Game Nation is proud to support diversity which sits at the heart of its commitment to making the company a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. According to CEO Mark Jepp, embracing differences has made Game Nation stronger as a community of colleagues and reflects positively on what is a dynamic and progressive business.
High Street AGC operator Game Nation has been living its values by dedicating the month of June to honouring the LGBTQIA+ community. In a communication shared with the company’s entire team working out of its 40 venues as well as the Game Nation head office CEO Mark Jepp said: “We have been delighted to celebrate Pride Month which in the UK is aligned with the global celebrations which honour the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York. Game Nation is committed to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our philosophy and put quite simply we believe that embracing our differences makes us stronger as a community of colleagues and much more dynamic and progressive as a business.”
He continued: “We are 100 percent committed to fostering a supportive environment for all our employees and I would like to extend my personal thanks to each and every one of you, for your ongoing commitment to making Game Nation a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone.”
Game Nation also used its Cherry News digital employee monthly newsletter to honour the LGBTQIA+ Community, explain the origins of Pride Month, the history of Pride in the UK, a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and the need for continued advocacy and support. Cherry News included inspiring stories from some of the company’s LGBTQIA+ employees.
Explaining her experiences and her take on what Pride means Melody Greene who is based at Game Nation’s Walthamstow venue said: “I have never felt anything but love from friends and colleagues, but I have had some instances of resentment from customers who were shocked to learn I am gay. With time and patience, I have managed to change their negative opinions into positive ones and we now have great working relationships again. Personally, I think Pride is about spreading kindness, spreading education, and spreading every colour of that rainbow!”
Rikki Drake, who goes by He/Him and is based at Game Nation in Bournemouth added: “I came out just over 17 years ago when I was only 13 years old, and to say it was a bumpy period would be an understatement. I went through bullying, mistreatment in various workplaces, to being harassed on the streets. It was rough but I had friends, family and such a large community to help me every step of the way. Being who you are is hard, so to anyone struggling – just be you and know there’s people who will always be there to help – myself included if ever anyone needs it.”
Mark Jepp noted: “I have been in the industry virtually all of my working life. It is a meritocratic sector where people are judged on their abilities. I think we should all be proud of that and also recognise that organisations which really embrace diversity and inclusion are happier places to work, perform better and are frequently more successful.”
