Award Nominations

‘CLICK HERE’ to complete the nomination.

This nomination recognises the outstanding contribution(s) to LGBTQ+ inclusion by an executive and/or senior leader within your organisation.

Culture is driven from the top, and visible, active executive support for LGBTQ+ inclusion sends a powerful message both internally and externally. Their contributions should reflect work undertaken across both internal and external contexts, reinforcing inclusion to potential employees, service users, customers, clients, stakeholders, LGBTQ+ communities engaging with your organisation, and the broader public.

Annual HWEI Survey data demonstrates that visible and active senior allies have a significant impact within organisations. Executive and leadership visibility in LGBTQ+ inclusion positively influences health, wellbeing, inclusion, and acceptance. It also helps reduce incidents of bullying and harassment and contributes to environments where individuals feel safer to report and address negative behaviours.

The nominee may hold an Executive Sponsor role; however, their contribution should extend beyond the formal requirements of their position and may include, but is not limited to:

• advocacy for the importance of LGBTQ+ networks and their work with senior leaders

• priority-setting informed by broader organisational strategy and inclusion objectives

• provision of guidance, sponsorship, and organisational insight to support network goals

• visible and active support of LGBTQ+ networks, employees, and inclusive service delivery across the organisation

Ultimately, this award recognises leaders who not only champion inclusion, but actively shape a culture where LGBTQ+ people can feel safe and supported in healthcare settings.

‘CLICK HERE’ to complete the nomination.

This nomination recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual within your organisation who does not personally identify as LGBTQ+, but who has made a significant and sustained contribution to LGBTQ+ inclusion within the health and wellbeing sectors as an active ally. This individual has supported both staff and service users, including their families and carers, in the delivery of LGBTQ+ inclusive services.

Allies play a vital role in extending the reach and impact of inclusion efforts, strengthening support mechanisms, amplifying community voices, and helping to reduce the prevalence of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying, harassment, exclusion, jokes, and other harmful behaviours that continue to exist.

An ally may be anyone who actively and visibly supports LGBTQ+ inclusion. While the term is often used to describe non-LGBTQ+ individuals who advocate for inclusion, it is also important to recognise that LGBTQ+ people can act as allies to one another (for example, a cisgender gay man may be an ally to lesbian and trans and gender diverse communities, and vice versa).

Active and visible allies are typically individuals who are committed to meaningful and positive change for LGBTQ+ people. Characteristics of such allies may include, but are not limited to:

• general advocacy for inclusion, equity, and respect for all

• an understanding of key terminology, common myths, and challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities

• a strong awareness of language and assumptions directed toward LGBTQ+ people

• the consistent use and modelling of person-centred language

• a willingness to respect privacy and maintain confidentiality

• active intervention in addressing negative behaviours toward LGBTQ+ employees and service users

The nominee may hold a formal diversity and inclusion role; however, their contribution to LGBTQ+ inclusion should extend beyond the core expectations of that position.

‘CLICK HERE’ to complete the nomination.

This award takes a broader view of LGBTQ+ inclusion across the development and promotion of an organisation’s products and services, processes and ways of working, campaigns and promotions, and more within the health and wellbeing sectors.

It may focus on either internal initiatives or externally facing programs designed to improve LGBTQ+ inclusive service delivery.

Given the diversity of services, organisational contexts, and client demographics across the sector, innovation is often essential to ensure inclusion efforts are appropriately tailored to industry needs, regional considerations, and the communities being served. As such, many service providers are required to adopt creative and responsive approaches to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion.

This award celebrates the most innovative LGBTQ+ inclusion initiative(s), recognising work that is thoughtful, impactful, and responsive to the needs of the communities it serves.

‘CLICK HERE’ to complete the nomination.

This nomination is for an LGBTQ+ individual within your organisation who is highly visible as a role model and has made an outstanding contribution to raising awareness, advocating for, and promoting LGBTQ+ inclusive service delivery.

Their contributions should include both internal and external work, sending strong and consistent messages to potential employees, service users, customers, clients, stakeholders, LGBTQ+ people engaging with your organisation, and the broader LGBTQ+ community and public.

The principle that “you can’t be what you can’t see” is widely recognised, and year-on-year data demonstrates that visible LGBTQ+ role models have a significant impact on inclusive service delivery and workplace culture.

The presence of visible role models is particularly important for individuals with intersecting and under-represented identities. For example, LGBTQ+ women, among other under-represented LGBTQ+ groups, consistently report the value of seeing role models who reflect their lived experience, yet note they are often underrepresented. This is also true for other under-represented LGBTQ+ communities across the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.