We pulled up one of our cosy chairs (luckily we had a lot to choose from) and grabbed a cup of tea with Louise Rix, our Retail Director, to get the inside scoop on why inclusion is important at DFS and our mission to make everyone feel welcome.
Hi Louise, first of all thank you for joining us to talk about all things Inclusion.
Of course, it’s such an important topic not only to me personally, but also the whole team. We’re working hard to create a culture where everyone is welcome and colleagues can celebrate who they are and learn from each other.
Inclusion has been a real focus for us for the past few years, and we’ve worked with colleagues and great partners to give us the insights and challenge we need to keep improving. A big part of this work has been our partnership with Inclusive Employers and I’m proud that in 2023 we received Bronze status in the Inclusive Employers Standard accreditation, which is testament to the work we’ve done so far.
As Retail Director, Louise, what really puts a smile on your face when you think about our colleagues across the business?
It has to be the feeling of family we have here. We truly value what matters to our people. We’re a family of individuals who care about each other and our customers.
We hear you have networks to support colleagues?
Yes, we’ve been working hard to empower our colleagues to share what’s important to them and champion these topics across the business. As always, we’re not looking to sit still and it will always be a work in progress. So far we have the following established colleague networks:
- Asian Network - A community of people of mixed Asian culture coming together to celebrate our heritage and welcoming to all, supporting the education of others.
- Black Heritage Network - Our Black Heritage Network is a thriving community celebrating Black culture and history, raising awareness around racial equality and encouraging better conversations.
- Carers Network - Uniting people with caring responsibilities across the Group to not only support each other, but identify how the business can help us navigate the blend of our roles inside and outside of work.
- Disability Inclusion Network - The Disability Inclusion Network is a newly formed group of colleagues who really care about making sure that people with disabilities are included at work and taking action for positive change.
- LGBTQ+ & Allies - A place for our LGBTQ+ community and allies to educate and inspire each other, engage with like-minded people and build relationships. This is a safe space for open discussion and authenticity.
- 364 Women - A group of highly engaged people who care about gender equality, approaching the subject from a real action orientated direction. The name was inspired by International Women’s Day, because the group believe it’s an all year round conversation, and are flipping the narrative to block out that one day a year!
- Sustainability Champions - Our Sustainability Champions are made up of people passionate about our planet, helping us all to make a difference inside and outside of work.
So Louise, what really makes DFS tick? We'd love to hear about the values that underpin everything we do!
Our values aren’t just words on a page, they’re the guiding principles that shape every decision we make and every interaction we have. Our values are:
- Think Customer - Thinking customer keeps us on our toes - it makes sure we’re changing with the times to reflect the needs and wants of the communities we serve. We’re furnishing the future and our customers sit at the heart of it.
- Be Real - At DFS we give each other the confidence to bring our authentic selves to work - we know that to be successful, you need the support to be yourself and a space to belong.
- Aim High - Going above and beyond for our customers and our colleagues. You can’t make a career or continue to be a market leader without a dash of ambition and the celebration of success.
Thanks for chatting with us, Louise. We’ve really enjoyed hearing about the amazing journey we’re on together, let’s catch up again soon.
Our values aren’t just words on a page at DFS, they’re the guiding principles that shape every decision we make and every interaction we have.
Think customer
Thinking customer keeps us on our toes - it makes sure we’re changing with the times to reflect the needs and wants of the communities we serve. We’re furnishing the future and our customers sit at the heart of it.
Be real
At DFS we give each other the confidence to be real - we know that to be successful you need the support to be yourself and a space to belong.
Aim high
We aim high. Going above and beyond for our customers and our colleagues. You can’t make a career or continue to be a market leader without a dash of ambition and the celebration of success.
If great perks and wellbeing support sound like your kind of thing, why not consider joining our team? Click below to check out our latest vacancies.
It takes a whole lot of passion to be at the centre of what makes a house feel like home, so we move with the times at DFS, leading the market to bring comfort and great design to the communities we sit at the heart of.
