Skyrise on proactively preventing harassment in the workplace
Communication, Culture, Education, Employment, Wellness, Work life
Gender, Sexuality
Quick & easy, Medium term, Longer term
Overview
Since the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 came into effect in October 2024, Skyrise has taken proactive steps not only to meet the new legal duty but to strengthen our culture of safety, respect and inclusion. The Act places a legal responsibility on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, shifting the focus from reactive measures to active prevention.
We responded by designing and delivering comprehensive sexual harassment awareness training for every team member. The training covered what constitutes sexual harassment, its impact on all genders, the role of power dynamics and the various forms it can take, from physical and verbal to non-verbal and online. It also covered the concept of consent, making sure everyone understood what it means and why it matters because if it’s non-consensual, it’s sexual harassment. It explained the 5Ds of bystander intervention and explored real-life workplace and client scenarios with clear strategies for handling them.
Alongside this, we updated our Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, refreshed our risk assessment process and created a Third-Party & Event Safety Action Plan in response to staff feedback. Supporting resources such as guides on professional boundaries, workplace event safety and bystander intervention are now available via our Culture Hub, ensuring our teams are informed, empowered and supported at all times.
What did we set out to achieve?
Our aim was to go beyond compliance with the Worker Protection Act by embedding a proactive, prevention-focused approach into Skyrise’s culture. We wanted every team member regardless of role to understand their rights, responsibilities and the steps they can take to keep themselves and others safe.
We set out to:
- Make sexual harassment awareness training practical, relevant and inclusive of all genders.
- Equip employees with clear tools and strategies for real-life situations, including those involving third parties and clients.
- Create accessible reporting channels and support systems.
- Embed prevention into our everyday culture through policy, processes and regular review.
By approaching this as a cultural commitment rather than a compliance exercise, we aimed to build a workplace where inappropriate behaviour is swiftly recognised, safely challenged and never ignored ensuring our people feel confident, respected and protected.
3. Tell us about practical steps
We began with the creation and delivery of our Sexual Harassment Awareness Training for all employees. The training explored the definition of sexual harassment, its different forms, the role of power dynamics and the principles of consent. The 5Ds of bystander intervention - Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay and Document were brought to life through scenario-based exercises, allowing team members to practise responding to both internal and client-facing situations.
One important outcome was the realisation of how broad sexual harassment can be. This challenged assumptions and opened up valuable discussions about intent, impact and boundaries.
Feedback from the training led to the development of our Third-Party & Event Safety Action Plan, which provides clear guidance for handling inappropriate behaviour from external parties.
We also strengthened our systems with an updated Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, a comprehensive risk assessment with regular reviews, multiple reporting routes (including anonymous forms) and quick-reference guides via our Culture Hub. An Anti-Sexual Harassment Focus Group, with members from across teams, now ensures these measures stay relevant and effective.
4. What positive impact has this initiative had?
The initiative has fostered a more confident, informed and empowered Skyrise. Employees now feel clearer about what constitutes sexual harassment, including behaviours that may not be immediately obvious, how to challenge it safely, and how to access support when needed.
The Third-Party & Event Safety Action Plan has been especially impactful, providing reassurance when representing Skyrise externally. The training’s interactive scenarios encouraged open discussion, breaking down the stigma of speaking up and reinforcing that prevention is everyone’s responsibility and ensuring there is no place for victim blaming.
Reporting systems have seen greater engagement not only for incidents but also for raising early concerns showing that people feel safer to come forward. The creation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Focus Group has further strengthened collaboration and made prevention a shared responsibility across the business.
Overall, we have seen a measurable cultural shift towards proactive safeguarding and zero tolerance, reinforcing Skyrise as a safe, respectful and inclusive place to work.
5. What did you learn that could help others?
A key takeaway was the need to design the training to reflect the realities of our workplace. Generic training often misses the nuances of workplace events, client interactions and industry-specific risks so building scenarios that reflect our teams’ reality is critical.
During the training, we were surprised by how broad sexual harassment can be. These discussions challenged assumptions and underscored the need for clarity.
Early in the process, we encountered internal questions about whether such detailed awareness and training were necessary, given we’d never had a reported incident. We emphasised that prevention works best before any harm occurs and that our commitment to a safe, respectful culture goes beyond having a zero-tolerance policy on paper. Once framed in those terms, the entire business was fully onboard.
This work continues, supported by manager-focused training on handling and reporting sexual harassment and by making resources visible and easy to access.
6. How will you make the benefit of this initiative or campaign endure?
To ensure lasting impact, we have embedded prevention measures into our ongoing culture and operational processes. Our Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, risk assessment and Third-Party & Event Safety Action Plan will be reviewed regularly by the dedicated focus group, ensuring they remain relevant and responsive to emerging risks.
We will continue delivering refresher training and incorporating new scenarios that reflect evolving workplace and industry contexts. Manager-specific training will strengthen leadership accountability, ensuring they are equipped to handle reports sensitively and effectively.
We have also created a quick-glance PNG for teams to keep on their phones, including the Safety Action Plan and the 5Ds of bystander intervention, so guidance can be accessed instantly. Our teams’ safety remains a main focus.
By keeping resources accessible, reporting channels open and dialogue encouraged, we aim to sustain progress ensuring Skyrise remains safe, inclusive, proactive and legally compliant.
