ADRIAN HYYRYLAINEN-TRETT IS THE GLOBAL & UK (INCLUSION & DIVERSITY) RELATIONSHIP & MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT THE EMPLOYERS NETWORK FOR EQUALITY & INCLUSION (ENEI)

The aim of enei is to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace. How does enei implement this?
Enei’s promotion of inclusion is implemented by our USP of covering all protected characteristics plus specialist inclusion topics which are not necessarily covered by legislation and weave them together into strategic plans whereby “intersectionality” is key to bringing equality and inclusion across all diversities.

The plans are assisted by our benchmarking tool TIDE (Talent, Inclusion & Diversity Evaluation) which puts a “mark in the sand” on where your organisation is at. We then look at where perhaps your challenges or struggles are and create initiatives, projects, plans and other workplace strategies to improve your score across eight key areas of an organisation which will improve your overall percentage on the TIDE scorecard.

What benefits does having a diverse and inclusive workplace bring?
It’s true to say that having an inclusive workplace allows the employee to work in psychological safety, bringing their authentic self with their work colleagues, especially when identifying from any under- represented or minority group which includes being LGBTQ+. From the employer’s perspective, there is a well understood motto that if employees are happy, they are more likely to be productive, bring different views and knowledge to the table and therefore your business benefits.

What has been your proudest achievement?
To be honest, I’m going to have split this answer into two. From a very personal perspective, being the first openly HIV+ candidate to stand at a UK general election is an intensely personal story, something nobody can ever take away from the history books and I hope it will have enabled a discussion for which future generations will have less stigma to deal with by my openness and authenticity.

From a community perspective, being heavily involved in getting same-sex marriage legislation onto the UK statute book was something I chose to lead, not because I at the time thought it would benefit me, but more importantly the LGBTQ+ community who would have equal rights to love and marry who they wish. #Loveislove and that should be available to every human being whatever their sexuality, and to have led that campaign by writing and then speaking on the motion at the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference in Liverpool in September 2010 which started the journey to legislation.