Amy Martin, EDI Lead, Sisk looks back on Pride 2025 and what it meant to her
This year was my first time taking part in Pride Month at Sisk in my role as EDI Partner, having joined the company just 10 months ago. It was a milestone moment for me, professionally and personally, as I worked with our LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, True Colours, to co-ordinate a wide range of activities across our offices and projects in Ireland, the UK, and Europe.
In Ireland, we celebrated 10 years since the Marriage Equality Referendum was passed, which was a powerful reminder of the progress made, but also of the work still to be done. Against the backdrop of the shifting geopolitical climate, it’s more important than ever to acknowledge that the rights of our LGBTQ+ colleagues cannot be assumed and must be actively protected.
Our Pride Month celebrations reached every corner of our business. We took part in external events like the Dublin Pride Run and Dublin Pride Parade and hosted coffee morning fundraisers to raise funds for charities supporting LGBTQ+ youth. A highlight for me was developing and delivering our Pride Month toolbox talk, which opened important and sometimes first-time discussions on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
From terminology, flags, and the SOGIE spectrum to understanding pronouns and active allyship, the toolbox talk created a safe space to learn, ask questions and build empathy. We also launched a Respectful Conversations Toolkit, designed to help teams engage in constructive, respectful dialogue, even when they don’t agree, and to foster a culture where curiosity, empathy, and understanding are the norm. This is one of a number of toolkits we’ve developed this year to support our colleagues to actively practice EDIB.
Looking back on Pride Month, a few things stood out for me: the value of simply showing up, the importance of creating spaces for honest conversations, and the impact of celebrating together to ensure people feel seen, respected and included.
But inclusion doesn’t begin and end with Pride Month. We’re already building on this momentum. In the coming months, we’ll be hosting an event focused on active allyship, with a dedicated spotlight on allyship for LGBTQ+ colleagues.
As part of this, we’re developing an Active Allyship Toolkit and a new toolbox talk to support employees in turning good intentions into meaningful action. And later this year, we’ll be marking National Coming Out Day, continuing to create spaces for visibility, storytelling, and solidarity.
Amy Martin, EDI Lead, Sisk