WorkPride 2025: Day five recap and best bits

Day 5 of WorkPride 2025 concluded the event, offering a range of sessions focused on Employee Resource Groups, shaping the future of DEI, industry-specific inclusion, and addressing age bias in the workplace. Attendees explored how ERGs can drive change, the evolving landscape of diversity initiatives, and the importance of inclusivity across different demographics and sectors. The day highlighted practical strategies for fostering equity and support for diverse communities in organizations.

Here is a recap of the activities from Day Five.

11:30 AM – Opening Note
The day began with an emphasis on the vital role of representation and its impact on fostering inclusive cultures within organizations.

Robin Panrucker, Taylor Wessing: "It starts with representation at all levels. You need leadership to reflect the more diverse population. Being out and proud, being visible and vocal in that as well, that's super important."

ERGs: What, When, Why, How?
This session covered the fundamentals of Employee Resource Groups, discussing their purpose, best practices for implementation, and how they contribute to organizational inclusion.

Tiernan Brady, Clifford Chance: "Cultural engagement is 10,000 doors. We have to build lots of doors and bring the door to the person, rather than build the big, giant door over here and wonder why nobody showed up."

Aimee Avrill, BAE Systems: "ERGs are one of the most underestimated engines of change in workplaces. They connect lived experience to leadership in a way that no other structure really does."

Shaping the Future of DEI
Participants examined emerging trends and strategies in DEI, emphasizing innovative approaches to advance diversity efforts and create sustainable change.

Konstantina Tsakalou, Criteo: "It's very important to move from theory to practice, to real actions, to real concrete steps for inclusion, and specifically for LGBTQ+ inclusion."

Garth Heron, Travers Smith: "It's easy to forget the work that's taking place in any organization because you live in it day to day, but by constantly reminding yourself of what you're achieving, and then selling that externally, I think you can create a very powerful narrative."

Being LGBTQ+ in the Financial Services Industry
Attendees explored the unique challenges and opportunities faced by LGBTQ+ professionals working in finance and banking sectors, highlighting ways to foster supportive environments.

Robert Broadwell, MSCI: "Allies don't need to be perfect. They need to be present."

Joshua Pooley, Capco: "It all comes down to really just going back to basics and just listening and just really hearing from the people within those set groups and figuring out what everyone actually wants."

Reframing Age: Addressing Age Bias at Work
This panel focused on understanding and combating age bias, emphasizing strategies to create age-inclusive workplaces that value experience and innovation across generations.

Raga D'silva, The Views Room & Outspoken Voices: "If you find an older person, don't dismiss them. It is on the younger generation to reach out and embrace the older generation now, because we are here waiting."

Melanie Birkenhead, Capgemini: "Be an ambassador yourself, be an agent to change. And if you're seeing behaviors in the workplace that are not measured with values, challenge those behaviors."