Guernsey firm places women's safety first

Friday 20 October 2023

Saffery Trust has become the first firm in Guernsey to introduce its staff to the BE LADS Campaign to help tackle violence against women and girls.

The private client firm hosted a 'lunch'n’learn' session for staff, where Campaign Founder, and Saffery Trust Content Creator, Poppy Murray helped to educate the team about issues of women’s safety when walking alone.

As part of its recent rebrand, Saffery Trust also launched its Employee Value Proposition framework (EVP), with a focus on its people and continuing to maintain an environment where each individual matters, is supported and is given opportunities to progress.

The BE LADS session was delivered as part of the firm’s commitment to ensuring all its people feel safe both in the workplace and their personal lives.

The hour-long session raised awareness of issues surrounding women’s safety, supported by data and case studies. It provided women with personal safety advice, and men with advice on how they can be allies to women.

Ms Murray launched the campaign in 2021 after the high-profile murder of Sarah Everard. She said that Saffery Trust has been supportive of her efforts since she joined the firm last year.

“I regularly have conversations with colleagues who have followed the progress of the campaign and support its message. It is also thanks to Saffery Trust’s fantastic flexible working policy that I have been able to travel to present the campaign across the UK while working full-time hours," she said.

“The support for the lunch’n’learn session gave a clear message that Saffery Trust not only cares about its staff, but also the wider community. While the campaign advice is aimed at supporting and protecting women and girls – who are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence – BE LADS is applicable to any demographic. It was a pleasure to share the BE LADS advice with the group and equip them with the tools to start conversations about women’s safety with their friends and family. The more people that hear this message, the safer our island will be for everyone.”

In supporting the BE LADS Campaign, Saffery Trust has joined countless other organisations, including the island’s high schools and colleges, police forces across the UK including the Metropolitan Police Service, and a nation-wide construction company.

Saffery Trust Managing Director, Nick Batiste, said the firm was keen to support the campaign.

“Alongside our comprehensive wellbeing strategy, we also take a proactive approach in taking up opportunities to raise awareness of issues that impact our staff. Poppy’s BE LADS Campaign shares an important message for everyone, and it was important to us to give staff an opportunity to learn more.

“The lunch’n’learn with Poppy also came at a perfect time for me as the father of an 18-year-old daughter heading off to university. The session was very thought provoking and helpful and I was able to share the content with her (and my son) and make a last-minute purchase of a rush charger (which has already been needed) and other useful items recommended by Poppy.”

Pictured top: Nick Batiste and Poppy Murray.