Allan Reid (They/Them)

Allan is an experienced EDI professional having worked as a D&I Officer for Network Rail Scotland and active membership of various EDI groups, including the Alba Alliance.

Allan is passionate about ensuring that the world becomes a fairer and more just place for everyone. They believe that EDI in the workplace will improve the quality of life for more people as the initiatives are taken into communities by the employees.

Allan has experience in a number of different roles and has viewed the opportunity of access, the diversity and inclusivity of different industries and departments. They have experience in working with initiatives to improve opportunities for poorer communities and kids with learning difficulties, championing the rights of the LGBTQ+ Community, being a vocal anti-racist and feminist. Through these roles and experience, Allan has become aware of the extensive issues for EDI within workplaces. Allan’s goal is to make their own job redundant by building a legacy for EDI, building it into the fabric of society as well as business ensuring that even as things change, uniqueness is celebrated, respected and valued.

• Allan helped to write the final draft of Network Rail Scotland’s first Diversity & Inclusion Strategy.  
• Allan is the Membership Lead for a Scottish based network of networks, The Alba Alliance. They bring together LGBTQ+ employee networks from various organisations in Scotland and have plans to expand to all protected characteristics.  
• Allan has presented on a number of topics for various groups including The Bi-Umbrella for Scottish Power, The Queer Community for Network Rail and Reasonable Adjustments in the Workplace: Neurodiversity & Mental health.‍
• Allan believes that conversations on EDI must include everyone - one group cannot solve the problem, especially if they are the oppressed group.  
• Allan takes the view that you cannot pick and choose which EDI areas you subscribe to, it must be a holistic approach looking at Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across all protected characteristics and any additional characteristics that could be excluded.

Allan is focused on providing educated EDI advice in order to raise awareness, identify gaps in strategy and provide solutions to address issues.