Inspiring Change: Tracy Hindley, Customer Services Committee, on inclusion

Published: 06 March 2024 

This Friday 8 March we’ll be celebrating International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring Inclusion’, and this can mean different things to different people.  

Challenging stereotypes and gender roles in the workplace is more important than ever, so we caught up with Tracy Hindley, one of our customer service committee members, to find out what the day means to her and how she’s ‘Inspiring Inclusion’ through her role on the committee.  

Why do you think it's important to inspire inclusion, both in the workplace and in everyday life? 

Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in our everyday lives is crucial as it encourages all of us to be more inclusive.  

Weaving inclusivity into everything we do removes barriers - allowing individuals to raise issues. It  creates allyship in communities thus encouraging greater inclusion broadly.  

I am proud to inspire inclusion in both my personal and work life because these two aspects are interlinked and cannot function without the other.  

As individuals, when we promote inclusion, we also promote confidence and inspiration and this can bring out the best in an individual. Only when everyone around us can be their truest best version does it create a ripple effect of positive change. 

Is there anyone who has inspired you in your career or personal life to understand and value women's inclusion? 

In my personal life my late Mum was a great inspiration. She taught me to be a resilient and independent woman which has really helped me to push myself when I felt outside of my comfort zone. This transpired into taking on meaningful projects within the workspace and through my volunteering work.  

Although I have worked mainly in a male- dominated industry for most of my working life in property, I have had the pleasure of collaborating and working alongside incredibly talented women in their respective fields. Watching these individuals excel in their careers showed me that everyone has a voice, everyone can make change happen and like my late Mum - we can be independent and of service to humanity. 

How have you seen the workplace become more inclusive over your career, and what more progress can be done to inspire inclusion?  

Over the last years I have seen the growing inclusion within communities and workplaces. Active promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion through internal upskilling, nationwide training, webinars and continuous personal development (CPD) sessions allows people to learn more about what they can personally do. 

Senior business leaders embracing inclusivity by advocating for fairer employment practices showcase the importance of visibility. Moreover, it transpires into communities they work and serve. Communities coming together to improve the livelihoods of their residents is a true testament to how listening, understanding and acting together can have a long-lasting impact on equality, wherever they are in the world.  

International Women's Day is a wonderful way of recognising the achievements of women in your workplace and communities, and ensures that every generation feels their worth. Everyone should inspire, empower, encourage and celebrate an inclusive world for women.  

Share your knowledge, it can make a difference!