I help deliver Trans Awareness Workshops within Rolls-Royce. I use these sessions to share my personal journey, to explain some of the challenges faced by trans employees, to highlight what allies can do to support trans colleagues, and to answer the many questions that attendees have. Some of these sessions also include guests from other companies, such as Airbus and BAE Systems, helping to support people beyond Rolls-Royce. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with managers identifying areas in behaviour and practice where they can make a difference. I also support workshops in the broader engineering sector. I regularly engage with senior leaders from Rolls-Royce, our suppliers and customers.
By being such a visible role model, I demonstrate to other LGBT+ employees that they too can be themselves without fear. Other Trans employees have since come out at work, and many have told me that I was their inspiration for doing so. By being so visible, others can see that they are not alone and employees regularly come to me as a source of support and guidance, which in turn has created many new friendships. Knowing that I enable others to be their true selves makes me very proud. Much of what I am involved in has contributed to Rolls-Royce going up in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index to 158 out of 445 companies, 135 places better than we were two years ago.