Thursday 20^th June saw a remarkable event take place. Partly this was a celebration of Pride Month, of course. But it was also a symbol of the great progress made in and by the City of London to become intentionally more inclusive and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.

Over 300 people came to the Guildhall in the City, where Alderman Timothy Haines gave a short address about the importance ofThursday 20^th June saw a remarkable event take place. Partly this was a celebration of Pride Month, of course. But it was also a symbol of the great progress made in and by the City of London to become intentionally more inclusive and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.. We then raised the Pride flag atop the Guildhall and enjoyed the sounds of the Unswung Heroes brass band before entering the building’s Old Library for an evening of networking, drag, and canapes.

This was “the largest event we’ve ever hosted to celebrate LGBTQ+ equality,” according to Mark Gettleson, Head of Campaigns and Community Engagement at City of London Corporation.

“I believe it showed the City of London Corporation and the Square Mile at our best. Bringing together City workers, residents and organisations – people from all over the world, different industries and stages of their career, to this truly magical place,” he added.

Link’s Co-Chair said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the insurance industry and how inclusive an environment it has become. The event was a real embodiment of Pride and an opportunity to celebrate with others from across the Square Mile.”

As someone who works in executive recruitment, I often see things through a talent lens. What is great about events such as this is their ability to bring people together not just from the insurance industry, but also its surrounding ecosystem. Insurance can learn a lot from other industries about collaboration and fostering diverse teams, cultures, and mindsets; there is also a great deal those industries can learn from us.

This Guildhall celebration of LGBTQ+ talent therefore is more than just a symbol. It represents the real potential power of fostering diversity. We know that better products and services often come from more diverse teams. The City itself is also getting stronger, more innovative and more vibrant as a result of becoming more openly diverse. By working together with the City and expanding our ecosystem across other industries, Link itself will benefit, as will all our members.

“In such moments, we show that our heritage and traditions can be married with aspirations for a more inclusive world – from Alison Gowman

Lending her robes to a drag star to speeches from Tim Hailes FKC JP, Dr. Joanna Abeyie MBE CC She/Her and Keith Bottomley CC clearly and loudly affirming our support for the values of equality, diversity and inclusion. That the City of London Corporation, the world’s oldest continuous local democracy, is your ally – and that we have your back,” Mark added.

At Link, we’ve been delighted at the support shown by the Corporation’s City Belong Project, whose goal is to build “a more inclusive Square Mile where community thrives.” Mark has been one of the key drivers of this initiative from conception to launch. He tells us that the project has seen more than 2,000 sign-ups online, over 1,000 new event registrations, 700+ individuals going on walking tours of LGBTQ+ history, black history, and women’s history – and much more.

This was a great event – as well as a great symbol of the progress made on diversity and inclusion in the Square Mile, as well as the significant support for further progress expressed by the City. Who would have thought just a few years ago when we founded Link that we would see the Pride flag flying above the Guildhall during Pride Month? Or that we would be able to bring together so many people from all walks of City life to join us in our celebrations.

“When I look out and see the faces, I see straight men and women next to members of the LGBT+ community committed to a concourse of justice, equity, and fairness. That makes me incredibly proud, because Pride is about our shared humanity and respect for human dignity,” said Alderman Timothy Hailes of the City of London Corporation before raising the flag.

Hear, hear. Long may this sense of pride continue. Not only during Pride Month, but every month of the year both now and into the future.

Thanks once again to all who helped organise this wonderful event, with particular thanks to our sponsors Ki Insurance, Brit Insurance, and MS Amlin – as well as the City Belonging Project at the City of London Corporation.