Unity, our colleague-led community group, supports our people from different cultures, religions and backgrounds by creating a welcoming and inclusive space to share experiences, learn from one another and feel a sense of belonging.

The group plays an important role in building awareness and understanding across the business, highlighting key cultural and religious moments, encouraging open conversations and helping ensure colleagues feel comfortable to bring their full selves to work. Through this approach, Unity creates opportunities to celebrate difference while strengthening connection across our teams.

Over the past year, Unity has helped bring a wide range of cultural celebrations and activities to life across our offices. In Birmingham, we supported the Diwali Basket Brigade, packing food hampers that were delivered to communities across the region. The initiative brought together colleagues, charities and community organisations to tackle food poverty while sharing the message and values of Diwali.

Volunteers also heard directly from organisations supported by the initiative, including St Basils, Kids Out and Walsall Housing Group, helping to deepen our understanding of local need and the role collaboration plays in addressing it.

My heart is warm; there’s a huge team effort to bring this event together. Our endeavour is to demonstrate that strangers do really care by bringing together members of the community from all walks of life, to just demonstrate that ... a small act of kindness can go a really long way, and there’s no boundary to where kindness can be spread.
Deepak Parekh, Founder and chair of trustees, The Diwali Foundation

Across the year, our people also came together to mark cultural and religious moments including Ramadan and Eid, Chinese New Year, and the Islamic New Year. These celebrations created opportunities to share traditions, learn from one another and build greater cultural understanding.

To celebrate Eid ul Fitr and mark the end of Ramadan, our people enjoyed great food, while some also attended an event hosted by Forvis Mazars, highlighting the value of collaboration, allyship and shared learning. Our offices also marked Chinese New Year, to celebrate traditions, colour and good fortune.

Unity helps build an environment where differences are recognised and valued. Through shared experiences and community activity, we can connect in meaningful ways, strengthening understanding, supporting inclusion and building a culture where everyone feels welcome and respected.