This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services
‘Mommy, where was she going today with her two moms?’. My 8-year-old daughter asked this innocent question when her friend was being picked up from my house last weekend. I looked at her and wondered where this had come from as she happily went about her day with no thought about what she was asking.
All she wanted to know was where her friend was going. It was an innocent observation. Her rational and logical thought was that her friend had two moms. The reality is that one of the ‘moms’ was her friend’s aunty and not as my child had assumed her partner at all.
Inclusion and Care for all
In that moment I realised how much our world has changed. In the 1980’s, I rarely heard the LGBT+ community spoken about while growing up. I hid this topic at the start of my career in the early 2000’s. Fast forward to 2024, and I am proud to work for a global organisation so committed to inclusion, that it has embedded this word into one its core values.
For the last 3 years, Schneider Electric has sponsored Birmingham Pride, and the festival has become one of the most important LGBT+ festivals in the UK. It attracts more than 40,000 people each year who either participate in or watch the annual pride parade march through the streets of Birmingham. This year, 40 Schneider Electric employees showed their support by marching alongside the LBGT+ community to celebrate the important contribution they make to our society.
“I am proud of Schneider Electric’s sponsorship of Birmingham Pride. This is not only about celebrating who we are and how far we [society] have come, but also highlighting that there is still a need for change in many areas.
As a proud member of the LBGTQ+ community I genuinely feel that Schneider Electric creates an environment of psychological safety for me to be myself at work. Not only does this sponsorship promote this message publicly it also sends a strong message to our people that they are supported, they belong, and we welcome everyone to be their true selves in work and beyond.
Chris Cliffe
Schneider Electric Pride Event Project Manager
Pride is a beacon of hope, not just a parade. It shows that no matter where you come from, if you are out or not, there are people like you, a community where you belong, that does not require you to change who you are. By supporting this event we, Schneider Electric [and my daughter] send the message that we stand together with you too and you are not alone.
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About the author
Stephanie Woodall, EA to HRVP UK&I and Strategy VP UK&I
I have worked for Schneider Electric for 5 years. During that time, I have collaborated with the Global HR Team, Global People Analytics, and the UK&I Zone. I also live in the UK with my husband, three children, and two dogs. Spending time outside in nature, with my family, and practicing any type of yoga are the things in life that bring me the most joy.
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