PRIDE SPOTLIGHT: Glen Cooper, AC Operations Portfolio Manager, West & Central

To celebrate Pride Month this June, we are shining a spotlight on the stories, motivations, and recommendations of our LGBTQ+ community members and allies. We aim to celebrate the diversity within our workforce and the unique contributions of our employees.

In our second instalment, we had the pleasure of speaking with Glen Cooper , AC Operations Portfolio Manager across our West & Central region at PPG Architectural Coatings UK & Ireland .

1. Tell us more about yourself:

I'm the Operations Portfolio Manager for AC Region West & Central, and I have been with the business for 30 years, undertaking various roles within the Supply Chain.?

Born and bred in a mining village in Wakefield, I now live locally. I have been single for the past seven years after losing my partner of 21 years to a brain tumor.

2. Why is Pride so important to you, and how will you be celebrating Pride Month?

Pride is a chance to remember the struggles endured by the LGBTQ+ community to become accepted as human beings. Over time, we've seen significant progress in societal acceptance and legal recognition. For instance, the journey from civil partnerships to legal marriage marked a monumental shift, symbolising not just a change in laws but a broader acceptance of LGBTQ+ relationships as equal and valid. This progress reflects the tireless efforts and sacrifices of countless individuals who fought for the rights and dignity that many of us can now enjoy.?

It’s also a celebration of the future for the next generation of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that their lives are built on a foundation of equality and acceptance.

This Pride Month, I will be celebrating by attending the Leeds Pride event.

3. What motivated you to join the LGBTQ+ ERN, and why should others consider joining?

I joined the ERN because I wanted to support a community that is incredibly important to me.?

Others should consider joining to support and understand the issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community, and to hear from people with lived experiences from which they can learn.

4. What can allies do to support the LGBTQ+ community?

Allies can support the LGBTQ+ community by joining the ERN to better understand the issues impacting the community and to hear from those with lived experiences. Creating positive change by speaking out against prejudice and hate, even if you're not the direct target, is also crucial.

5. Are there any LGBTQ+ literature, films, or TV shows you would recommend?

I recommend Alan Turing: Creator of Modern Computing and the film The Imitation Game (2014), which is based on Alan Turing, who was instrumental in breaking the Enigma code in World War II.?