myGwork chats with Lauren Kavanagh from Fitch Group about the importance of community
BY DYLAN MANN-HAZELL, IMAGES PROVIDED
Building strong communities requires dedication, empathy, and a willingness to champion inclusivity. Lauren Kavanagh, Associate Director at Fitch Group, understands this very well. Throughout her life, she has consistently sought to create spaces where everyone feels valued and empowered. In this interview with myGwork, she discusses her personal experiences as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and the impact her identity has had on her motivation to promote inclusivity in the workplace and beyond.
Lauren’s academic background, a blend of neuropsychology and neuroscience, might seem worlds away from the financial world of her current role at Fitch Group. However, a closer look reveals how these skills may be more intertwined than initially thought.
“A strong eye to detail has benefited me throughout my career,” Lauren explains, emphasising how critical this is to ensuring consistency and quality control. Her studies have allowed her an ability to communicate effectively and develop unique solutions, a skill set she utilises daily when working with people from diverse backgrounds across the globe. “The opportunity to speak with people from various backgrounds and countries is a huge benefit of the current role for me.”
This fondness for working inclusively stems all the way back to being raised in Greater Manchester, where her childhood revolved largely around sports, especially football. From playing on a boys’ team as a young girl to avidly supporting Bolton Wanderers, sports instilled a sense of community that would remain forever, carrying over into Lauren’s professional life.
Growing up, Lauren noted a particular lack of LGBTQIA+ representation. In fact, she often heard derogatory language where the community is concerned. “As far as I’m aware, I did not know anybody who was openly gay, and casual slurs were common, which created a quiet sense of friction and loneliness internally as I began to realise, I may not be straight,” she remembers.
At the age of 16, during a birthday party surrounded by a mix of friends from various schools, Lauren made the bold decision to come out to everyone at once. Fortunately, the response was overwhelmingly positive. This big step, revealing her true self to over thirty people in a single evening, proved to be a turning point, giving her the confidence to tune out any negativity from others moving forward.
As an adult, meeting other members of the LGBTQIA+ community living so openly and proudly had a profound impact on her self-acceptance, something she hadn’t realised she was missing. At 24, she finally told her dad through a very long text message, to no adverse reactions. Today, Lauren finds community through an LGBTQIA+ inclusive grassroots football team. “I’m genuinely grateful for those spaces that allow people to feel comfortable being unapologetically themselves.”
Since joining Fitch Group after graduating, a particular career highlight for Lauren was organising and hosting an event tied to the Women’s Euros football tournament. Driven by her personal passion for access and inclusion in sports, the event aimed to create a space for dialogue and understanding. Recognising that sports aren’t for everyone, Lauren emphasised the power of simply providing inclusive options for participation as a means of building community within teams. She worked hard at facilitating a discussion that not only highlighted these benefits but also delved into the core reasons why inclusion matters.
Fitch Group’s commitment to inclusion, in Lauren’s opinion, has grown each year. The Fitch Pride Network (FPN) plays a vital role by organising events that highlight LGBTQIA+ stories, recognising visibility days, and fostering allyship. Small gestures, like sharing pronouns, contribute to a more inclusive atmosphere, and the active participation of senior managers further reinforces a culture of acceptance.
“Initially, it felt rather daunting to, of my own accord, let people in the workplace know that I am a lesbian, but nobody batted an eyelid, and everybody has only ever been supportive to me.”
Over the past six years at Fitch, Lauren has witnessed a significant shift in attitudes towards diversity and inclusion. She’s seen a deepened understanding of cultural nuances, evidenced by increased participation in events and Employee Resource Groups. There appears to be a big focus on people being actively inclusive. “It has been great to see the positive increases within active participation of these events and initiatives.”
Looking ahead, Lauren believes companies should make a concerted effort to build a consistently welcoming culture and establish clear norms. As an example, she suggests implementing practices like sharing pronouns and offering respectful corrections when needed, embedding these practices into onboarding processes. Beyond the workplace, she emphasised the importance of society tackling health bias and removing barriers to accessible, affirming healthcare, including mental health support, for LGBTQIA+ and other marginalised communities.
“Reducing bias and improving accessibility in these systems should benefit everybody, not only the LBGTQ+ community, in the long run.”
Fitch Group is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTQ+-friendly job opportunities at Fitch Group.
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