Diversity drives forward performance: Racing Pride and special guests join us at the AMR Technology Campus for Pride Month celebrations.
On 3 June, we kicked off Pride Month at the AMR Technology Campus with the first in a series of activations and events in June, aimed at promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) as part of our Make A Mark responsible business strategy.
Our Pride Month celebration in partnership with Racing Pride at our state-of-the-art new home was the first of several planned activations this June, which revolve around the theme of 'diversity drives forward performance' and highlight the benefits of creating an inclusive culture.
With a focus on fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, the day began with a workshop hosted by Richard Morris, CEO and Co-Founder of Racing Pride, alongside members of our Senior Leadership Team including Chief People Officer, Sophie Ackland.
The workshop aimed to equip our team with the knowledge and awareness to push our inclusivity efforts forward to best support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues.
Following the workshop, a lunch and learn session featured a panel hosted by Racing Pride, an innovative international movement working to positively promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion throughout motorsport, which included speakers Jessica Hawkins and trans karting champion Jessica Alexander. Discussing their personal experiences as members of the LGBTQIA+ community within motorsport, the panel explored how diversity, inclusion and a culture of acceptance can drive performance within our sport.
Jessica Hawkins, Aston Martin Aramco Driver Ambassador and Head of F1 Academy, said: "It's important for everybody to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter what environment they're in, but I think in the workplace it's very important for people to feel comfortable. If you feel comfortable and if you feel like you have allies, you work better, more efficiently, and happier."
The day's events also featured discussions on fostering a culture of belonging and acceptance, including the development of our internal LGBTQIA+ network.
This activation is part of our ongoing commitment to create an inclusive environment throughout Pride Month and beyond, which stretches back to Aston Martin's return to F1 with a clear ambition to change the game on and off the track – to make a mark in the places where we live, work and race – and saw us partnered with Racing Pride in 2021 to drive DEI within our sport.
Launched in 2019, Racing Pride is the world-leading movement championing LGBTQ+ inclusion through motorsport and its associated industries. It provides visible role models through its ambassadors and fosters an inclusive community by working with teams, series, companies and organisations to provide education on LGBTQ+ inclusion and support the creation of LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and working environments.
Racing Pride also promotes the importance of allyship and encourages businesses to adopt inclusive positions, attract diverse talent and create positive cultures.
Regarding the importance of allyship, at the panel discussion that took place at the AMR Technology Campus, Richard Morris said: "Visible allyship is absolutely vital for LGBTQ+ inclusion. Our community needs allies. It's great for LGBTQ+ people to talk about our experiences and to share our thoughts and insights, but in order to actually make meaningful change, we need support from allies to help make environments as inclusive as they can be, to welcome the LGBTQ+ community, to advocate on behalf of it.
"Anyone can be an ally. It's not necessarily about knowing all of the terminology or having experienced these things yourself. It's about having empathy and understanding, educating yourself where you can, and also showing that willingness to have conversations. That's been a big theme of what we've been talking about today, and it's been fantastic to have some senior figures within the team showing their allyship."
At Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, we continue to foster an environment of inclusivity, and we want our fans and partners to continue to join us on this journey to advance LGBTQIA+ inclusion – whether that's on track, in the grandstands, or beyond.
Watch the video below to discover more about the illuminating day at the AMR Technology Campus as we kicked off our Pride Month celebrations.
Celebrating Pride Month at the AMR Technology Campus
Kicking off Pride Month, we hosted the first in a series of activations and events aimed at promoting diversity, equality and inclusion.
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