Chief executive of Co-op food stores, Shirine Khoury-Haq, has vowed to “protect trans people to the end” following a recent rise in anti-trans sentiments in the U.K.
Co-op operates over 4000 food stores all across England, according to Pink News, and in a recent letter to staff, Khoury-Haq claimed she would “continue to advocate” for trans people following the U.K.’s recent anti-trans Supreme Court ruling.
Just last month, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman does not include trans women. On April 16, the court ruled unanimously claiming that the act only referred to “biological women.” After the ruling, the U.K’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) urge employers and organizations to ban trans people from gendered public facilities, including toilets and changing rooms.
Khoury-Haq’s letter to Co-op’s 54,000 staff members emphasizes the company’s respect and support for trans and non-binary employees. Currently, around 1,000 of the company’s staff identify as trans or non-binary. “There are highly talented people who, if they feel loved, if they feel valued, if they feel like they can bring their whole selves to work, their contribution is immense,” Khoury-Haq wrote.
She reaffirmed that Co-op will continue to speak out against hate and will investigate how the new guidance impacts its policies on trans inclusion in the workplace, according to Pink News.
Co-op has announced that until full guidance on single-sex space usage is shared by the EHRC in June, it will continue to allow staff to use toilets and changing facilities in accordance with their gender identity.
Khoury-Haq emphasized that Co-op would continue to be a “safe place” for everyone. “On a personal level, I need to take care of my trans colleagues. I always will, and, as long as I’m there, they will be protected. I will absolutely protect those people to the end.”
