Nicola Thorp: Firm in high heels ‘sexism’ row scraps policy after public backlash

Outraged: Actress Nicola Thorp
Sebastian Mann12 May 2016

A firm which sent a woman home from work after she refused to wear high heels has scrapped the controversial policy following a massive public backlash.

Actress Nicola Thorp, from Hackney, was told to leave on her first day at a temporary job as a receptionist for PricewaterhouseCoopers after turning up in flat shoes.

Staff with outsourcing firm Portico explained she had to wear two to four inch heels as part of the dress code for the position at offices in central London.

The ordeal prompted Ms Thorp, 27, to go public with her anger, urging the company to change their policy and triggering accusations it was "sexist". She also started a petition calling on the government to make it illegal for employers to force women to wear high heels to work.

Popular cause: Nicola Thorp
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But on Wednesday evening, Portico confirmed a climbdown “with immediate effect” following a review.

Responding to the news, Ms Thorp said she was “over the moon”.

“That’s wonderful, and we’ve just hit 50,000 signatures on the petition too,” she said.

“I could cry. How incredible that it takes this kind of response rather than a polite email.

“I’m over the moon. I hope other companies now realise this is the right thing to do.”

Portico managing director Simon Pratt said in a statement the company had “historically recommended” women wear heels, or “plain court shoes”, but plain flats were “generally allowed” when requested.

Actress Nicola Thorp has started a petition

He added: “We are totally committed to being an inclusive and equal opportunities employer, actively embracing diversity and inclusion within all our policies and procedures.

“We are therefore making it very clear that with immediate effect all our female colleagues can wear plain flat shoes or plain court shoes as they prefer.”

Ms Thorp’s petition to Parliament had attracted more than 55,000 signatures late on Wednesday evening, taking it over half-way to a milestone which means it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons.

It will already receive a Government response, having passed the necessary 10,000 landmark.

A spokeswoman for PwC earlier said: “PwC outsources its front of house/reception services to a third party supplier. We first became aware of this matter on 10 May some five months after the issue arose. The dress code referenced in the article is not a PwC policy. We are now in discussion with the suppliers about the policy."

Following the U-turn, the company tweeted: "We're pleased to see that @MyPortico have changed their policy on acceptable attire."

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