Brakes has announced its most ambitious Pride programme, as the annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community gets underway in June.      Leading the campaign is the launch of a network of support champions in every site across Sysco GB, including Brakes and Sysco Speciality Group, which will be delivered through the organisation’s Spectrum programme, which was created to support LGBTQ+ colleagues.

In June, every Brakes’ site will have a stand offering advice to Brakes’ colleagues with Spectrum members on hand to answer questions.  Demonstrating its commitment to driving long-term understanding of the issues and needs of the LGBTQ+ community, Brakes Learning and Development team has developed an on-demand training course to help lines managers to better understand the specific needs of LGBTQ+ colleagues.

Brakes will change its social media logos, not just for June, but for the whole of the coming year to highlight the ongoing need to support diversity and inclusion both within its business and across the country as a whole.  In addition, the Aylesford depot will join the company’s head office in Ashford by painting a ‘Pride’ pedestrian crossing as a permanent reminder of the importance of recognising and embracing diversity.

Brakes will join together with other Sysco companies on 8 June to take part in Sysco’s Global Pride Day, as it celebrates the importance of diversity across the world.

Margaret Gooch, Sysco GB HR Director, said: “Having a diverse and engaged workforce is incredibly important to our business and we recognise how important it is to show support not just in June, but across the entire year.  We are very pleased to be launching new initiatives, including training and development opportunities that will make a lasting contribution to how diversity is viewed within Brakes.”

Alvin Engutsamy, Chair of the Spectrum group at Brakes said: “We are very proud of the work that our Spectrum team does in raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues at Brakes.  Our Pride programme will ensure that, across the business, our colleagues can access the support and information that they need.   We hope that the work we do will inspire companies across the sector to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community.”

As part of its programme, Brakes will be fundraising for ATK, which supports displaced LGBTQ+ young people, providing safe homes and a better future.