Positive Allies are delighted to offer our Charter Mark to Gleeds, an award-winning global property and construction consultancy. Formed in 1885, they continue to lead the way in inclusive employment and are the first property and construction company to achieve Positive Allies! Read more about their commitment to tackling HIV stigma, below.
Gleeds, understandably, operates very differently to the way it did 130 years ago - or even 10 years ago! Our policies and procedures are constantly evolving to ensure we attract, develop, and retain the very best people there are.
We want to ensure that ALL employees are treated equitably, which includes ensuring that those living with HIV are protected from discrimination in the workplace. It is with great pride that we announce our success in achieving the Positive Allies Charter Mark. The Charter Mark strengthens our already existing Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) focus, of how we welcome, promote and support all individuals as well as providing the right support through our allies groups.
As a Charter Mark holder, as well as adapting our policies to include HIV status, we have made commitments including ensuring that all our employees are aware of the Positive Allies training (which is currently available free of charge) and identified key allies across the business. These champions are continuing to challenge the stigma within the workplace and construction industry.
A reassurance for potential employees
Through Positive Allies alumni group, we can showcase that we are an HIV friendly employer to graduating students at universities also holding Charter Mark status. For people to whom this is important, it can instill confidence that as an employer Gleeds will be able to support them in an informed way.
The Charter Mark ties in nicely with our already established FIR principles which support our belief that by building a fair and inclusive workplace environment we can attract and retain the diverse workforce we need to succeed. We encourage everyone at Gleeds to embrace and demonstrate the principles of:
Fairness - how we perceive the workplace. The principle of fairness incorporates both our perceptions of fairness and justice. Justice refers to following the rules, while fairness is about the impartiality of those rules.
Inclusion - how we feel within the workplace. This refers to how we respond to being included and whether the structures and culture at Gleeds provide an inclusive environment for everyone or only a select group.
Respect - how we treat each other in the workplace. We are more productive at work when we feel we are treated with respect by others. We also have a responsibility to treat others with respect.
We aim to build a more inclusive workplace environment and diverse workforce by practicing these principles.
Our people are our most valuable asset, it is therefore important that we have structures in place to support and measure how successful that support is. Allies for Inclusion groups have been set up to actively promote and advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole. The groups act as an informal community for employees to speak to like-minded people, to act as a confidential and safe first point of call for employees with questions or need of assistance.
It is important for us to understand the views and opinions of our team members. The Allies groups will canvas opinions from within their group and community and feed them into the FIR Steering Group.
We want to be the best place to work in the industry, and this charter mark reaffirms our commitment to fairness, inclusion, and respect, which plays a huge part in that.
By actively educating and informing our workforce about HIV, we can dismantle stereotypes, foster empathy, and promote a culture of acceptance and support. In challenging HIV-related stigma and creating a workplace culture that embraces diversity, we not only support individuals living with HIV but create an environment where everyone can thrive.