An Interview with PROUD at Shoosmiths

At the 2026 Rainbow Honours, PROUD at Shoosmiths were the winners of the Outstanding LGBTQIA+ Network of the Year award. In this interview, they share what makes an employee network effective, the challenges networks face in maintaining engagement and momentum, and how organisations can better support employee-led inclusion. They also explores the wider impact strong networks can have on belonging, wellbeing, retention and innovation, and why creating a culture where people do not feel they need to hide who they are is essential to enabling them to do their best work.

PROUD, Shoosmiths

Employee networks are key to diversity and inclusion. What makes an employee network genuinely effective?

For us at Shoosmiths, an employee network is genuinely effective when it goes beyond organising events and becomes a catalyst for belonging, visibility and positive change. At PROUD, we aim to create an environment where people can bring their authentic selves to work, feel supported, and know they can succeed regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

An effective network creates opportunities for learning, encourages open conversations, and gives colleagues a trusted community where they feel heard. It also actively engages allies, because inclusion is not the responsibility of a single community – it is something everyone contributes to. Most importantly, it connects people across different, locations and levels of seniority, helping to turn inclusion from a policy into a lived experience from the very top of our business (for example, we have a Board Ally who is a visible figurehead advocate and supporter of each Network at Shoosmiths).

What are some of the biggest challenges employee resource groups or networks face today?

One of the biggest challenges is sustaining engagement in an increasingly busy and complex workplace environment. People want to contribute, but balancing network involvement alongside day-to-day responsibilities can be difficult and lead to priorities being reassessed. It is important to stay focussed and motivated on what you want to achieve most,  to ensure time is spent productively as much as it can be.

Another challenge is ensuring that inclusion remains relevant and meaningful for everyone. Networks need to evolve alongside the communities they support, while also creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen respectfully and constructively. For LGBTQ+ networks in particular, there can also be an added responsibility to respond to changing social, legal and cultural discussions while continuing to provide support, education and a sense of community to everyone who is included in the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

I also think there is a challenge around maintaining visibility and momentum. Networks are most successful when they are visible throughout the year, not just around key dates or awareness campaigns, and when they demonstrate value both to colleagues and to the wider organisation.

How can organisations better support inclusion efforts led by employees?

Organisations can make the biggest difference by treating employee networks as strategic partners rather than simply voluntary groups.

That means providing genuine executive sponsorship (such as the Board Allyship here at Shoosmiths), listening to employee feedback, giving networks the resources and visibility they need, and creating opportunities for network leaders to influence decision-making. It also means recognising the time and energy that colleagues invest in driving inclusion and valuing that contribution appropriately.

Support should extend beyond funding events. Organisations can strengthen inclusion efforts by embedding learning opportunities, encouraging allyship, facilitating collaboration across different networks, and ensuring that network insights help shape wider people strategies. At PROUD, some of our most impactful work comes from collaborating with other inclusion networks, clients and external organisations to broaden perspectives and create shared learning opportunities and building strategic, mutually beneficial partnerships.

In your experience, how do strong employee networks influence retention, wellbeing and innovation?

Strong employee networks help create cultures where people feel they belong. When colleagues feel comfortable being themselves at work, they are more likely to feel connected to the organisation, supported by their peers and motivated to stay and develop their careers. That has a direct impact on wellbeing and retention. The simple reality is that people do their best work when they do not feel they have to hide who they are.

Networks also provide an important support structure. Whether through peer connections, allyship, signposting to resources or simply providing a safe space for conversation, they help individuals feel valued and heard.

From an innovation perspective, diverse and connected communities generate broader thinking. Our PROUD Charter speaks about valuing difference in thought, perspective and approaches to challenges. When people with different experiences feel empowered to contribute, organisations benefit from richer discussions, better decision-making and more creative solutions. Inclusion is not just the right thing to do; it is a driver of stronger performance, fresh ideas and long-term organisational success.