We supported this year's White Ribbon Day campaign by inviting our male colleagues along to a session to talk about the theme of White Ribbon Day 2024: 'It Starts With Men'.

Every year, we support White Ribbon, the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to prevent violence against women and girls, by holding events to help spread their important message.

This year's theme meant our sessions were directed at male colleagues, encouraging them to hold themselves accountable to women, and to each other, so we can affect positive behaviour change to transform harmful cultures. 

We also used the session to remind colleagues of how to identify and report safeguarding issues that we may come across when visiting customers. Safeguarding issues are wide ranging, but they do include domestic abuse and violence, and we have a key role in helping to keep people safe.

Alongside this, we also launched our Domestic Abuse Policy, which will be used to support colleagues who may be experiencing domestic abuse to feel able to raise the issue at work.  It also aims for managers to feel better able to support their team members and signpost to appropriate assistance.