February 2026 was LGBT+ History Month in the UK, and Marks & Clerk's LGBT Network Group met to mark the occasion with a discussion of LGBT scientists, including Barbara Burford, Charles Beyer, Elke Mackenzie and Jemma Redmond, followed by an entertaining and informative quiz.
The theme for this year's History Month was “Science and Innovation”, highlighting how diverse teams are essential for the development of innovative solutions which can benefit everyone.
In fact, in-depth research, published in autumn 2025 in the International Review of Financial Analysis, demonstrates that LGBTQ-friendly firms produce more patents, have more patent citations, and are associated with higher innovation quality. The reason suggested for this is that “intangible investments in employee-friendly practices and organizational diversity management policies generate competitive advantages by advancing employee motivation, engagement, and productivity and the firm's ability to recruit and retain the best talent.”
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) makes a very similar point in its March 2026 strategy document by simply stating that “innovation thrives on inclusion and diversity.”
To obtain a granted patent, an invention must not only be new, but must have an “inventive step”. There are many legal definitions of “inventive step” around the world, ranging from something which is “not obvious to the person skilled in the art”, to something which has an “unexpected technical effect”, or something involving "technical advancement as compared to the existing knowledge or having economic significance, or both”.
When explaining what an “inventive step” is in a more general sense, I often like to use the phrase “spark of invention”. In my experience, this “spark” most often comes from an interaction between two or more minds with diverse experiences, different skills, and unique ways of thinking. Collaboration between such minds can produce the “unexpected” and “non-obvious” idea which goes beyond that which is already known. As Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the world-wide web, once said: "We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges.”
Recognising the need for such diversity of thought, Marks & Clerk remains committed to building a more inclusive profession and the LGBT Network Group, and its recent celebration of LGBT+ History Month, is just one part of our long-term approach to cultivating a workplace culture in which all colleagues feel valued, supported and able to thrive.