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Pearson Launch Non-binary Inclusion Initiative

Pearson recently launched non-binary lanyards to be worn across the organization as part of a broader push for better inclusion and visibility in the workplace. Zoe Schulz from myGwork spoke to Jon Wood, Pearson’s Qualifications Processing Director and Kevin Lyons, their Senior HR Manager, about why the initiative is essential and how we can all be champions for non-binary inclusion in the workplace.

 

Hi Kevin and Jon! Thanks for chatting with us. Can you tell us more about the initiative to bring in non-binary lanyards?

Kevin: It’s similar to a campaign we successfully ran before, and we thought with the return to offices, it would be good to promote the lanyards again, from the point of view of allyship but also the point of view of education and awareness. So, this time, we focused on the visibility of allyship and made three lanyards available, one with the trans flag and one with the progress flag and one with the non-binary flag. This time it was about education blending with allyship. So far, we have had a fantastic response to this new campaign, with people from across the organization taking part and choosing to wear the lanyards.

 

Jon, I’m interested to hear more about your involvement and how this came about?

Jon: I used the non-binary lanyard campaign to promote awareness in our Yorkshire office, in which I am the senior leader. It was great as colleagues asked me what the lanyard colors were about.

 

And can you tell us a bit about your journey as an ally – why is supporting the LGBTQ+ community important to you?

Jon: I took inspiration from Kevin Lyons; as in previous companies, this area was rarely discussed, but when I arrived at Pearson, he really opened my eyes. On the back of this, I attended Leeds Pride and really enjoyed the day out. It is important to promote non-binary inclusion in the very binary world we live in.



Why do you think it is essential to have senior leaders championing these initiatives, and what impact do you think this makes?

Jon: It is vital as a change of culture needs to be supported at all levels in an organization, and it starts at the top with clear leadership and being brave to initiate change.

 

How does this link with Pearson’s other work around diversity and inclusion?

Kevin: This campaign is about education with tangible symbols of allyship and community. Other elements are embedded in a successful diversity, inclusion, and equity journey and approach, but this is one component. On top of education, it’s also about policies and processes. It's about support, training and learning. It's about data. There are all these components. But I see this campaign as a vital element of education and the ability of people across Pearson to show support visibly.

 

What other ways are you championing non-binary inclusion at Pearson?

Kevin: We are seeking to create a focus on non-binary inclusion. Our platform is gender-inclusive language in policies and encourages the use of gender pronouns and gender-neutral facilities. We want to build on that by promoting education about non-binary identity and championing non-binary inclusion.

 

How can the recruitment process be improved to be more inclusive for non-binary people?

Kevin: In part, with campaigns and articles such as this, we can tell the non-binary community that Pearson is an inclusive employer and that we have their back with exposure and publicity. There is enormous value in creating case studies, role models and having a clear message of inclusion, and this is also one way that we can help recruitment. We are being very visible with job specs and explicitly stating that we welcome applications from all genders. Pearson must be visible and clear in our inclusion of all genders so that people understand and realize this is a safe place where they can flourish and achieve their full talent.

 

What tips would you give organizations on how they can encourage senior leadership to become more engaged with diversity and inclusion?

Jon: Having seen first-hand in Pearson, I can see that it makes a massive difference for people to feel comfortable talking about diversity and inclusion; I would encourage all senior leaders to take 5 mins to stop and think about how we should treat everyone the same.



 

What would you both like to see happen in the future in terms of diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ equality?

Kevin: The future is fluid, and I want a society in which non-binary people feel safe and able to express themselves and be themselves and achieve their full life potential

 

Jon: That we stop seeing two choice options in the world, for example, male or female on application forms, and that we can live in a world where it is okay to express as you wish and to be whoever you want, and not to feel persecuted or excluded.

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