Go North East’s ‘One Team GNE’ initiative gains momentum during National Inclusion Week

It’s National Inclusion Week this week and Go North East, the region’s largest bus operator, has marked it with the progression of its ‘One Team GNE’ inclusive engagement initiative.

The company’s initiative addresses six key themes selected by members of its workforce – mental health and wellbeing; disability and inclusion; community engagement; gender equality; ethnicity; and LGBTQ+.

To help drive the initiative forward, Go North East has enlisted the help of 29 ‘One Team GNE champions’ who put themselves forward from across the company.

Representing colleagues from all depot locations and across different roles, the initiative aims to get everyone working together to create better relations.

The company also wants to create a more inclusive and supportive team for colleagues, as well as forming a platform to reach out to more community groups across the region.

Following online group sessions and surveying, the champion group has also devised four underpinning principles for colleagues as part of ‘One Team GNE’ – be kind; respect individuality; value differences; and work well with communities.

Commenting on Go North East’s ‘One Team GNE’ initiative, the company’s managing director, Martijn Gilbert, said: “It’s great to see how much progress we’ve made in just a few months, having moved quickly to build on the great team spirit of colleagues working through the depths of the pandemic and to work on bringing us together even stronger for the undoubted challenges ahead.

“Already, we have 29 super-motivated colleagues on board as champions, who are working across our six key themes to identify and implement improvements for our team, and so much more.

“At Go North East we want to celebrate everyday inclusion in all its forms, by working together to make sure all team members feel valued and respected.

“We want to raise awareness of these important matters and help educate colleagues, by having conversations around equality, diversity and inclusion, to make sure nobody feels left out or behind at work.

“Over the coming months we will build on these foundations with a series of awareness activities, and by challenging ourselves on how we can continue to change and modernise as a company and how we can build even better relations externally too.”

To find out more about Go North East, visit www.gonortheast.co.uk.