Key takeaways:
- Protect employees while staying present by shifting to employee-led initiatives, reducing external branding, and prioritizing trust and safety.
- Communicate clearly and consistently to affirm your organization’s values, even as you adapt language, visibility, or sponsorships.
- Make Pride Month more inclusive and sustainable by expanding global, remote, and ERG-driven engagement beyond June.
For Pride Month this year, DEI leaders at the world’s largest companies are making tough calls in the face of rising scrutiny, safety concerns, and internal pressure for consistency. But as the external environment has shifted, the commitment to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community remains.
In a recent confidential DEI Board conversation on 2025 Pride Month strategies, senior DEI leaders came together to benchmark how they’re showing up this year. They discussed what’s staying the same, what’s changing, and how to stay grounded in purpose while adapting to new risks.
We’ll explore what they shared and what your team can take into your planning this year and for the future.
Maintain Support While Evolving Commitments
Despite a volatile sociopolitical climate, most DEI leaders are maintaining their Pride Month engagement, especially at organizations with long-standing commitments to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. However, the approach is evolving.
Many teams are dialing back external visibility by removing logos from sponsorships, shifting participation under ERG banners, or opting for collective sponsorship over corporate branding.
One member noted that while their company is continuing a 12-year sponsorship of a local Pride event, they’re intentionally reducing visual branding to avoid drawing activist attention.
The message from DEI leaders: stay present but be intentional. Visibility matters, but so does protecting the integrity of the message and those delivering it.
Put Safety and Risk Mitigation First
Both physical and psychological safety for employees are top priorities this year. From incidents at donation counters in rural communities to legal scrutiny for government contractors, leaders are taking steps to minimize exposure while maintaining internal support.
Strategies include:
- Replacing corporate-led Pride parade registrations with ERG-led participation
- Providing de-escalation training for customer-facing employees
- Increasing coordination with legal, security, and crisis response teams
- Focusing on internal events that are celebratory but lower risks
As one member shared, DEI leaders are being more intentional this year. ERGs are still moving forward but adjusting how they show up externally. For others, internal visibility is the most powerful and safest route forward.
Center Internal Communication and Values Alignment
With external engagement becoming more volatile, many organizations are placing renewed emphasis on internal messaging. Whether through town halls, educational panels, or historical storytelling, DEI leaders are reinforcing values and affirming community support from within.
One leader noted they launched a full audit of internal and external messaging to ensure alignment with evolving policies and employee expectations. Another emphasized the impact of hosting open forums for anonymous employee questions, followed by personalized responses from leadership teams.
In today’s environment, internal trust is non-negotiable. Clear, consistent communication is helping DEI leaders reassure employees that Pride Month remains a priority.
Expand Global and Remote Engagement
With distributed workforces and global operations, DEI leaders are expanding Pride Month beyond parades and office events. Virtual activations are helping teams engage employees across regions, languages, and time zones.
Examples shared include:
- On-demand webinars with subtitles in multiple languages
- Virtual history tours and speaker panels that reflect global perspectives
- Cross-regional ERG collaborations to foster connection and inclusion
One organization is hosting a virtual event focused on Pride history across regions — connecting the dots between experiences in the U.S., EMEA, and India. Another is leaning into multilingual, mobile-friendly content to reach frontline workers without email access.
This shift is making Pride Month more accessible and equitable for today’s global and remote-first organizations.
Empower ERGs to Lead
A notable trend this year: moving from corporate-led to employee-led initiatives. Empowering ERGs to take the lead in Pride Month planning helps mitigate reputational risk while keeping authenticity and community at the center.
Several companies shared that they’re maintaining Pride parade participation, but under the ERG’s name, not the corporate banner. Others are relying on ERGs to host internal celebrations, share intersectional stories, or organize local volunteering efforts.
This shift doesn’t mean corporate disengagement; it means placing trust in the people closest to the work. As one DEI leader put it, “We’re still here, still funding, still supporting. But our employees are leading the way.”
Acknowledge the Gray Area and Communicate Transparently
For many, the hardest part of this year’s planning is the risk calculus. DEI leaders are weighing legal challenges against reputational risks.
Some are choosing to pause external sponsorships temporarily while continuing strong internal engagement. Others are staying public, but with significant adjustments. Across the board, what’s resonating most with employees is transparency.
When one organization made the difficult decision to step back from a public event, leaders held personal conversations with ERG leaders to explain why. That openness helped preserve trust and keep the focus on shared values.
As one leader said, “There’s no perfect playbook this year. But our people understand more than we realize, especially when we invite them into the conversation.”
Keep Pride Rooted in People and Connect with Your Peers Leading DEI
With policy shifts and public pressure, DEI leaders are grounding their Pride Month strategies in the same principles that brought them here: community, integrity, and belonging. The tactics may change, but the mission remains the same.
Whether you’re hosting town halls, empowering ERGs, sponsoring parades, or building connections through virtual events, your impact is real. And you’re not doing this alone.
In the DEI Board, you’ll find a confidential space to benchmark with your peers leading DEI at the world’s largest companies, navigate your top challenges together, and stay grounded in values while adapting to change.
Join the DEI Board to access exclusive conversations and real-world strategies from DEI leaders navigating Pride Month and inclusion strategies.
