Accord Mortgages has joined the Pride in Finance Alliance, committing to fostering a diverse and inclusive working culture.
The Alliance has been established to support, represent and advocate for LGBT+ colleagues, brokers and their clients. Its creation was prompted by the findings of the FCA’s Financial Lives Survey, which showed that LGBT+ people are almost twice as likely (44% compared to 25%) as non-LGBT+ people to say that they have no confidence in the financial services industry.
Joining the Alliance signals that Accord is committed to promoting a workplace free from discrimination, through training, promotion and ensuring policies appropriately reflect the needs of LGBT+ colleagues, brokers and their clients.
The latest move builds on the lender's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Charter, which formalises its expectations of its own colleagues and those it works with within the wider industry.
This is brought to life through – among other things - its active Proud Network which is dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone can be themselves and thrive, believing this results in a better experience for Accord colleagues, partners, brokers and their clients.
Geddy Meguyer, senior manager of mortgages and enabling services, has spearheaded the organisation’s involvement in the Pride in Finance Alliance, with his role as co-chair of its Proud colleague network.
He said: “This move demonstrates our commitment to fostering an open and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community and giving greater confidence in the UK financial services industry.
“We’ve been very impressed by the commitment the Pride in Finance Alliance has made to improving diversity, equity and inclusion across the industry. Signing up as a supporter was a natural next step for us.”
Nicola Alvarez – head of strategic partnerships and propositions - who is also the DE&I lead for Accord, said: “As a key voice in the mortgage industry, we’re looking forward to engaging with the alliance and its resources, supporting our colleagues and industry partners even more, as we reinforce our commitment in this space.”
Amy Loddington, joint lead at the Pride in Finance Alliance, commented: "We are so pleased to welcome Accord Mortgages to the Pride in Finance Alliance. PIFA's goal is to harness the combined wisdom, best practice and dedication to progress of firms of all sizes and to work together to drive meaningful change across our industry - and the addition of Accord strengthens this collective effort.
“We look forward to sharing the results of our recent research as a benchmark for the next 12 months of the Alliance and to working closely with businesses across the sector in the months ahead. Together, we will continue shaping the PIFA agenda and advancing inclusion for LGBTQ+ people across financial services."
