LGBTQ+ inclusion isn’t just doing the right thing, it’s about unlocking organisational performance and enhancing reputation, all while driving sustainable growth. But creating an inclusive workplace is not a one-off initiative; it requires a sustained and embedded commitment to equality, visibility, and respect.

James McMillan, FCA, is the founder of business advisory firm Audeo Fortis. He says the mood music around diversity and inclusion has shifted in the last few years. “Inclusion was introduced to bring underrepresented people up, and that's unintentionally created a schism with people who are traditionally over-represented feeling left out.”

But the business rationale for celebrating diversity remains unchanged. McMillan says: “People still quote the 2015 McKinsey Report about diverse business being more profitable. But people don’t generally make the connection between a lack of diversity and things going wrong. It's a huge risk mitigator. It stops group think.”

At its core, being an LGBTQ+ employer of choice is about fostering an environment and culture where people feel genuinely safe, respected and able to thrive as themselves. An environment where staff feel supported by leadership, and confident that inclusion is part of everyday business practice rather than a symbolic gesture.

1. Embed inclusion in strategy

Ensure that inclusion is embedded within organisational strategy, rather than treated as a standalone objective.

“By integrating diversity and inclusion into governance structures, supported by dedicated committees and leadership accountability, organisations can ensure that policies are not only well-intentioned but actively implemented,” says John Owens, a Partner at MSB Solicitors.

This strategic alignment reinforces the message that LGBTQ+ inclusion is fundamental to long-term organisational success and cultural integrity. Owens says: “At MSB, this is achieved through a clear ESG framework that places people and community impact at the centre of decision-making.”

2. Pay attention to the operational details

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Kerry Nicholson, Chief Operations Officer at Brand Champions, has learned that meaningful inclusion often comes from the quieter, everyday decisions organisations make, not just the big statements.

“Often it’s the smaller things that tell people whether they truly belong,” they say. “Inclusive language in policies, flexibility around identity expression, accessible healthcare support, gender-neutral parental policies and even the way systems and forms are designed all send powerful signals about who has been considered within an organisation.”

3. Be visible

Employers should invest in visible networks, such as LGBTQ+ employee groups, and provide ongoing education to build awareness and allyship across the workforce.

“Initiatives, such as participation in Pride events, targeted awareness campaigns, and progression towards recognised inclusion standards demonstrate a genuine commitment to change,” Owens says.

Crucially, inclusion should extend beyond internal culture into client service and community engagement, ensuring that organisations are not only inclusive workplaces but also active contributors to equality within the wider society, Owens adds.

4. Focus on psychological safety

Representation matters, but true inclusion is about creating environments where people don’t have to constantly assess whether it’s safe to speak openly, challenge assumptions or be themselves without judgement.

“Employees often remember how leaders respond in small moments far more than company-wide campaigns,” Nicholson says.

5. Great line management

Line managers play a pivotal role in terms of getting the best out of individuals and understanding their unique perspectives and ambitions. “It's the difference between having policies that say great things, and them being adhered to,” McMillan says.

The best line managers will ensure that people feel comfortable enough to speak up. McMillan says: “If you can create an environment where someone can say to any line manager, ‘as an LGBTQ+ person I'm struggling with this, that's my specific need’, that is the utopia.”

6. Avoid policies that sit on a shelf

Businesses are very good at producing the policies and then hoping they work. Very few measure outputs to test if this is working over a long period of time.

Of all the LGBT people that work in the business, how many get promoted compared to other groups? Are there things that should be looked at to challenge the organisation but don’t focus solely on the negative, because perfection is the enemy of progress. There is always going to be something else to do.

“It's a difficult balance to make sure you are celebrating progress and striving to do more,” McMillan says.

7. Create the right culture

Culture is what people do when you're not looking. Creating an environment where people can be held to account and it feeling authentic comes from leadership. Culture has to be lived, it has to be seen, and it has to be visible, McMillan says.

“It starts around the board table or within the management team, and it must be explicitly agreed,” he explains. “You've got to set it out and say this is our charter, these are the key principles that we live by as a business. And then you've got to hold people's feet to the fire and have a system where you can sanction people, or you can raise issues.”

People won’t always get it right but it’s about having a culture where it is ok to tell them. McMillan recommends: “You've got to create something where feedback is encouraging, where you can say: ‘It would be really great if we could see you doing these things’.”

8. Listen and evolve

Being an LGBTQ+ employer of choice requires consistency, authenticity and a willingness to listen and change. Inclusion must be lived daily – through inclusive policies, empathetic leadership and meaningful engagement with the communities organisations serve.

“If it were operations or sales, you're constantly tweaking, making process changes and putting in systems. I think we should see diversity and inclusion in the same vein,” says McMillan. “It's just another part of the business that we have to work on. It's not something you're going to get right and then it's done.”

9. Don’t make inclusion the responsibility of marginalised employees

LGBTQ+ employees often carry invisible labour in the workplace, educating others, leading conversations or acting as the voice of the community alongside their actual roles.

“Creating an inclusive culture should be a shared responsibility across leadership and teams, not something that relies on those most affected by exclusion to drive alone,” Nicholson says.

10. Recognise that there’s no single LGBTQ+ experience

Inclusion becomes far more meaningful when organisations understand that people experience workplaces differently depending on overlapping identities and lived experiences.

Race, disability, neurodiversity, parenthood, age and socioeconomic background can all shape how safe and supported someone feels at work, according to Nicholson.

They say: “Ultimately, inclusive workplaces benefit everyone. People are more creative, collaborative and confident when they’re not spending energy masking parts of themselves to belong.”