At GatenbySanderson, diversity and inclusion are not abstract ideals, they are strategic levers that elevate our culture, enhance our services, and strengthen our relationships with clients. Our Diversity & Inclusion commitments emphasise empowering employee affinity groups as drivers of insight, innovation, and cultural intelligence.
Throughout 2025, our affinity groups continued to show how employee‑led communities can drive meaningful organisational impact: improving colleague experience, elevating inclusive leadership, and informing how we design processes and engage with candidates. While the year began with transition across several groups, our affinity networks responded with renewed purpose. They demonstrated that affinity groups are not simply support communities, they are strategic contributors to business performance, helping us build deeper empathy, more informed decision‑making, and a more inclusive approach to client delivery.Building Strength Through Change
The year began with the appointment of new leaders, and each community expanding in participation, strengthening relationships, and deepening their shared purpose. Their collective commitment ensured that lived experience, open dialogue, and allyship remained central to our culture.
Highlights from 2025:
- Reciprocal Mentoring Programme By pairing colleagues across identities, backgrounds, and seniority, this programme elevated cultural awareness and enhanced leadership capability, directly benefiting our client advisory work.
- Celebrating Cultural Moments Eid and Diwali celebrations, alongside Black History Month events delivered in partnership with a Black‑owned business, broadened cultural understanding across GS, enabling teams to engage diverse candidate communities more effectively.
- Library for Change New libraries across our London, Leeds, and Manchester offices now support colleagues in developing deeper understanding of race, identity, and lived experience, strengthening our ability to deliver empathetic, insight‑led services.
Affinity Group Spotlights
Below is a closer look at what our four affinity groups achieved in 2025.
The Race Affinity Group continued to strengthen GS’s cultural intelligence and commitment to equitable practice. Their work supports inclusive hiring, informs client conversations, and deepens internal learning.
“Our Race Affinity Group fosters a culture of diversity, racial equity, and inclusion. We are proud of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter and the Halo Code and will continue to empower and celebrate our diverse communities.” Delicia Coutinho, Race Affinity Group Co‑ChairKey contributions included:
- Helping shape the Library for Change, a core learning tool used across teams.
- Hosting cultural events that increased awareness and sharpened inclusive thinking.
- Supporting cross‑business mentoring, enhancing leadership capability.
The Diverse Abilities Group advanced critical work in accessibility, inclusive design, and lived‑experience education, deepening understanding that translates into better candidate journeys and more equitable process design.
Women’s Affinity Group (WAG)
“Diverse Abilities Affinity Group focuses on building connection internally through safe spaces, empowering all colleagues in their workplace; and externally we focus on fostering understanding and allyship with our clients and candidates.” Rosemary Baylis‑West, Diverse Abilities Affinity Group Chair2025 achievements included:
- Establishing monthly safe‑space meetings for colleagues and allies.
- Hosting speaker sessions with Blind Veterans and Scope, strengthening understanding of visual impairment.
- Conducting a full review of candidate experience through an accessibility lens, with recommendations due in early 2026.
WAG drove a wide-ranging programme focused on wellbeing, policy improvement, leadership, and lived‑experience storytelling, strengthening both internal culture and organisational capability.
“The Women’s Affinity Group has enabled me to feel more connected with people across the business, in advocating for other women, and building awareness towards a variety of issues that affect us all.” Harriet Blundell, Women’s Affinity Group ChairMajor contributions included:
- Organisation‑wide menopause training to improve leadership confidence and support.
- Six engagement sessions on caring responsibilities, dementia, endometriosis, stress, grief, and more, directly informing how leaders support colleagues.
- Lived‑experience sessions on anxiety and ADHD, improving understanding of neurodiversity.
- Policy feedback, parental‑leave interviews, and sharing colleague stories on menopause and endometriosis.
LGBTQI+ Affinity Group
The LGBTQI+ Affinity Group demonstrated resilience and authenticity, supporting colleagues against a backdrop of global challenges affecting LGBTQ+ communities.
“It’s a privilege as a bisexual individual to be part of the LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, working to give others the visibility, support, and confidence that they can be their true selves 100% of the time rather than solely outside the workplace.” Katherine O’Donnell, LGBTQ+ Affinity Group Chair2025 in Review:
- Focused on creating safe, confidential spaces for colleagues.
- Strengthened one‑to‑one support, led with empathy and psychological safety.
- Celebrated Pride with an emphasis on authentic connection, not corporate visibility.
- Contributed to policy changes that improved inclusion across GS.
Looking Ahead to 2026:
Race Affinity Group- Expanding the Library for Change
- Launching new book clubs and safe discussion spaces
- Deepening work with their new sponsor to influence broader cultural initiatives
- Publishing business‑wide accessibility recommendations
- Enhancing cross‑group collaboration and continuing monthly safe‑space forums
- Continuing successful engagement sessions
- Growing lived‑experience storytelling
- Partnering with HR on self‑defence and domestic abuse awareness initiatives
- Strengthening intersectional collaboration
- Launch of a cross sector network of LGBTQI+ leaders
- The establishment of an allyship programme
- Growing lived‑experience storytelling and policy alignment
Why It Matters
Our affinity groups prove their value across three dimensions: internal culture, business performance and client relationships, acting not only as cultural anchors, but as strategic partners influencing how we serve our clients and communities.
GatenbySanderson champions diversity and inclusion ensuring the leaders we find and develop shape a better society.
Find out more about our ongoing commitments on our Diversity & Inclusion page.