Coqual, a leading global think tank advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace, has released Pride Under Pressure: Charting a Course for Global LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion. This groundbreaking report explores the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ professionals across five global markets, exposing persistent challenges—from discrimination and lack of representation to the ongoing need for safer, more inclusive workplaces.
According to Ipsos, roughly one in 10 people globally identify at LGBTQ+, meaning those whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual and/or whose gender identity is not cisgender. As disinformation and fear-based rhetoric continue to undermine LGBTQ+ rights and DEIB progress, this new report builds on insights from Coqual’s 2016 study, offering fresh data and actionable solutions to help organizations create environments where all employees can thrive.
“When we started research a year and a half ago, the world looked different,” says Jennie Glazer, CEO of Coqual. “Since then, the conversation around inclusion has gotten louder, more polarized, and in many places, more dangerous. But this moment isn’t just about setbacks. It’s also about opportunity. LGBTQ+ professionals are at the heart of every identity across race, gender, class, religion, and nationality. If we build workplaces where they feel safe, valued, and seen, we build better workplaces for everyone.”
LGBTQ+ professionals don’t just seek safer places to live—they seek safer places to work. The report reveals that anti-LGBTQ+ discriminaton strongly influences where LGBTQ+ employees choose to live and work. Many migrate to countries and cities where they feel safe and are equally selective about the employers they choose. Across all five markets studied, LGBTQ+ professionals report that anti-LGBTQ+ has greatly impacted their choice of employer. These professionals seek organizations that prioritize their safety, well-being, and dignity—and they encourage their networks to do the same.
While most LGBTQ+ professionals report having role models who are openly LGBTQ+, a positive shift from Coqual’s 2016 research, the path to executive leadership remains fraught with challenges. Across markets, many LGBTQ+ professionals believe they must hide their sexual orientation to advance into executive roles. Openly LGBTQ+ executives remain rare. In 2016, there were no out leaders in the Fortune 500. Today, there are 25 out executives globally on Fortune’s inaugural LGBTQ+ Leaders list—including five women and two who are openly trans—leading companies with $100 million or more in annual revenue. While progress is evident, a vast gap remains before the average LGBTQ+ employee can look up and see themselves represented in senior leadership.
Even in markets with strong DEIB frameworks, many LGBTQ+ professionals still feel unsafe being open about who they are. One in three LGBTQ+ professionals in the US are not out to anyone at work. In the U.K., LGBTQ+ professionals disclose their identity to their managers (72%) at nearly double the rate they disclose to peers or select colleagues, underscoring the complexity of navigating authenticity in the workplace.
Here are the seven key takeaways for multinational corporations supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion.
- The global LGBTQ+ community is massive and multiplies when counting loved ones.
- Anti-LGBTQ+ hate harms both employees and the bottom line.
- Anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination shows up at work in daily assaults, insults, and indignities.
- Workplaces still send the message that only straight people can succeed, and out leaders are outliers.
- Transgender and gender-diverse professionals deserve dedicated attention.
- Intersectionality is integral to inclusion.
- Rainbow branding outpaces real support.
