Lucy Cashin

Said the following about Kirsty Diamond:

“Kirsty uses her lived experience to role model behaviours and share her ways of coping with challenges. Kirsty used this experience in her frontline human resources business partner role and her current role as Culture and Engagement Business Partner. Kirsty believes that psychological safety is vital and encourages people that it’s ok not to be OK, and to share your story. Kirsty has always considered different mechanisms of reasonable adjustments, and the Scotland region recently had an increase in engagement with their disabled staff via the Your Voice survey 2023. This contrasted significantly with the reduced engagement of disabled people at Network Rail as a whole. She is very keen to promote reasonable adjustments.

In May 2023 there was a ten year anniversary conference for the Cultural Fusion employee network, and Kirsty was recognised as one of the leading Allies of the Network by the team.

This year Kirsty has developed an equality diversity and inclusion steering group within Scotland to streamline the eight employee networks including wellbeing, STEM early engagement, social value and communications. This reduces duplication of effort and improves intersectionality.

In a first for Scotland’s Railway Kirsty is working on the first EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) census to really understand and support employees (launching shortly).

She’s passionate about the benefits of flexible working, having conducted her own additional research on this relating to the Your Voice engagement data. She also promotes her own flexible working and reasonable adjustments in a bid to explain the benefits to people.

Kirsty is a proud advocate of reducing period poverty; she was part of a project in 2018 to introduce free period products to managed buildings in Scotland. Further work has been done within the last year to ensure accessibility for all in terms of depots and signalling boxes, regardless of management. Kirsty also helped to implement period Products for passengers in Network Rail managed stations.

Kirsty works to continually diversify her surroundings. She maintains various networks in the form of social media, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and HR ninjas on Facebook.

Kirsty uses her experience within HR and EDI to continually support employees and make a positive impact on the business.

Kirsty completed her chartership this year; a key piece of her feedback is that she’s always comfortable with challenges. This is demonstrated through feedback that she receives as she endeavours to advocate for others which helps to ensure people have a voice.

Herald Scotland invited Kirsty to speak at the Herald Newsquest Diversity and Inclusion Conference in May 2023, where Kirsty was a keynote speaker alongside people from BAE Systems and Natwest among others. Kirsty talked about disability in the workplace and the importance of carrying out Diversity Impact Assessments. Kirsty shared the real-world effects of a lack of inclusivity and showcased the work she carries out in the Network Rail Scotland region. She provided examples of two buildings recently in which she helped to create quiet areas, reflection rooms, faith rooms, and nursing rooms.“

Pete Thomson

Said the following about Kirsty Diamond:

“Kirsty is a fantastic ambassador for promoting Equality and Diversity within the workplace. Since I started with Network Rail, I have been really impressed with Kirsty's commitment and enthusiasm when it comes to breaking down barriers, including representing Network Rail at LGBT gay pride events and the work she has done in campaigning for period products across all Network Rail facilities.“