Happy 9th Birthday Spectrum

Spectrum, our LGBT+ staff network, are celebrating nine years of championing inclusion for colleagues and residents across the organisation today.

The network was first founded on in May 2012 with the aim of promoting an inclusive culture at L&Q where all are respected and treated fairly.

Since then Spectrum have become the voice of LGBT+ colleagues, making our organisation a place where everyone can bring their whole selves to work.

From Pride parades to educational workshops, Spectrum have worked tirelessly to promote inclusion at L&Q and have achieved so many incredible milestones over the years.

Last year, they were voted one of the Top 30 network groups in the UK and received special recognition as ‘highly commended’.

In January L&Q celebrated achieving Pledge Pioneer status as part of the HouseProud pledge scheme – a scheme designed to improve LGBT+ experiences of social housing and a recognition of commitment to delivering change for our LGBT+ residents.

This achievement was symbolic of the fantastic work Spectrum carried out alongside our LGBT+ Resident Forum. Together they helped us to conduct in-house research on the experiences of our LGBT+ residents and ensure all our policies and processes are inclusive of our diverse resident base.

Spectrum have been hugely influential in our recognition by the LGBT+ charity, Stonewall, as a Top 100 Employer. We have made the Top 100 Equality index list five times.

Jo Peres, Spectrum Co-Chair, said,“I am so proud of all the wonderful things Spectrum have achieved and helped L&Q to achieve over the nine years. We have so much to celebrate and so much to look forward to in the network’s future.”

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Chief Executive, added,“Spectrum champion our inclusion value every single day and make our organisation stronger as a result.

As an ally and a sponsor, I am so proud of their continuous hard work to empower our colleagues and create a supportive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work”.