Roundtable convenes senior leaders as 51% of LGBTQ+ staff report lack of visible role models

BMS hosted an executive allyship roundtable to help executive sponsors of pride networks reflect on what credible allyship means in practice.

Marking Pride month, the roundtable took place on 2 June 2026 and intended to provide a safe space for senior leaders to share, challenge and ask questions about their roles as allies.

It also provided a space for event sponsors to build on feedback from the 2026 Link survey report ’Pride and Prejudice: LGBTQ+ experiences of working in the UK insurance industry in 2026’, released in June and based on a survey conducted in 2025. 

According to the report, the proportion of LGBTQ+ respondents who said their organisation has a formal allies programme increased markedly to 50% in 2025 – up from just 39.2% in 2021.

However, the Link survey also revealed some step backs. With responses from 421 respondents who identify as LGBTQ+ or allies, 51% of LGBTQ+ respondents said that they lack visible role models, or are unsure if they do, with 40% of ally respondents in agreement. 

It also showcased that 20% of LGBTQ+ respondents disagreed strongly that their senior leaders are supportive, while 24% of LGBTQ+ respondents have experienced or observed inappropriate behaviour in the workplace which is double the percentage of the Link 2021 survey (12.6%). 

Ali Trauttsmandorff, pride executive sponsor at BMS, said: ”At BMS, we’re proud of our inclusive culture – but we know there’s always more to do.

”It was an honour to bring together such thoughtful leaders from across the insurance world for this conversation. The progress shown between the 2021 and 2026 Link surveys is encouraging, but it’s a reminder to keep pushing, not to pause. Respondents are still telling us the industry could be more accepting of personal difference, more visible in its support of LGBTQ+ colleagues and more consistent in its commitment beyond Pride month.

“What made today so powerful was the honesty in the room. Leaders spoke frankly, took accountability, and left with real intent to drive change in their organisations. Allyship matters deeply to these communities – and when it comes from the top, it means everything.”

Positive steps

While the Link survey showed a consensus from LGBTQ+ respondents that the industry could be more inclusive, it also revealed some positive changes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity within the industry. 

According to the survey, only 16% of the LGBTQ+ response group seemed to think the industry has serious inclusivity issues, with 16.3% disagreeing somewhat or strongly.

This showed a slight improvement over 2021 results, in which 19.6% of LGBTQ+ respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed.

Commenting on the roundtable, Maurice Rose, cochair at Link, said: “The 2026 Link Survey results are encouraging with clear improvements across a number of key areas.

“That said, we’ve always recognised there’s more to do as an industry and this survey reinforces that point. What’s been particularly pleasing is the strength of response and, importantly, the level of executive buy-in to drive change. It’s great to see leaders coming together, galvanising support, and taking meaningful steps forward.”

Syrus Lowe, cofounder of The Communication Practice, added: “It was a privilege to facilitate the executive allies roundtable on LGBT+ allyship in insurance – an honest, rigorous conversation.

“Hearing lived experience alongside Link’s data pushed the room past good intentions toward what credible allyship really demands of leaders. The real measure of allyship isn’t what we say once – it’s how we show up when it’s difficult.”