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From Connection to Action: How Serco Embrace is Creating Change
How the Serco Embrace network is turning inclusion into action - and creating new opportunities for colleagues along the way.
Creating opportunities to grow — together
One of the powerful things about getting involved with Embrace is what colleagues can gain themselves. By volunteering alongside their day jobs, colleagues can take on new responsibilities across communications, engagement, outreach and events, building confidence, skills and experience along the way.
Just as importantly, they encourage one another to step forward — whether that means taking on a new challenge, putting someone forward for an opportunity or recognising their achievements. For Tansy, that support is reciprocal: “It’s that mindset of, if one of us wins, we all win.”
Just as importantly, they encourage one another to step forward — whether that means taking on a new challenge, putting someone forward for an opportunity or recognising their achievements. For Tansy, that support is reciprocal: “It’s that mindset of, if one of us wins, we all win.”
That spirit has helped colleagues take on new roles within Embrace, build confidence and put themselves forward for recognition. The network has also increased its focus on celebrating individual achievements, from its own annual Embrace Awards to wider nominations and recognition programmes.
For Tansy herself, being part of Embrace has opened doors she might not otherwise have considered. She recently featured on the 'Beyond the ERG' podcast, an experience that pushed her outside her comfort zone and helped build her confidence in speaking about inclusion and her experiences at Serco.
“It’s been a game changer for me personally and I think it’s helped me realise I really can do things like that.”
For Tansy herself, being part of Embrace has opened doors she might not otherwise have considered. She recently featured on the 'Beyond the ERG' podcast, an experience that pushed her outside her comfort zone and helped build her confidence in speaking about inclusion and her experiences at Serco.
“It’s been a game changer for me personally and I think it’s helped me realise I really can do things like that.”
Learning through experience
Embrace is also finding new ways to turn cultural awareness into genuine connection.
As part of World Refugee Week 2026, Embrace brought colleagues together for a programme of intercultural learning, reflection and connection. This included 'The Fast and The Curious', an event which encouraged colleagues to explore fasting through shared experience and conversation, as well as a network visit to Serco-run Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre. During the visit, Embrace members cooked alongside residents, sharing recipes and learning about the cultures, experiences and stories behind the food.
The focus is increasingly on curiosity rather than simply explaining difference - creating a space where people can ask questions, learn from one another and feel comfortable getting things wrong too.
As part of World Refugee Week 2026, Embrace brought colleagues together for a programme of intercultural learning, reflection and connection. This included 'The Fast and The Curious', an event which encouraged colleagues to explore fasting through shared experience and conversation, as well as a network visit to Serco-run Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre. During the visit, Embrace members cooked alongside residents, sharing recipes and learning about the cultures, experiences and stories behind the food.
The focus is increasingly on curiosity rather than simply explaining difference - creating a space where people can ask questions, learn from one another and feel comfortable getting things wrong too.
Creating impact beyond Serco
The network’s ambitions also extend beyond its own community.
Through partnerships with organisations including DKMS (an international non-profit bone marrow donor centre) and EMERGE (a prominent cross-company collective and Employee Resource Group community network), Embrace is creating opportunities for colleagues to learn, connect and contribute to wider causes.
Its partnership with DKMS, for example, is supporting efforts to increase stem cell donor registrations among underrepresented ethnic groups, with Serco hosting donation events for colleagues at sites around the UK.
Embrace is also building relationships with external organisations to share learning, broaden its reach and showcase the work happening across Serco.
For Tansy, the ambition is to create something that has a lasting impact both inside and outside the organisation. “We're building something that's not just sustainable in Serco, but sustainable and scalable externally too.”
Through partnerships with organisations including DKMS (an international non-profit bone marrow donor centre) and EMERGE (a prominent cross-company collective and Employee Resource Group community network), Embrace is creating opportunities for colleagues to learn, connect and contribute to wider causes.
Its partnership with DKMS, for example, is supporting efforts to increase stem cell donor registrations among underrepresented ethnic groups, with Serco hosting donation events for colleagues at sites around the UK.
Embrace is also building relationships with external organisations to share learning, broaden its reach and showcase the work happening across Serco.
For Tansy, the ambition is to create something that has a lasting impact both inside and outside the organisation. “We're building something that's not just sustainable in Serco, but sustainable and scalable externally too.”
Recognising progress
Embrace’s work has also been assessed through the Investing in Ethnicity maturity assessment, giving the network an opportunity to measure its progress and identify where it can continue to improve.
For Embrace, the point of having an evolved strategy is not simply to do more activity. It is to understand what difference that activity makes - and to keep finding better ways to create impact.
As Tansy puts it: “It’s very easy to go, ‘We’re going to celebrate World Culture Day every year’. For us it’s important we try fresh ideas, to stop stagnation, and ensure we’re really making a difference for people.”
The scale of what Embrace has achieved is a testament to our colleagues who continue to give their time and energy to make those ideas happen.
For Embrace, the point of having an evolved strategy is not simply to do more activity. It is to understand what difference that activity makes - and to keep finding better ways to create impact.
As Tansy puts it: “It’s very easy to go, ‘We’re going to celebrate World Culture Day every year’. For us it’s important we try fresh ideas, to stop stagnation, and ensure we’re really making a difference for people.”
The scale of what Embrace has achieved is a testament to our colleagues who continue to give their time and energy to make those ideas happen.