ACON’s Pride in Diversity initiative has revealed the finalists for the 2025 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards ahead of the Sydney ceremony on 30 May.
Since 2011, the awards have celebrated the best performers on the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), produced by LGBTQ+ support organisation ACON. The AWEI allows employers to benchmark their LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices on an annual basis.
ACON says the event acknowledges organisations demonstrating foundational and progressive efforts toward making all workplaces inclusive for all.
ACON Pride Inclusion Programs Director, Dawn Emsen-Hough, says they were delighted to receive a record number of AWEI submissions.
“These submissions and individual award nominations extend across an extraordinarily wide range of industries and organisation types, from both members and non-members of Pride in Diversity,” Emsen-Hough said.
“To be recognised by this important national benchmark requires rigorous attention to the creation of a culture that is inclusive of all and one in which we can all can feel a deep sense of belonging; one that allows us all the freedom to thrive.”
“We would like to congratulate all who have submitted this year and look forward to announcing the results of the AWEI submissions at our annual awards event in May,” Emsen-Hough continued.
“I encourage organisations to join us to congratulate those organisations for whom the work of diversity and inclusion is so critically important.”
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by SBS’s Ricardo Goncalves and Madeleine Wedesweiler, with music from Mitch Tambo and Voice of Lele.
The 2025 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards is on Friday 30 May 2025. For more information, head to the website. See the full list of finalists below.
2025 AUSTRALIAN LGBTQ+ INCLUSION AWARDS FINALISTS
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
· Rebecca Bennett (she/her), Murdoch University
· Evelyn Foong (she/her), Zurich Financial Services
· Paul Howes (he/him), KPMG Australia
LGBTQ+ INCLUSION INNOVATION AWARD
· Building Trans Inclusive Workplaces, Deloitte
· Not Atypical Podcast, QBE Insurance
· “The Unsaid Says a Lot – trans and gender diverse awareness campaign,” Think HQ
LGBTQ+ ROLE MODEL AWARD
· Jonathan Bryant (he/him), Urbis posthumously
· Juan Campos (he/him), Medibank
· Georgi Hodge (she/her), Origin Energy
· Em Readman (they/them), Murdoch University
· Laurie Rutter (they/them), Deloitte
· Harriet Whyte (she/her), NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
NETWORK LEADER OF THE YEAR
· Tessa Benson (she/her), Victoria University
· Juan Campos (he/him), Medibank
· Brendan Carlson (he/him), Queensland Public Sector Commission / Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support
· Georgi Hodge (she/her), Origin Energy
· Michelle Power (she/her), Macquarie University
· Reah Saunders (she/they), Medibank
SALLY WEBSTER ALLY AWARD
· Scott Alderson (he/him), Crown Resort Perth
· Nerissa Byrne (she/her), DLA Piper
· Mia Horner (she/her), Coles Group
· Julie Patterson (she/her), NAB
· Lori Turner (she/her), Bendigo Bank
SAPPHIRE INSPIRE AWARD
· Sarah Bateson(she/her), Bendigo Bank
· Louise Baxter (she/her), Queensland Public Sector Commission / Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support
· Suzanne Mah (she/her), John Holland
· Reah Saunders (she/they), Medibank
· Marie Stella (she/her), KPMG Australia
