IHG to sponsor Pride in London for the first time

The brand’s LGBT+ employee network Out & Open helped forge the partnership, which will support the fundraising concert Proud and Loud: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride. 

IHG’s support of the event follows the publication of its 2030 responsible business plan, Journey to Tomorrow, in which the company sets out a range of diversity, equity and inclusion targets – including the pledge to double the amount of under-represented groups across its leadership and drive up gender balance.

Stephen Quick, head of global reward, and Peter Brennan, vice-president of operations EMEA, at IHG, are both co-executive sponsors for Out & Open and said the diversity of the company’s 325,000 colleagues strengthened the brand. 

“Our employee networks are at the beating heart of the inclusive culture we continuously strive towards, and our sponsorship builds on our long-running celebration of Pride Month around the world, which our LGBT+ employee network Out & Open sits at the heart of," they said.

Performers at the concert, which takes place on Saturday (4 June), include Calum Scott and Hayley Kiyoko. 

Will De’Athe-Morris, deputy director of communications for Pride in London, said: “The generous support directly helps our community, all donations received from Pride’s partnerships are reinvested directly back into community activities such as the Unity Fund, which supports LGBT+ grassroots organisations in London.”