Sponsored by
In alphabetical order
You cannot vote in this category.
This category is judged based on evidence provided according to the British LGBT Awards criteria.
Adam Jarvis
Tesco
Since joining Tesco in 2017, Jarvis has worked in supply chain, commercial finance, logistics and now as a Finance Development Manager. He’s passionate about everyone being themselves and in 2019 restarted the LGBTQ+ network, which is thriving with more than 2,000 members. He strives to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion at Tesco and beyond – sharing his story coming out as gay/ace, creating the first network strategy, speaking at external events (including a speech at the British LGBT Awards 2022) and raising voices of all parts of our LGBTQ+ communities. His leadership and determination to advance Tesco’s LGBTQ+ inclusion journey is an inspiration to many.
Adam Triggs
Lloyd’s Of London
Triggs has chaired Lloyd’s Pride & Allies for the last five years, being a driving force of LGBT+ inclusion within Lloyd’s and the wider insurance market. He undertook research to explore experiences of LGBT+ employees in financial services as part of his Masters in Organisational Psychology. Seeing a lack of role models, he personally designed and launched a mentoring programme in the insurance sector, attracting 25 different companies to develop LGBT+ talent. Triggs has participated in podcasts and panels both inside and outside of the insurance industry and also hosted a variety of intersectional events, including raising awareness of diverse characters in children’s books and donating books to primary schools.
Deon Fang
Clifford Chance
Fang is a lawyer at Clifford Chance, where he co-chairs the LGBT+ network, helping Clifford Chance reach #3 on the Stonewall index. He works pro bono on LGBT+ litigation, including R(Elan-Cane) v SSHD in the Supreme Court, which established a right to respect for non-binary identities under the ECHR. He advocates for less-represented groups in the LGBTQ+ community, leading to events on faith, two-spirit identity, disability and more. Fang created Clifford Chance’s trans and non-binary working group and, externally, rows with the LGBTQ+ rowing club London Otters: he taught rowing to trans people for Not A Phase’s Misfits programme.
Jacqui Rhule-Dagher
Hogan Lovells
Rhule-Dagher champions for the rights of all intersections of the LGBTQ+ community. She sits on the SteerCo of the Hogan Lovells UK Pride Network and the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network. In both spheres, she has significantly driven allyship through engagement in communications, greater visibility from allies and mentoring. Rhule-Dagher also founded Carnival Comes to Clifford Chance. The LGBTQ+ and BAME networks jointly hosted this annual event to highlight intersectionality, with Channel 4 supporting one event. Rhule-Dagher has written for DIVA and Gay Star Students; and she also volunteers with Diversity Role Models. In 2022, Rhule-Dagher became a Stonewall LGBTQ+ Leadership Programme delegate.
Laura Wells
Johnson Matthey
Wells is a changemaker, responsible for a huge amount of progress towards inclusion in tech company Johnson Matthey since they joined JM’s graduate leadership programme in 2019. Within months they had set up a local Pride Network and joined Pride’s global committee, where they soon became co-chair. Under their leadership, Pride has since engaged five senior sponsors and delivered inclusive policy changes, transitioning at work guidance, inclusion statements with major suppliers, their first storytelling scheme, reverse mentoring for JM SLT, a fund for cross-ERG charity work and multiple in-person and virtual educational and social events, culminating in JM’s first externally-recognised LGBT+ inclusion award.
Lee Burrows
Wickes
Burrows, a cisgendered gay male store manager, has experienced discrimination and bullying in his life, which is why he has such passion for D&I at Wickes. They aren’t just words to him, they’re what makes the difference to someone like him who doesn’t feel like they fit anywhere. He wants to support everyone to reach their potential and protect them. Being a role model means that Burrows has the ability to reach everyone in the business and provide awareness, thought-provoking content and training to improve D&I. He also won an award for it at this year’s Wickes conference.
Leo Connolly
Balfour Beatty
When Connolly joined Balfour Beatty he became a member of their LGBT+ Affinity Network because he wanted to help make a difference for the LGBT+ community working in the construction sector. Since becoming a co-chair in April 2022, Connolly has presented talks on queer issues in the workplace to all levels of the business to drive inclusion. He has been essential to the planning of Pride 2022 and National Inclusion Week 2022; arranging panels with internal and external speakers covering a wide range of LGBT+ issues. He helped to develop training on workplace diversity and support for employees to safely transition and has always advocated empathetic, intersectional co-operation.
Mel Pollman
Sage
Pollman joined Sage in January 2022. Since then, they have written articles in collaboration with other colleagues on LGBT+ inclusion. These articles have re-emphasised and, in some cases, educated others on the power of correct pronouns use for self-preservation, the importance of representation, the truth about the risks to the lives of LGBT+ people and the value of allyship. Pollman, in the company of other great colleagues, has had the privilege of speaking at a few LGBT+ events, where they have shared their experiences around gender discrimination, the freedom of self-expression and the importance of parental support for transgender people.
Sham Majevadia
Levi’s
Majevadia is a Junior HR Generalist for the UK and Ireland for Levi Strauss & Co. and has always worked in the HR and talent acquisition field. He has played a critical part in LS&CO.’s Unlabelled ERG and this year was promoted to Co-Chair. As part of his role, Sham has championed Global DEI strategies in his local market to promote an internal culture of inclusion and belonging across Europe where all LGBT+ employees feel that they can come to work and be their best selves.
Willow Newton
Thames Water
Newton joined Thames Water as a degree apprentice and now works as a microbiological analyst. They are passionate about diversity, especially in STEM, and since coming out as non-binary and asexual, has enjoyed raising visibility by attending Pride and network events, talking to customers and colleagues alike about LGBTQ+ issues and their day job. Newton was keen to bring a younger voice to the Pride Network and has openly shared their experiences and further information about living as a queer, neurodiverse person with mental health issues. In mid-2022 they became the company’s non-binary and aro/ace lead and has embraced it fully.
