Pride At Currys - Our Story So Far

Our journey started out as 3 colleagues and the Head of Diversity and Inclusion getting together to share our stories ahead of Transgender Day of Visibility. Unknowingly from there, 6 months later, Pride at Currys was formed. From the first meeting we all got along really well and continued to chat regularly until one of the members asked about creating an Employee Resource Group (ERG). From starting out as monthly meetings with me pestering others to get together. To now Currys having its own network group and a company recognised committee, we’ve come a long way. But how did get to where we are now?

A Network must have its own identity.

I feel it is important an ERG must have an identity. One of the many things I am proud of, is that the group has never lost its identity. We have always been about bringing yourself to the group since the very first meeting. I often speak about the importance of being yourself to the committee. I suppose a philosophy of mine is always be you. Only you know who you really are, and if that helps you feel happy, then I believe a better quality of work will be produced. This identity of being yourself and bringing yourself to the team calls worked amazingly pre-committee, and Stephen and I wanted to bring that energy to the network group as a whole and not let anyone be judged for who they are. We also wanted to make Pride at Currys a safe space for our LGBTQ+ and allies. This belief also puts Curry’s goal of ‘Helping Everyone Enjoy Amazing Technology’ into perspective. What does it mean by ‘Everyone’? This created our goal of ‘everyone’ means everyone.

This is a timeline of events and achievements.

2020 

- 3 trans colleagues were asked to share their own story about Transgender Day of Visibility. (These pieces were shared internally and externally with our teams)

- A member in our little group asked about starting an Employee Resource Group.

- A group was created from different teams at Currys including retail (store), supply chain and our corporate colleagues, where we caught up for regular one-hour team calls.

2021

- Formed a LGBTQ+ network group on our social media platform called Pride of DC (now known as Pride at Currys)

- Pride Month Celebrations and engagement.

- Celebrated Manchester Pride with 9 stores taking part. One of the highest interactions in the company’s history.

- Created optional Pronouns for name badges for in-store colleagues. 

- Removed gender from uniform selection and replaced them with masculine and feminine and gave colleagues the option to choose which uniform suited them.

- Currys first ever D&I committee called Pride at Currys formed under the leadership of Stephen and I as Co-Chairs. 

2022

- Celebrated Pride History Month for the first time in Currys history.

- Celebrated Pride in all stores the first time in Currys history, we celebrated Pride with all electronic signage and our TV department showing Currys support.

- We saw our store in Newark eject a customer for homophobic comments made towards staff, which saw a customer who happened to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, overhear and reported to the local press praising the store for standing up for equality. We are proud of our Newark store for standing up to hate (Link)

- Manchester Pride March Parade, for the first time in the company’s history, the Pride at Currys network group took to the streets of Manchester’s Pride Parade.

- Peak Event, this is an internal Currys event for our peak trading. An end of year strategy event but also incorporates brands and partners to show off amazing technology. This was another first for Currys to have their own inclusive network stand, which also showed off Currys new Disability network group and Currys new partnership with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme representing neurodiversity.

- Hitting 500 members

2023

- Celebrated Pride History month internally and externally on our career's social media.

- Introduced our new Gender Reassignment Policy which supports colleagues during their transition. The policy was received really positively internally and externally, and multiple news organisations shared our story. (Press Release link for Currys 5 new policy’s)

- Celebrated Pride in all stores for a second year, via electronic signage.

- Marched in London Pride for the first time.

I am super proud of our network group, and we are proud and grateful for everyone who has been involved. Currys has capable and committed colleagues, who want to make a difference to show our colleagues and customers that we are an inclusive employer’s, and we are inclusive and diverse for our customers. We accept and want to help everyone enjoy amazing technology. From speaking to other network groups around the world on social media or through an online course I took in 2021. We really have pulled off some amazing results in a short time. These results are one of many reasons I am proud of my committee and everyone who has been involved.

It makes the hard work and spending a lot of our own time on this project worth it. I get asked a lot from colleagues, friends, and family. Why do I do it? The reason is simple. If I help and inspire that one colleague to be themselves. Then all the stress, the added hours and sometimes late nights, is worth it.

We are one, ‘We Are Currys’.