LGBT+ inclusion

2023 Global Impact Report

Building better futures

Our commitment to the UN Standards means that, within the walls of Deloitte, we apply LGBT+ inclusive policies and practices for our own people—in an approach known as the embassy model¹. Our Global Code, Global Anti-discrimination and Anti-harassment Policy, Supplier Code, and Commitment to Responsible Business Practices reflect this stance (specifically referencing sexual orientation and gender identity). To further advance LGBT+ inclusion, Deloitte introduced a global LGBT+ inclusion baseline in 2022, which sets out minimum expectations on inclusion for each of the Deloitte firms around the world.

We also embrace and promote the power of allyship to support our LGBT+ people, amplify their messages and protect their rights and well-being. And because allyship is such a critical element of LGBT+ diversity, we have created a host of resources, including digital learning and guides, to support our LGBT+ and allies networks, as well as people across the organization. These cover topics such as microaggressions, LGBT+ and transgender inclusion, and how to have respectful and inclusive conversations on LGBT+ concerns. 

Deloitte offers its LGBT+ colleagues a variety of platforms from which to voluntarily promote their visibility and help them be seen and heard. This includes the Deloitte Global LGBT+ and allies network, which operates globally, as well as more than 30 local employee resource groups at firms in Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe. 

Externally, we have championed the transformative power of allyship more broadly. Deloitte’s global Pride celebrations in 2020 and 2021 were centered around the themes of LGBT+ visibility and allyship, with our 2021 campaign featuring the lived experience stories of some of our LGBT+ professionals worldwide. In 2022 and 2023, Deloitte’s global theme was #QueerAllYear, highlighting the importance of LGBT+ inclusion year-round.  

Deloitte Australia was the first major sponsor for WorldPride 2023, the world’s largest LGBT+ event, including a multi-year arrangement that extends beyond WorldPride 2023 to include the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras through to 2024.  

Deloitte’s award-winning Can you see me? film series—created for Deloitte people but rolled out externally too so that others could benefit from them—featured the stories of Jackie, a trans woman, and Alejandro, a gay man. While the characters are fictional and are played by actors with similar, lived experiences, the films represent the authentic stories of many people. They were created to help viewers understand that everyone is a sum of their parts and experiences, and that words and actions have an impact on others. Deloitte Global has also produced immersive experiences, which offer a glimpse into how a colleague may experience their day. The learning modules, one of which is from the perspective of a non-binary person, provide a first-person perspective and an opportunity to reflect on how we can all play a part in providing an inclusive and respectful workplace. 

Deloitte has also created thought leadership focused on LGBT+ inclusion at work. Most recently, the Deloitte Global 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work: A Global Outlook report explores the experiences of 5,474 LGBT+ people2 in work across 13 countries through the lens of both sexual orientation and gender identity. Building on the Deloitte Global LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work 2022 pulse survey of 600 LGBT+ respondents, this report provides deep insights into the experiences of LGBT+ people in the workplace, including the steps their employers are taking to further LGBT+ inclusion and the impact this has on them, their levels of comfort in being out at work about their LGBT+ identity, and their experiences of non-inclusive behaviors in the workplace. The result is an in-depth global view of some of the realities of being LGBT+ at work in 2023.  Deloitte has also created thought leadership focused on LGBT+ inclusion at work. Most recently, the Deloitte Global 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work: A Global Outlook report explores the experiences of 5,474 LGBT+ people² in work across 13 countries through the lens of both sexual orientation and gender identity. Building on the Deloitte Global LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work 2022 pulse survey of 600 LGBT+ respondents, this report provides deep insights into the experiences of LGBT+ people in the workplace, including the steps their employers are taking to further LGBT+ inclusion and the impact this has on them, their levels of comfort in being out at work about their LGBT+ identity, and their experiences of non-inclusive behaviors in the workplace. The result is an in-depth global view of some of the realities of being LGBT+ at work in 2023.  

In line with the UN Standard to act in the public sphere, Deloitte is proud to be a member of the Partnership for Global LGBTIQ Equality. Deloitte has also joined the Brunswick Group’s coalition, Open for Business, a network of major businesses campaigning for LGBT+ inclusion globally, which has recognized Deloitte as a Global Equality Champion. 

Deloitte is also recognized by other organizations for its work to foster LGBT+ inclusion. For example, Deloitte US has achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index for 16 consecutive years.  

¹ The embassy model approach refers to an organization applying LGBT+ inclusive policies and practices to their own employees in all jurisdictions, but not seeking to exert influence externally by lobbying the government or supporting local activists. 

² LGBT+ was defined for survey respondents as the following: The LGBT+ acronym (which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and more) is used throughout this survey for consistency and includes anyone who does not identify as heterosexual and/or cisgender. Deloitte professionals were not polled as part of this survey.