Looking back at this year’s Pride events

Championing LGBTQ+ rights is central to our mission of fostering a culture of inclusion — not just within our teams, but in broader society too. We recognise the importance of standing with our LGBTQ+ colleagues, allies and communities.

For us, it’s not enough to simply say we support equality. We’re actively working to create positive change by amplifying diverse voices, challenging discrimination and ensuring that everyone at E.ON can bring their authentic selves to work. And we’re proud to have been formally recognised as one of the most inclusive employers within the UK.

One of the most visible – and colourful – ways we show our commitment is through our support of and participation in Pride events across the UK and Europe.

These events not only allow us to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and history, but they also give us a platform to stand up against injustice and inequality. Whether we’re waving rainbow flags in Birmingham, joining the vibrant celebrations in München or making our presence felt in smaller cities and towns, our participation in these Pride events signals our unwavering dedication to the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community.

Callum Thackray-Lovett, Governance & Controls Manager at E.ON Next and member of our LGBT+ and Friends network, said: “"I’m incredibly proud to work for a company like E.ON that truly fosters diversity and stands up for LGBTQ+ rights in meaningful ways. Being part of a team that not only values inclusivity but actively champions it — through Pride events, community involvement, and a culture of respect — makes all the difference. Knowing that we’re encouraged to bring our full, authentic selves to work every day and seeing our company’s commitment to equality on such a visible scale reaffirms my belief that together, we’re building a more inclusive future."

In 2024 alone, we’ve proudly attended a number of brilliant Pride celebrations across Europe as part of the E.ON Group.

• Birmingham Pride, UK: One of the biggest celebrations in the Midlands, where we joined thousands of people in a colourful display of support for LGBTQ+ rights.
• Nottingham Pride, UK: A joyful charity community event where we celebrated diversity and raised awareness of the importance of inclusion.
• Christopher Street Day in München, Germany: A key event in Germany’s Pride calendar, honouring the historic fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.
• RuhrPride in Essen, Germany: A powerful demonstration of solidarity in the Ruhr region, where we stood together with the LGBTQ+ community.
• Milan Pride, Italy: A dynamic and passionate event, where we celebrated love, freedom and self-expression in one of Europe’s most iconic cities and our first time attending.
• Czech Chapter, Czech Republic: A smaller, yet equally impactful, Pride celebration where we highlighted our commitment to LGBTQ+ empowerment across all regions.

Matthew Barrett, Project Management Degree Apprentice at E.ON, said: “I'm proud to have celebrated Pride in Nottingham with E.ON. It was an amazing day, and it makes me really appreciate working for a diverse and accepting company where I am able to be my true self.”

And our commitment goes beyond Pride events, ensuring that we’re a pioneering organisation when it comes to the LGBT+ community. At E.ON, we’ve introduced a range of LGBT+ friendly policies including our Equal Parent leave, supporting colleagues through their fertility journeys, our gender identity and reassignment policy and our gender-neutral menopause guide.

Other LGBT+ friendly policies include the introduction of pronouns onto our organisational systems and email signatures and the gender-neutral facilities we’re introducing at our sites.