Almost two fifths of corporations plan to reduce their participation in the LGBTQ pride month this June, an increase with respect to the same survey last year, while two other parts said that their support would remain unchanged, according to a survey of corporate executives conducted by Gravity Research, since some LGBTQ pride organizations throughout the country inform less corporate sponsorships than in previous years than in previous years.
Key data
Of the 49 executives surveyed by Fortune 1000 companies, those who said they were reducing their support for pride cited the pressure of conservative activists and President Donald Trump, who has signed executive orders that destroy diversity, equity and inclusion and point to the transgender community.
Of 39% of the companies that said they would reduce participation in the pride month this year, 43% said it would reduce external support demonstrations, which includes having a visual presence or financially sponsoring the marches of pride, offering a line of pride products, updating the brand on social networks and associating with influential people for sponsorships with pride issues.
Less surveyed (19%) said that their least commitment to pride would be internal, including internal communication with employees about commitments to equality and the offer of employee resource groups.
About 41% of the companies surveyed said that their support for pride will remain unchanged this year, while the rest replied “I don’t know” or “I have not decided.”
Last year, only 9% of companies told Gravity Research that they would modify their participation plans in the pride month.
Cita Crucial
The president of Gravity Research, Luke Hartig, told Forbes that the survey “reveals how drastically the cultural and political tendencies have changed”, stating that the reduction of the participation of two fifths of the companies in the month of pride “would have been unthinkable just five years ago.” Hartig added, however, that “most remain firm internally, supporting LGBTQ+ employees and allies through events, collaborations with ERG and reiterating inclusion in the workplace.”
What did corporate leaders say about the reduction of participation in the month of pride?
A corporate leader told Gravity Research that his company would reduce his recognition of the month of pride in social networks to “minimize the public visibility that could attract attention.” An anonymous corporate executive of a company of basic consumption products of Fortune 500 told Gravity Research that it has “reduced the risk in all the events of the month of heritage” by “focusing internally and doing what is correct for our people and not necessarily shouting it to the world.” Some executives told Gravity Research that they are preparing discussion points in response to their pride month activities, including a financial executive, who said that his company has provided RR employees. HH. Answers prepared for employees who question their support for the month of pride. The financial executive also said that his company is planning to adopt a “more conservative approach on how we are recognizing the month of pride in our social media channels”.
Surprising data
B2C (71%) companies are more likely than B2B (53%) to prepare for negative reactions related to the pride month, Gravity Research reported, which, he says, shows “greater public pressure and the threat of a negative reaction of consumers.”
What pride organizations have lost corporate sponsors?
Some of the largest pride organizations in the United States have said that corporate sponsors withdrew financial support this year. Anheuser-Busch, the alcoholic beverage company that fought against a conservative reaction wave in 2023 for an association between Bud Light and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, refused to support San Luis’s pride in 2025 after more than 30 years of sponsorship, said St. Louis Pride in an Instagram post. San Francisco’s organizers told Forbes that Anheuser-Busch also refused to support the organization this year, as well as previous sponsors Comcast and the Diageo Alcoholic Beverage Company, which represents a loss of 200,000 dollars in corporate sponsorship funds. Pride Houston’s Board of Directors told Forbes that some corporate sponsors reduced support by up to 75%, which totals $ 100,000 in lost funds. Chris Piedmont, NYC Pride media director, told Forbes that some corporate sponsors have reduced budgets, although he did not appoint specific companies. The loss of financing has led some organizations to resort to crowdfunding, including St. Louis Pride and Twin Cities Pride in Minnesota, which cut ties with Target after the company turned back in its measures of diversity, equity and inclusion in January.
Key history
Some companies have faced negative reactions among conservative activists in recent years for their support for LGBTQ pride, in particular Bud Light, who lost his position as the best beer in the United States after facing a boycott of consumers for his association with Mulvaney. Approximately one month after the boycott of Bud Light, which began in April 2023, Bud Light sales dropped 26 % compared to the previous year. Other companies that faced attacks and boycott were Nike, which also associated with Mulvaney in 2023, and Target, which caused outrage to sell a marketed swimsuit for trans women. In response to the negative reactions, Target withdrew from the stores some of his LGBTQ pride items. Target has faced new boycott in recent weeks after joining a wave of companies that retreated in the standards of diversity, equity and inclusion, which enraged critics who considered the company a long -standing LGBTQ ally. Target pedestrian traffic in stores has decreased year after year for 11 consecutive weeks, starting with the week to leave Dei’s commitments in January, Retail Brew reported.
This article was originally published by Forbes Us.
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