Equality & Diversity: How to ensure that your workplace is inclusive

Social impact consultancy Noisy Cricket builds people-powered movements through bringing diverse voices together to create social change. Working purposefully and collectively on the root causes of social issues, founder Lauren Coulman and the team work to engineer strategic and cross-sector responses to systemic, cultural and personal challenges in our society, all with impacted people at the heart of the solutions designed. Using humanity-centred design to develop insight, build community, shape campaigns and innovate social products and services, Noisy Cricket’s powerful model is facilitating change within homelessness, health inequality, body politics and tech ethics, all with the aim of empowering people to achieve their own equality.

Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and former LGBT Advisor to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. Currently Greater Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Community Ambassador with LGBT Foundation This role sees him visiting schools, youth groups and workplaces to promote diversity, equality, inclusion and respect as well as working on projects with Community Action, Public Sector Liaison and LGBTQ+ Networks across GM.

Carl was one of the last people to be discharged from the RAF in 1997 due to his sexuality although having an exemplary service record. He  joined Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in 1998 and left 1999, then went on to win Mr Gay UK 2001.

Having served on Manchester City Council representing Burnage from 2011 – 2018, was lead member for LGBT issues within the City Council. Carl was the first openly gay Lord Mayor of Manchester 2016 – 2017. Also owns his own Cleaning Company VA Clean – working with Property Management Companies specialising in the communal areas of apartment blocks.

Carl has devoted himself to LGBTQ+ advocacy. Ambassador for The Proud Trust, George House Trust, Broughton House; Patron of Contact Theatre, Manchester Pride chourus; Trustee for Fighting with Pride (LGBT veterans charity run by veterans. The first and only lived-experience charity addressing the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ veterans.) he passionately promotes diversity, equality and inclusion within our communities. Carl was awarded the OBE in the 2020 New Years Honours for services to charity and LGBTQ+ Equality & Inclusion.

In April 2019, his daughter Willow was born where Carl & his husband Simon are carrying out duel parenting with a lesbian couple.

November 2019, was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and was awarded  the OBE in the 2020 Queens New Year’s Honours List for services to Charity and the LGBTQ+ Community.

Amy has been working with technology teams for over a decade and currently heads up diversity & inclusion (D&I) for ThoughtWorks, a global software consultancy. A curious and adaptable leader, Amy advocates passionately for social justice and remains committed to amplifying those who often go unheard and underserved. She is part of BIMA’s D&I council, has been included on Northern Power Women’s 2019 Future List and has been a driving force behind ThoughtWorks LGBTQ+ journey, which has seen them climb 223 places to reach the Stonewall Top 100 this year.

Rose-Marie Drury is a Senior Associate and collaborative solicitor at Mills & Reeve in family law. She is an expert on issues involving children including co-parenting arrangements, parentage arising out of donor arrangements, UK and international surrogacy, child arrangements orders and relocation applications.

Her work also includes advising clients on financial issues arising from divorce or separation as well as wealth protection through cohabitation and pre and post-nuptial agreements.