalist – Emma Ellis, Comms and Engagement Coordinator Creating a broad range of engaging LGBTQ+ content for internal communications Raising awareness of the importance of allyship Promoting and supporting volunteering and fundraising opportunities for LGBTQ+ charities

I’m very much looking forward to the event tonight where finalists and their guests will listen to speeches from Dame Kelly Holmes MBE and the Minister for Armed Forces and Veteran Affairs, Andrew Murrison MP. It will also provide a platform for LGBTQ+ people and advocates to talk about their experiences in the defence sector and discuss ways to further improve the environments in which we work.

?At Capita, we’re really proud of the work that our team members are doing to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people in our business, as well as in the Armed Forces through their critical role in in the Army’s Recruiting Partnership Project.