Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is one of the UK’s most influential voices on racial justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. A passionate political activist, she is the co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent. She also serves as Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust, a charity dedicated to advancing the rights of LGBT+ people worldwide.

Lady Phyll’s career began in the civil service, where she spent over a decade working for the DWP and the Fraud Investigation Service. She later became Head of Political Campaigns and Equality at the Public and Commercial Services Trade Union. Over the years, she has received numerous accolades, including being named on the World Pride Power List and the 100 Great Black Britons list, and was Grand Marshal of New York Pride in 2019.

As a powerful Black female speaker represented by The BAME Speakers Agency, Phyll uses her platform to challenge inequality, inspire activism, and create lasting change.

In this interview, she shares her thoughts on inclusion, intersectionality, and how businesses can create truly safe, equitable workplaces.

"Necessity. I think one of the biggest challenges is about moving beyond the surface level of commitments. I think it's so easy for us to put out statements about DEI, diversity, equality or equity and inclusion, or hire a consultant, or have one-off training that celebrates diversity in its marketing campaign. But there's something much more about that. I think it's about shifting the power and making sure it's about real inclusivity and redistributing resources, and I guess it would have to be about embedding equity into every aspect of the business.

You know, true inclusion for me is about when we start listening, and I mean really listening, active listening to people when they're marginalised, when they're vulnerable, when they're discriminated against, when they're victimised. It requires brave leadership, and it requires leadership to take action even when it feels uncomfortable."

"This word, 'intersectionality', I think that it's used so much, and I want to just make clear that intersectionality is not a buzzword or a synonym for diversity. It really is a necessity. I guess it's about those compounding factors of oppression that exist, and it means that there has to be an understanding of people's experiences of discrimination because discrimination is not a singular way or an outlook of how we see things.

You know, as a Black queer woman in the workplace, my experiences would be different to a gay man. You know, a disabled trans employee's experience will be very different to that of a working-class migrant who happens to be a person of faith, religion, and belief. Leaders have got to probably really recognise that this 'one-size-fits-all' policy approach doesn't work. I think it's about investment in the initiatives that we're talking about, and given what's happening around the world with businesses pulling back from the commitment of DEI, let's ask ourselves: are we defending the acronym or actually looking at what it really means about the culture, changing hearts and minds, and looking at true inclusion by way of having great sponsorship and mentorship programmes that bolster, foster and uplift those that are under-represented in the workplace?

And I would just say that it requires that culture, and you'll hear me speak about culture quite a lot, where people feel safe enough to speak up about their experiences without fear of retaliation or harm to them in the workplace. That's how people feel valued and respected, and you're able to retain great talent within your workplace."

"So safety for LGBTQ+ employees. I want to start by just caveatting this: that LGBTQ+ people are not a monolith. When we think about LGBTQ+ people, they happen to be Black, or they happen to be POC, which is a person of colour; they happen to be young or mature; they happen to be a person of faith. We look at those intersections about how we keep people safe in different aspects.

And I know that a lot of businesses are starting to talk about psychological safety in the workplace. And I guess safety goes beyond policies. Again, it is about that culture. And having a great network is great; it's really good, but if queer employees do not feel protected from discrimination or even microaggressions, then it just feels quite performative. This has to be about creating safety and embedding inclusivity into the company's policies.

And let's talk about accountability. I think when discrimination happens, it has to be addressed very swiftly. This isn't just about saying 'zero tolerance', whereas I like to change that narrative about 'full acceptance against all forms of discrimination'. It means addressing things from the get-go, making sure that no LGBTQ+ employee has to shrink themself to fit into a place. It's about them showing up as their full selves, and I don't always use 'authentic' because it can be quite subjective, but their full professional selves without fear of being penalised."

"So, of late, I'm torn about this backlash because I've seen many businesses pull back from their stance around DE. And as I think about it, I think that there's this need to defend the acronym. And it's not about defending the acronym; it's about defending the work. I think when we push back on efforts of inclusion, we really will see such a crumbling of the great work that has been done.

But you know, if the truth be told, I think diversity and equity and equality and inclusion benefits everyone. Companies that have inclusion at the heart of what they do perform better, and that's a known fact. They attract the top talent. They create workplaces which feel innovative. It's not just about them surviving, but it's also about them thriving. And I think those that are resisting the DE and I agenda are doing it to protect boundaries. But if they're holding back, you're going to see, I guess, a dissemination and the cards falling down.

I think that leaders – and I always highlight leaders because those are the ones who have the power to change things and the influence – I would just say keep the pressure on and reaffirm your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can ensure that your workplaces feel smarter, feel linear, and feel a sense of purpose in what you're doing. Just remember what side of history, her story, or even their story you want to be on."