WorkPride 2025 day two recap and best bits

Day 2 of WorkPride 2025 continued to showcase a variety of engaging panels and keynotes dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Attendees explored important topics through insightful discussions designed to inspire action and foster understanding across organizations.

Here is a recap of the activities from Day Two.

11:30 AM – Opening Keynote: Building Inclusive Cultures in a Complex World
The keynote highlighted the importance of cultivating inclusive organizational environments that adapt to societal changes. It emphasized the role of leadership and organizational values in creating a sense of belonging.

“We continue to invest and be visible not just during Pride month in June, but throughout the year. One way we've done that is through our partnership with myGwork. We've been working together now for 6 years, and we will continue to value that partnership, not only because it helps us find some amazing talent to come and work at RS, but also because it creates a safe place for us to learn. As an organization, we just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the organization for everything they do.”

12:00 PM – Ensuring Diversity in Marketing & Advertising
This session focused on how brands and agencies can promote diversity and inclusion within their campaigns. The discussion addressed strategies for authentic representation and reaching diverse audiences.

Samir Chabab, Ogury: “In our industry, we have that responsibility to essentially shape perception, and ensure that diversity helps us move from just speaking to people to actually connecting with them.”

Dave Wood, Avalere Health: "Brands often think that they have done enough by doing that small, minute step toward inclusion. But the campaigns that have lasting power are the ones that go very big, very loud, and that have real volume."

1:00 PM – Eradicating the Rainbow Wage Gap
Participants examined ongoing pay disparities affecting LGBTQ+ employees and discussed initiatives aimed at promoting fair and equal compensation in organizations.

Tim Pepper, CGI: "The wage gap does come back to the social barriers that prevent LGBT people from turning up to work, doing an amazing job at work, and then also being recognized and rewarded for that job."

Pippa Dale, London Stock Exchange Group: "Our queerness is a positive and a positive thing for companies that are seeking out. If they are not seeking it out, then they're not the company for you."

2:00 PM – Championing Disability Inclusion at Work
This panel explored ways to improve accessibility and inclusion for employees with disabilities. It highlighted approaches for creating supportive and equitable workplaces.

Lee Petchey, RS Group: "I've spent my life trying not to be defined by my disability. I always say that it's part of who I am... It is not who I am."

Emily Jackson, Business Disability Forum: "If you have a provision, criterion, or practice, such as a policy, that puts disabled people at a substantial disadvantage, then legally you have a duty to make a reasonable adjustment to it."

3:00 PM – Promoting Racial Diversity in Leadership
The discussion centered on strategies to increase racial diversity at senior levels. It addressed steps organizations can take to support diverse talent in leadership roles.

LaRissa O'Neal, RS Group: "When you limit who is sitting around that top table, you are effectively removing solutions and opportunities and experiences just by not having the right people in the room."

Olutoyin Oduyemi, Canada Life UK: "Every company should aim to be a good corporate citizen, and part of this journey is to ensure that an organization supports the community in which it does its business and makes its profits."

4:00 PM – Women at Work: Techniques for Breaking Barriers
This session looked at challenges women face in the workplace and shared ideas for fostering empowerment and gender equity.

Sandra Mehdian, RS Group: "We need to celebrate just being kind and empathetic and collaborative, and [remember] that leadership is not fitting into a mold, but it's breaking the mould."

Alice Collins, Booking.com: "I've found that, actually, maybe being the only girl in that team has allowed me to come at things with a different perspective that other people might not have."

5:00 PM – Authentic Representation in Media and Entertainment
Speakers discussed the importance of genuine representation of diverse identities in media, aiming to influence perceptions and organizational cultures positively.

Ali Bromley, Big Brother 2024 Winner: "You can't be what you can't see, and that's why we need to see all sorts of people on television. And our stories need to be told by queer people and not by straight people trying to tell queer stories."

Ella Gauci, DIVA Magazine: "We all remember the first time we felt seen or heard in the media, and that's something that sticks with us, and if we encourage authentic representation to grow... Everyone will be able to have that feeling."

6:00 PM – Non-Binary Inclusion: Gender Diversity at Work
This panel focused on supporting non-binary and gender-diverse employees through inclusive policies and practices.

Jen Polzin, JTI: "[To non-binary people...] you are enough. You are simply enough, and you are the right person, the way you are, and you don't have to be anybody else. Because anybody else is already there, so be you."

Merry Bryson, Oracle: "Your allyship is a journey... And it means more to me when I see a leader get up and share how they got something wrong and the work that they've done to then get it right."