June is Pride month, but some corporations have become nervous about showing visible support for the LGBTQ+ cause thanks to rising anti-DEI sentiment. Adrien and Pierre Gaubert look at why it’s still important to show corporate allyship all year round.
This year’s Pride celebrations have seen a noticeable decline in corporate sponsorship and visible brand support – a stark contrast to the rainbow-washed campaigns of previous years.
This shift reflects a complex mix of political, social, and economic pressures that have left many companies reconsidering how they engage with Pride month.
Recent developments – such as the UK Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of “sex” and tightening DEI regulations in the US – also highlight the urgent need for visible allyship at both corporate and individual levels.
So as we mark this year’s Pride Month, the call for allyship carries even greater weight. Allyship should not be performative, but a continuous, values-driven commitment.
The question is no longer whether your organisation should act, but how to respond with courage, integrity and accountability.
Fear of backlash
Yet the fear of boycotts (as seen with brands like Target and Bud Light last year), rising anti-DEI sentiment in the US, and growing scrutiny in the UK have made external Pride sponsorships seem riskier. As a result, many corporates have stepped back this year.
LGBTQ+ allyship
The impact? Events such as Liverpool Pride have been cancelled due to sponsorship shortfalls. Instead, Pride organisers on both sides of the Atlantic are turning to grassroots fundraising and community partnerships.
This moment has reignited Pride’s roots as a protest – a reminder that these celebrations began as acts of defiance, not corporate showcases.
So, where are corporate Pride Budgets going in 2025? Rather than abandoning LGBTQ+ inclusion, we’ve seen many companies redirecting investments inwards, focusing on internal inclusion work, recruitment and retention.
Examples of this could include:
- Funding LGBTQ+ employee resource groups (ERGs) with meaningful budgets for mentoring, advocacy and support.
- Improving policies on workplace transitions and inclusive family leave.
- Providing better training for managers and recruiters.
- Supporting meaningful events that drive workplace inclusion and allyship
- Boosting outreach to LGBTQ+ talent through partnerships and talent platforms
- Investing in mentoring schemes and leadership coaching for LGBTQ+ employees.
- Tracking inclusion progress through data tools and employee surveys.
Although many UK firms in sectors like banking and law have scaled down external Pride sponsorships, they’ve increased investment in allyship programmes and psychological safety training.
Meanwhile, multinationals are quietly funding not-for-profits and reviewing internal policies, while maintaining a modest public Pride presence.
Additionally, many organisations are now being much smarter about their Pride investments and aligning investments with activities that create meaningful change, allyship and inclusion.
For example, organisations such as Booking.com, RS Group, Taylor Wessing, Canada Life and Valencia Gay Games 2026 are actively supporting our event WorkPride this year.
Support still matters
While inward investment is essential, external support for Pride still matters – but only, of course, when external actions genuinely reflect an organisation’s internal values.
Outward support signals safety and belonging to employees, customers, and the wider community.
Today, for authenticity’s sake, both employees and consumers expect an alignment between internal values and external actions.
Corporates shouldn’t abandon big external Pride commitments, so long as those commitments reflect authentic internal company values; are backed by credible internal inclusion work; and deliver genuine community impact.
That means supporting events year-round, not just during Pride Month; choosing partnerships carefully and avoiding rainbow-washing; and aligning sponsorships with meaningful and measurable change.
At a time when LGBTQ+ professionals report rising mental health challenges and fear of discrimination, a show of solidarity and allyship to the community is a necessity.
However, this allyship must be active, and not performative.
Now in its sixth year, WorkPride 2025, themed Your Allyship Journey Starts Here, takes place from 16-20 June 2025. The event provides a vital platform for anyone championing workplace equality and inclusion. Click here to sign up for free.
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