GC Religion & Faith EDI Network
In a world full of diverse cultures, beliefs, and perspectives, the Religion & Faith EDI Network looks to foster understanding, respect, and harmony amongst individuals. We recognise that religion and faith are personal aspects of human identity, shaping values, traditions, and views.
Most of our colleagues’ time with GC will run alongside some form of religious celebrations/milestones each year. These events can often impact colleagues’ personal life but also generate insights and experiences which can be used in everyday life. They can also be rich in learnings which can benefit others. Our diverse workforce helps us have a balanced approach to understanding the life events that really matter to our colleagues.
The network encourages anybody who has any religion or faith background, or has any advice/recommendations on how we can expand GC’s commitment to religion & faith commitments, please come and join us! Many of our colleagues will be interested in learning about any religion or faith celebrations/events occurring in your personal life. At GC, we adopt a family-like environment where we can work together in better understanding our colleague’s lives so everybody has a sense of belonging.
We also have a large, diverse client base so understanding the personal aspects of religion and faith is a vitally important skill in building and maintaining relationships.
This network's goal is to provide our colleagues with the knowledge and tools to support their teams with the right support and guidance around life events, when it’s needed. Working with the other GC EDI networks and alongside our HR and Comms teams, we’ll also encourage an honest and open approach, recommend any improvements/suggestions to GC’s Senior Leadership Team.
Upcoming Campaign activity
Read a colleague's day-in-the life experience of Ramadan
I’m Natasha and I started working at GC in January as a trainer with the ‘Support to Succeed’ programme.
Ramadan is still relatively new to me. I’m White British and my husband is British Pakistani, and since we got engaged in 2020, I've converted to Islam (termed ‘reverting’) and I’ve been fasting with my in laws during Ramadan, and celebrating with them during both Eids.
I enjoy this time of year and see it as a time of reflection, charity, community, faith and family. Admittedly, as a newbie, I’m learning as I go but love the cultural journey I’m currently on.
I'd like to share with you some of my experiences from Ramadan this year across four days (including the build-up and the first few days of fasting), to give you an idea of what's involved and what it means to me and my husband.
Click on the links below to read more about what I did and experienced on each of the days:
You can also find out more about Ramadan in this digital poster created by our EmbRace EDI Network members and in this Colleague Resource Guide created by Nadir Sultan and Natasha Tate.
Recent Campaign activity
Colleague Resource Guide for 'Lent' and 'Shrove Tuesday'
Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter and is practiced by most Christian groups. Shrove Tuesday is on 13th February. Find out more in our one-page 'Colleague Resource Guide'.
Find out more about Hanukkah here – the Jewish festival which will be celebrated by many of our colleagues, and begins at sundown on 7th December and lasts until sundown on 15th December.
Hear what Diwali means to our colleague – Anushka Parekh
Sunday 12th November 2023 was Diwali. It's the Hindu festival of lights – with its variations also celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolises the spiritual 'victory of light over darkness', 'good over evil', and 'knowledge over ignorance'.
Read this blog post from Anushka Parekh, Organisational Development Advisor - HR who shares what Diwali means to her – from growing up through childhood, to now living with her husband, and how she'll be celebrating this year by choreographing a dance for children at a local event.
More information
To find out more about the Religion & Faith Network or to join us, please email timothy.jeffrey@gcemployment.uk or nadir.sultan@growthco.uk