Pandora UK partners with Switchboard to celebrate Pride and support the LGBTQIA+ community

Pandora, the world's largest jewellery brand, is pleased to announce its UK partnership with Switchboard, the national LGBTQIA+ support line, in celebration of Pride 2024. This summer, Pandora will contribute a donation of £20,000 to Switchboard, celebrating their 50th anniversary of providing free, confidential support to LGBTQIA+ individuals across the UK, helping them continue creating space for people to feel heard and find the support they need.

In addition, Pandora is launching a new Pride charm, which will be available for purchase online and in selected stores across the UK and Ireland starting this week.

In 2022, Pandora UK launched 'Pride at Pandora', an internal network dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ colleagues, offering peer-to-peer support, and raising awareness about LGBTQIA+ inclusion. The network actively promotes acceptance, equality, and equity, celebrates the contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals, and highlights issues affecting the community. Led by a dedicated volunteer group of Pride champions from across Pandora's store network and head office, and sponsored by UK & Ireland Sales Director Ross Monaghan, the network has seen continuous engagement throughout the year.

At Pandora, we take pride in promoting diversity and inclusion every day through various initiatives. These include monthly engagement with our Pride champions, annual Pride Month celebrations with events and programmes in stores and the office, and virtual and in-person events for all employees. We also offer training on how to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, collaborate with underrepresented groups in our marketing efforts, and provide optional pronouns on name badges and email signatures, both in store and across our offices. Additionally, we always look for ways to engage with LGBTQIA+ charities like Switchboard and adopt an intersectional approach by working with other diversity committees within Pandora.

This summer, Pandora's partnership with Switchboard will further its commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community. Ross Monaghan, Sales Director for Pandora UK & Ireland, said: "At Pandora, we say 'Your Love, Your Way', emphasising our commitment to supporting love in all its forms. It has been two years since we launched our Pride at Pandora committee and what a transformative two years it has been! We are very proud of our work so far but know that there is much more for us to do and learn in education, celebration, advocacy, and support for our LGBTQIA+ customers and employees. This year, we are proud to partner with Switchboard, an LGBTQIA+ support organisation that has been championing the community, spreading vital knowledge, and inspiring change for 50 years. Their free support line has been crucial in enabling LGBTQIA+ people to explore, talk, and be heard. Pandora and Switchboard is a perfect collaboration, and we look forward to supporting the charity through fundraising, as well as learning from their vast knowledge in all things LGBTQIA+."

Stephanie Fuller, CEO of Switchboard, added: "We are thrilled to be supported by Pandora during Pride 2024. As we celebrate our 50th year, the need for our services remains as crucial as it was when we first began in 1974. Last year alone, our volunteers responded to over 15,000 contacts from across the UK, offering support on issues such as coming out, sexuality, gender identity, isolation, and mental health. To meet the growing demand, we are expanding our volunteer base. The generous donations from Pandora will significantly enhance our capacity to support and listen to more LGBTQIA+ individuals in the coming year. This partnership is instrumental in raising vital funds and increasing awareness of our services throughout Pride season and beyond."

Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion are core to Pandora's company values and a foundational element of its sustainable business strategy. In 2023, Pandora committed to ensuring that, by 2025, at least 30% of brand ambassadors in its global communication will come from underrepresented groups, and by the same year, 30% of its branding content budget will be spent with suppliers owned by women or underrepresented groups.

For more information on how Pandora is supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, visit: https://uk.pandora.net/en/pride