June is Pride Month. A time to celebrate how far we've come, to recognise the people and organisations pushing for change... and to be honest about how far we still have to go. 

That honesty was recently highlighted in the incredible Russell T Davies drama Tip Toe, (if you haven’t seen it make sure you catch it!) 

The five-part thriller, about how a feud between neighbours escalates into something far darker. It's a deliberately uncomfortable watch, a portrait of how online radicalisation and everyday prejudice can spiral into real-world violence. Davies has spoken openly about how, unlike the optimism he felt writing Queer as Folk in 1999, he now has "grave fears and grave doubts" about the direction of LGBTQ+ rights. The show is fiction. The feelings it captures are not. 

So where are we in the workplace in 2026, and specifically, in our industries? 

Marketing: Progress at the Front, Gaps at the Top 

Marketing tends to present itself as one of the more progressive industries, with LGBTQ+ visibility in teams and in creative output, genuinely higher than in most sectors. 

But the data tells a more complicated story. 

39% of brand executives planned to reduce spending on Pride-related marketing in 2025, up from just 9% the year before, citing fear of backlash and cultural polarisation. At the very moment visibility matters most, some brands are stepping back. (Iamfemale) 

And within marketing teams themselves, the digital marketing industry is not diverse enough, particularly in leadership positions, where diversity of all types is lacking, according to industry voices. Women hold under 50% of senior marketing roles. LGBTQ+ professionals remain underrepresented at director level and above, and many report having to navigate workplaces where inclusion exists in policy but not always in practice. (DiversityQ )

87% of LGBTQ+ consumers say inclusion must come from the inside out, with queer people actually involved in creating the work, not just celebrated in it. That's a standard the industry hasn't yet consistently met. (Marketing by Rocio) 

Digital: Visible but Not Equal 

The digital sector has some of the most openly LGBTQ+ friendly cultures in the UK jobs market. Flexible working, progressive leadership and strong values statements are common and genuinely mean something to many organisations. 

But 33% of LGBTQ+ professionals believe their gender identity or sexuality has held back their career, and 39% of LGBTQ+ employees in the UK still hide their identity at work. Those aren't abstract statistics, they represent real people in real digital teams, managing how much of themselves they show up with every day. (Lgbt-speakersLgbt-speakers)

Technology: A Structural Problem 

Of the three sectors, technology has the most significant gaps

A report in SQ Magazine says that around 65% of LGBTQ+ tech employees say they have experienced verbal harassment or microaggressions, a figure that should stop any technology business in its tracks. LGBTQ+ tech employees report higher turnover due to a lack of psychological safety or discrimination, and the cost of that turnover, both financial and cultural, is significant.

Almost a third of young LGBTQ+ people have avoided careers in STEM subjects due to fears of discrimination. That means the tech industry isn't just losing existing talent, it's potentially going to fail to attract the next generation in the first place. (Prospects.ac.uk)

What Does Genuinely Inclusive Hiring Look Like? 

It starts before someone even applies. 

It's in how job specs are written. Whether your interview panel reflects diversity. How you respond when a candidate discloses something about their identity. Whether your benefits, policies and culture genuinely support people, or just look like they do on a careers page. 

And it's in who you partner with. Recruitment agencies have more influence over the diversity of shortlists than most hiring managers realise. The questions we ask are extremely important, about culture, about belonging, about what "great" looks like to them. 

At Forward Role, we take that responsibility seriously. Our Represent hiring solution exists precisely to help businesses build more inclusive teams in marketing, digital and technology not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a genuine competitive advantage. 

The Positive Picture 

Here's what we do know: things ARE changing in the workplace. And faster than many people think. 

The accountability is greater. The expectation from candidates, employees and consumers is higher. 

79% of LGBTQ+ students and graduates say they would not want to work for an employer where they couldn't be out at work. That's not a threat, it's an opportunity for the businesses who get this right to attract exceptional people, who will have a genuinely positive impact. (Attitude )

After all, innovation and growth come from diverse environments, full of different experiences and perspectives! 

We see it every week at Forward Role. The brands doing this well, the ones with real cultures, not just generic values statements, are the ones winning the brightest talent, building the strongest teams, and delivering the most consistent results. 

Inclusive hiring isn't a nice-to-have. In 2026, it's a genuine competitive edge. 

Work With Forward Role

Whether you're a candidate looking for somewhere you can truly be yourself, or a business serious about building a more inclusive team, we're here to help. 

🌈 For candidates:  browse our latest roles at organisations that walk the walk:  Explore live jobs at Forward Role 

🌈 For employers:  Get in touch to find out how we can help find you the brightest talent: Contact Us | Contact a Recruitment Expert | Forward Role

📊 Benchmark your salary:  and understand what the market looks like in 2026 👉 Download the Forward Role Marketing & Digital Salary Guide 2026 

Pride Month is a celebration. But it's also a reminder. The work isn't done in wider society, or in our industries. Forward Role is committed to playing our part, not just in June, but every month, every hire, every conversation. 

Happy Pride. 🏳️‍🌈