The campaign, Trans Rights are Human Rights, is being organised by Stonewall and calls on businesses to show their support for transgender employees.
Trans rights have been a hot topic of discussion over the summer, and recent reports suggested that the UK government was planning regressive legislative steps that would have negatively impacted the lives, safety and careers of transgender individuals. In response to this, 40+ global media and entertainment corporations very effectively voiced their concerns to the government in the form of public and private letters on 1 August 2020.
As a business we have set stretching targets and aspirations to build a diverse workforce where we can all be ourselves.
Ray Berg, Managing Partner, Osborne Clarke commented: "As a business we have set stretching targets and aspirations to build a diverse workforce where we can all be ourselves. Signing the public and private letters shows our commitment to our transgender employees, customers, colleagues, trans allies and to the wider LGBT+ community.
"While we are still working on becoming a better workplace for Trans colleagues we feel this step is in keeping with our existing commitment to LGBT+ inclusion, and is the right thing to do. We hope other firms will also take this opportunity to show their support."
For some, the workplace can become one of the few areas of stability in their lives.
Max Turner, Gender Identity Rep for OC Pride, Osborne Clarke also commented: "Transitioning is a deeply personal and private process that occurs publicly and can come at a great cost to relationships with family, friends and the community. For some, the workplace can become one of the few areas of stability in their lives. For others they can find themselves discriminated against and even forced out as a result of their gender identity.
"This is why it is so crucial that businesses create workplaces which are supportive and inclusive as well as visible in their support of trans people and other minorities. Employees at Osborne Clarke and members of the firm's LGBT+ community in particular, are proud to work for a business that understands that trans rights are human rights.
"As a transgender man, I am proud that my colleagues and the firm's leadership are ready to stand beside me and other trans and non-binary colleagues by supporting this campaign. We should never underestimate the valuable impact that a demonstration of support such as this can have on employees and clients - current and future - and the wider community in which the business operates."
Readers can visit the campaign website www.transrightsarehumanrights.co.uk.
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