Championing everyday allyship through pronunciation and pronouns.

Issue
Despite growing efforts around inclusion, everyday microaggressions – like mispronouncing names or disregarding pronouns – can make people feel excluded, particularly ethnic minority and non-binary colleagues. During Race Equality Week, Premier Inn’s REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) network saw an opportunity to drive meaningful change through small, visible acts of allyship.

Insight
Names and pronouns are powerful expressions of identity. Misusing them – intentionally or not – can cause discomfort or marginalisation. However, when people try correctly using someone’s name and pronouns, it builds trust, signals respect, and helps create a more inclusive workplace. Phonetic spelling and pronoun sharing are simple yet effective tools in that effort.

Idea
We launched the #MyNameIs campaign internally to raise awareness and drive participation. Sir Lenny Henry starred in a video explaining why getting names right matters, encouraging colleagues to add the phonetic spelling of their names to email signatures and digital profiles.

We also broadened the campaign to include pronouns – running training sessions on gender identity, explaining the importance of pronouns (especially for the non-binary community), and encouraging team members to share their pronouns if they felt comfortable. Pronouns were also made available on name badges in all our hotels and restaurants, allowing everyone to express their identity confidently and helping others efficiently use the correct language.

Impact
The campaign gained strong internal traction. Colleagues embraced phonetic spelling and pronoun sharing, helping normalise inclusive practices across the business. It also sparked broader conversations about culture, identity, and belonging, deepening understanding and empathy.

Crucially, the campaign laid the groundwork for future guest-facing improvements, such as exploring phonetic spelling in booking systems and ensuring that inclusion doesn’t stop with our teams but extends to every guest we welcome.