How Fortune 500 companies say they’re handling Pride this year

It appears that 2025 will mark a departure from years of increasing corporate investments in Pride events and vocal celebrations on social media.

Data from Gravity Research polling executives from across Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies found that 39% of companies plan to decrease their overall engagement in Pride activities this year. Forty-one percent reported no change in engagement while no companies reported an overall increase in Pride participation.

However, those numbers are more nuanced than they might appear at first, said Joanna Piacenza, vice president of thought leadership at Gravity Research. What’s not pictured on the graph were the people who answered that they didn’t know or weren’t decided – a figure totaling about 20% of respondents. Not having decided about Pride activities less than two months before it starts is notable.

“I think that speaks to almost this element of feeling frozen within a decision,” Piacenza said. “They’re not quite sure what to do.”

The biggest factor driving this fear and change in strategy, the survey found, was the Trump administration’s pushback against LGBTQ+ issues. Sixty-one percent of respondents cited pressure from the administration as the main driver of Pride changes, with the number higher for B2C organizations (65%) than B2B (54%). Thirty-nine percent also cited backlash from conservative activists or consumers as a concern.

“Consumer-facing brands just face more reputational risk from externally promoting Pride, in the same way that they have in previous years,” Piacenza explained. “B2B, on the other hand, are probably more likely to be federal contractors. So you’re seeing pressure points on both sides.”

B2C brands were also eight points more likely to be concerned about pressure from conservative policymakers besides the administration (23% vs 15%).

The biggest tactics that companies plan to pull back on include presence at Pride events, social media activity around Pride and sponsorship of Pride events.

One financial services executive specifically explained why they’re pulling back on social media activity, stating they are “…taking a more conservative approach to how we are acknowledging Pride month on our social media channels to help minimize public visibility that could trigger attention.”

As Piacenza put it, companies “don’t necessarily want to be the tallest blade of grass.”

The internal expectation

Only about 14% of companies plan to decrease their internal Pride observances. While this is still a notable number, it’s far below the 43% who plan to decrease their external celebrations. Some executives specifically cited their internal efforts as their main focus for 2025.

“We have reduced risk across all heritage month events by focusing internally and doing what’s right for our people and not necessarily shouting to the world about it,” said one consumer staples executive.

However, one area of internal observation of Pride has actually seen a net increase: partnerships with employee resource groups.

While 7% plan for less engagement with ERGs, 10% plan to increase their engagement. Piacenza said that ERGs are an increasingly important lifeline for companies attempting to please competing demands.

“We’ve seen (partnerships with ERGs) increase a lot over the last couple of years, and I think even more so for Pride 2025 – making sure (companies are) hitting the right notes, making sure that the efforts and the events that they’re putting together internally and some externally are making their ERGs happy, having them have a seat at the table,” Piacenza said. She also suggested that when companies feel paralyzed by the current political environment, a conversation with ERGs can help them feel unstuck.

Preparing for backlash

But even with a strong ERG partnership, most companies are preparing for some kind of pushback to their Pride initiatives – or lack thereof. Sixty-five percent of companies say they are preparing for backlash to Pride, with the number spiking for B2C companies, likely warily eyeing Target’s downturn since their retreat from DEI actions, as well as the conservative activism of Robby Starbuck.

One executive flat-out noted they anticipate pushback from their own employees, saying they are, “Equipping our HR partners with talking points/responses if/when employees express discontent regarding our support of Pride month/parade activities.”

It’s clear this Pride will not be like previous years, with pushback and divided opinions on every side.

“It’s a new twist and turn every year,” Piacenza said.

Allison Carter is editorial director of PR Daily and Ragan.com. Follow her on LinkedIn.