It's All About People - 19th June 2025

READ TIME - 3 minute read

I’m a bit gutted to be missing all the Pride parades this year—our local one (Corby) was cancelled due to a weather warning and I am away when London is on. They’re such joyful, energising celebrations of love, visibility, and progress.

But as I often remind clients, Pride is about more than rainbows and glitter. It began as a protest and remains a powerful reminder that inclusion isn’t seasonal—and it certainly isn’t solved with a colourful logo.

So what does real inclusion look like at work?

Here are five practical steps you can take—especially if you don’t identify as LGBTQ+—to be an active ally:

🌈 Listen, learn, and don’t assume
Everyone’s experience is different. Allyship starts by being open to hearing stories without jumping in with opinions or solutions. Just because something isn’t an issue for you doesn’t mean it’s not affecting someone else deeply.

🌈 Use your influence
Whether you're in a senior role or part of a close-knit team, speak up when things don’t sit right—whether it's a throwaway joke, a lack of representation, or a process that unintentionally excludes.

🌈 Check your policies and documents
Are your parental leave, dress code, and benefits policies inclusive of different identities and family structures? Is your language neutral and respectful?

🌈 Be visible—but thoughtful
Yes, join in the celebrations—but also be the person who shares an article, recommends inclusive training, or adds their pronouns to a signature line. These things signal support in a subtle but powerful way.

🌈 Keep doing the work when the bunting comes down
Pride Month is a great catalyst—but lasting impact comes from what we do all year round.

And if you're reading this thinking, “What if I get it wrong?”—that’s okay. Inclusion isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being willing to learn, adjust, and keep showing up.

This Pride Month, let's celebrate—but let’s also recommit to the kind of allyship that makes a lasting difference.

Until next week…

Best wishes,
Emma

P.S. We have LOTS of resources to support Pride, diversity and inclusion and allyship in our HR Hub. Why not try the HR Hub free for a month here.

P.P.S. I didn’t want to take the spotlight away from Pride, but we’ve got something new coming next week that I think you’ll love. If you fancy a sneaky peek, you can take a look here. And if you’d like an early bird offer before we share it more widely, just hit reply and let me know.

Events to Join in the coming weeks

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