Money Wellness launches LGBTQIA+ community group

Money Wellness, the wellbeing platform specialising in free debt advice, has formed a LGBTQIA+ community group, with the aim of cultivating an open, accepting and positive environment for both employees and customers.

The group of eight employees will come together to ensure those who identify as LGBTQIA+ feel heard and respected and will take an active role in educating employees on issues the community faces, using inclusive and correct language, while helping to eradicate discrimination.

Mercedes Dawson, engagement and support development manager at Money Wellness and founder of the LGBTQIA+ community group, said: “It’s essential we continually cultivate an open, accepting, and positive environment. Maintaining a workspace in which everyone feels welcome regardless of identity is top of our priorities.

“This group will not only educate people within Money Wellness, and to support our colleagues, but it’ll also ensure our advisers feel confident about speaking to people from the LGBTQIA+ community and have a good understanding of issues unique to them, meaning we can offer expert and bespoke support.”

In addition to the LGBTQIA+ community group, Money Wellness has decided not to mandate the use of pronouns, allowing each individual to decide if they wish to use them and how they would like to be referred to.

Dawson adds: “The simple fact that conversations around pronouns is picking up momentum is extremely positive. Misgendering a person can be hurtful, even if accidental.

“We felt that mandating the use of pronouns could leave a person feeling like they needed to make a declaration about their identify that they perhaps might not be ready for.

“Therefore, we’ve chosen to take a more considerate approach allowing everyone to choose how they are referred to and whether they’re comfortable using a pronoun or not. It’s about individual choice.”