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
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
Race Affinity Group
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‑Chair
Key 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.
These activities are directly improving how we understand and engage with diverse leaders and candidate communities.
Diverse Abilities Affinity Group
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.
“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 Chair
2025 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.
These insights help shape truly barrier‑free recruitment processes, an essential part of our client value proposition.
Women’s Affinity Group (WAG)
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 Chair
Major contributions included:
- Organisation‑wide menopause training to improve leadership confidence and support.
- Six engagement sessions on caring responsibilities, dementia, endometriosis, exam 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 through FUSE.
This work continues to enhance the quality of leadership support and wellbeing 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
Diverse Abilities Affinity Group
- Publishing business‑wide accessibility recommendations
- Enhancing cross‑group collaboration and continuing monthly safe‑space forums
Women’s Affinity Group
- Continuing successful engagement sessions
- Growing lived‑experience storytelling
- Partnering with HR on self‑defence and domestic abuse awareness initiatives
- Strengthening intersectional collaboration