Virgin Media O2 will pay for gender transition treatments for its non-binary and transgender staff

Virgin Media O2 will pay for gender transition treatments for its non-binary and transgender staff as part of new employee perks under a new ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ strategy.

The new strategy aims to help the company show ‘allyship’ by ‘providing support for transgender and non-binary employees’ so they can access medical support and advice.

In a statement on Wednesday, the telecoms giant also pledged to ‘better represent the diverse communities it serves’ by funding life-changing programmes for young people from minoritised ethnic groups.

It has set out four ‘bold ambitions’ to reach by 2027, which include 15 per cent of its leadership team and 25 per cent of its wider organisation coming from ‘minoritised ethnic groups’.

Virgin Media O2 also aims to achieve equal representation of men and women in its wider leadership team and to have ‘driven forward progress for gender parity, including all gender identities and expressions across the organisation’. 

The statement said: ‘Virgin Media O2 is introducing a number of more equitable policies to ensure it is offering the right support and flexibility for all employees. 

The new strategy aims to help the company show ‘allyship’ by ‘providing support for transgender and non-binary employees’

O2 & Virgin Media’s head offices in Bath Road. The two giants merged last year in a £31 billion mega-deal

‘The company wants to help people be their best both at work and in their personal lives.

‘One way Virgin Media O2 is committed to doing this is by funding gender transition treatment for its transgender and non-binary employees. 

‘Virgin Media O2 will help them access medical care, support and advice, and is working on a complete support package.’

The company declined to explain how much the pledge is expected to cost, The Times reports.

It also was unaware how many of its 18,000 employees identify are transgender or identify as non-binary.

Philipp Wohland, chief people officer at Virgin Media O2, said: ‘Virgin Media O2’s purpose is to upgrade the UK; that’s not just through our leading products and services, it’s also by the type of company we want to be and the role we play in society.

‘With our All In strategy, we’re taking a step-change in our approach to creating a more inclusive and equitable company – both for our employees and customers, where we truly represent the diverse communities we serve.

‘Virgin Media O2 is a great place to work and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.’

Virgin Media O2 was created last year following a £31 billion mega-merger between then separate companies Virgin Media and O2. 

O2 was then the UK’s biggest mobile phone operator with around 36.6 million customers across its networks, which also included giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile and Lycamobile.

Virgin Media, meanwhile, then had around 5.3 million customers.

It came after Virgin Media received repeated criticism for its customer service, with Ofcom finding customers waited longer than any other company to speak to an operator.

Source: Daily Mail