‘Culture war’ poses risk to inclusion in UK energy sector

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  Fifth annual Pride in Energy survey finds 7 in 10 respondents are deeply concerned about the impact of today’s political and social climate.

• 4 in 10 have experienced or witnessed discrimination, while fewer than 3 in 10 view the sector as highly inclusive.

The latest Pride in Energy survey highlights continuing challenges for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the UK energy industry. The 2025 report, Defending Inclusion, suggests that a growing political and social backlash, often referred to as the ‘culture war’, is adding new pressures on top of existing barriers.

According to the survey, 71% of respondents are worried that critical narratives around equity, diversity and inclusion, voiced by political figures both in the UK and abroad, risk undermining progress within the sector. Many respondents also raised concerns about the way some companies have responded, noting that hostile language, particularly towards trans colleagues, is becoming normalised in some workplaces.

The figures also show that 42% of respondents have either experienced or witnessed discrimination in the workplace in the past five years. Meanwhile, only 24% feel that the sector overall is “very inclusive,” a small improvement on last year’s results but still below earlier years.

Joshua Atkins, founder and chair of Pride in Energy, said:

Many of our hard-won rights and protections are under fresh assault. This year’s findings show that discrimination remains unacceptably high and that negative rhetoric is threatening progress in UK energy workplaces.

An inclusive, welcoming and safe workplace is essential for individuals and for the success of our businesses. Our survey calls for senior leaders to provide greater visibility and advocacy—redrawing lines in the sand and being loud and proud in defending inclusion.

Key findings

Experiences of inclusion

• 67% of LGBTQIA+ respondents are fully open about their identity at work.

• 42% of all respondents have faced or seen discrimination in the UK energy workplace within the past five years.

• 68% describe their own employer as very inclusive, compared with only 24% who say the same about the wider sector.

Impact of the wider climate

• 71% are concerned that anti-EDI rhetoric from political figures could set back progress in the sector.

• 73% are worried about the future of protections for transgender employees following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of sex in the Equality Act.

Leadership and visibility

• The top request for tackling negative perceptions is more visible LGBTQIA+ role models and advocacy from senior leaders.

• However, 1 in 5 respondents report no visible role models or allies in senior positions in their organisation.

Networks and support

• 73% are aware of an LGBTQIA+ network in their organisation, though respondents say their effectiveness varies significantly.

Pride in Energy was launched in 2017 to improve visibility and inclusion for LGBTQIA+ professionals and allies across the UK energy sector. It is supported by several leading industry bodies, including IGEM, the Energy Institute, Energy Networks Association and Energy UK.