Claire McCartney, diversity and inclusion adviser for the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, comments:

"It’s time for businesses to take a stand against the worryingly high levels of sexual harassment experienced by the LGBT+ community. There is simply no room for the harassment of any individual at work and every one of us should be treated with dignity and respect."

“It's essential that organisations take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment at work. They need to ensure that they have robust frameworks and policies in place for dealing with such incidences and all employees are clear and confident about reporting such behaviour. Employers also need to make sure that they are applying their policies and procedures in a fair and consistent way. To do this, line managers must be trained and confident in implementing the organisation’s policies and dealing with any concerns or complaints."

"More than that though, organisations need to be proactive in building inclusive and open cultures which aim to prevent such behaviour from occurring in the first place. This includes engaging with employees on the organisation's zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and making it completely clear what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour at work." 

"Ultimately we need to create cultures where all employees can bring their whole selves to work and be valued and included without any fear of cruelty, harassment or discrimination."

“An inclusive workplace isn’t a ‘nice to have’; it’s about equality, human rights and fairness for all.”

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