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The finalists for the 2026 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards have been unveiled, spotlighting the organisations and individuals quietly 鈥� and not so quietly 鈥� reshaping what inclusive workplaces look like across the country.

Set to take place on May 29 at the ICC Sydney Grand Ballroom, this year鈥檚 ceremony promises a high-energy celebration of leadership, allyship and innovation, bringing together some of the nation鈥檚 most influential changemakers in LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Produced by Pride in Diversity, the awards recognise organisations driving measurable change for LGBTQ+ employees, backed by the rigorous benchmarking of the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI).

Director of ACON鈥檚 Pride Inclusion Programs, Dawn Emsen-Hough, said the finalists represent workplaces where inclusion is more than just a policy.

鈥淎ll Australians deserve the right to bring their best selves to work. We know that isn’t always the case, but these finalists are actively dismantling those barriers to create environments where everyone belongs,鈥� she said.

鈥淭heir dedication to inclusion delivers not just cultural benefits but also tangible business advantages, helping to build organisations where both people and performance flourish.鈥�

Emsen-Hough noted that recognition as an AWEI finalist reflects 鈥渁 deliberate and sustained commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion,鈥� particularly at a time when some organisations are stepping back from diversity efforts.

鈥淭hey have stayed the course, continued to invest, and remained focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for their people,鈥� she said.

Full list of 2026 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards finalists

CEO of the Year Award

• Glenn Morgan (he/him), Deutsche Bank
• Stuart Rose (he/him), ISS Facility Services Australia & New Zealand
• Claire Ross (she/her), Mercer Super
• Mark Nielson (he/him), Talent International

Executive Leadership Award

• Gary Starr (he/him), Australia Post
• Kaele Stokes (she/her), Dementia Australia
• Heather Hicks (she/her), KPMG Australia
• Claire Ross (she/her), Mercer Super

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Innovation Award

• 鈥淎ctivating Parents as Allies for LGBTQ+ Inclusion,鈥� Capgemini
• 鈥淒an鈥檚 Diner Midsumma Activation,鈥� Endeavour Group
• 鈥淩ainbow Immersion,鈥� PwC Australia
• 鈥淧RYSM Committee,鈥� Spark North East Link

LGBTQ+ Role Model Award

• Ellie Watts (they/them), Australian Retirement Trust
• Sarah Tell (she/her), Brisbane City Council
• Michelle Pallas (she/her), KPMG Australia
• Claire Alexander (she/her), Russell Kennedy Lawyers
• Dr. WiL Robles (he/they), Swinburne University of Technology

Network Leader of the Year

• Amy Ewing (she/her), Ampol
• Harry Coulter (he/him), Ashurst
• Craig Rath (he/him), Datacom
• Cath Emery (they/them), NSW Police Force
• Jesse Brown (he/him), Westpac Group

Sally Webster Ally Award

• Chloe Batchelor (she/her), AGL Energy
• Gary Starr (he/him), Australia Post
• Peta Camilleri (she/her), Capgemini
• Paula Gerber (she/her), Monash University

Sapphire Inspire Award

• Professor Sophia Nimphius (she/her), Edith Cowan University
• Sylvia Yeo (she/her), Dementia Australia

Since launching in 2011, the awards have become a cornerstone of Australia鈥檚 workplace inclusion landscape.

As Emsen-Hough put it, these finalists aren鈥檛 just improving workplace culture 鈥� they鈥檙e helping set the standard for what inclusion in Australia can, and should, look like.

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