UK Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report 2025
Despite a political backlash from some parts against DE&I, it remains a key consideration.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for diversity, equity and inclusion
- Opportunities
- Design now for a more diverse future
- Include affordability in DE&I considerations
- Amplify real voices to prove authenticity
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THE MARKET
- The economic environment continues to throw up challenges
- Most are getting by, but an uneven recovery offers unequal opportunities
- Graph 1: the financial wellbeing index, 2020-25
- Graph 2: current financial situation, by annual household income, 2025
- Women continue to lag behind men in labour market participation
- Graph 3: employment status, by age, August-October 2025
- Graph 4: employment status, by gender, August-October 2025
- Brits are getting older, and increasingly diverse
- Younger groups are more likely to identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual
- Longer lives mean Brits will spend more time living with a disability
- Graph 5: healthy life expectancy at birth, 2021-23 cohort
- Recent legislative changes having an impact on DE&I
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THE CONSUMER
- Representation in the workplace
- People with different health needs are most likely to be considered marginalised in the workplace
- Graph 6: perceived underrepresentation of selected population groups in the workplace, 2025
- Listen to authentic voices to achieve meaningful inclusion
- Graph 7: perceived underrepresentation of people from a minority ethnic background in the workplace, by ethnicitity, 2025
- Younger Brits are more sensitive to gaps in representation
- Support allyship and promote inclusion to boost employee relations
- Representation in advertising and the media
- Advertisers are most often accused of underrepresentation on the basis of appearance
- Graph 8: perceived underrepresentation in advertising, 2025
- Diversity in advertising is a low consumer priority, with a high impact
- Media brands need to arrest the slide towards a less progressive past
- Brand diversity, equity and inclusion responsibilities
- Consumers support a range of DE&I initiatives, but prioritise accessibility
- Brands should take a holistic approach to inclusion and accessibility
- Call for retailers to cater to diverse needs
- Amplify diverse employee voices to boost customer inclusion
- Inclusion across categories
- The biggest calls for inclusion come in finance, tech and clothing
- DE&I visibility is clearest in clothing and beauty, but other sectors can have a bigger effect
- Maximise understanding to improve accessibility
- Broaden mainstream tastes in food and drink by catering to younger diverse palates
- Graph 9: conumers who identify food and drink as a category where brands most need to prioritise inclusion, by generation, 2025
- DE&I in the UK
- Most agree that people can live the way they want in the UK…
- … but authenticity is an ongoing challenge for brands
- Most Brits celebrate and seek out multicultural experiences
- Getting DE&I right is a critical factor in retaining Gen Z and Younger Millennial business
- Be transparent, or hear from bold, principled young consumers
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- Brand strategies
- Brands have to make a choice amid a global DE&I backlash
- Authentic DE&I action requires specific commitments, and actionable goals
- Curry’s seeks to go “Beyond Techspectations”
- Collaborate with creators with real experiences to boost authentic inclusion
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APPENDIX
- The consumer
- Report scope
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- UK generation groups
- Abbreviations
"DEI remains an important issue for consumers, particularly for more diverse younger generations. Brands must prioritise accessibility as the population ages."
Rich Shepherd, Category Director - Financial Services and Social Research
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the UK
- Despite a political backlash from some parts against DE&I, it remains a key consideration. 59% of UK consumers agree DE&I initiatives are increasingly necessary, yet 33% think brand efforts have declined in the past year. With an ageing, more ethnically diverse population, consumer expectations and demands around inclusivity will only grow. Representation and authenticity are under closer scrutiny than ever as complex inclusion demands move centre-stage.
- Gen Z and younger Millennials are an increasingly influential part of the workforce. With 76% ready to call out discrimination, the risk for brands that underdeliver on measurable, transparent DE&I is high. At the same time, the average consumer is living longer and spending more time living with a disability, making inclusive design a commercial opportunity. Brands that embed accessibility in product design and service delivery will win among both older and younger demographics.
- Backlash against performative efforts is intensifying, and 47% find DE&I initiatives unauthentic. The greatest threat to brands in this space is reputational damage from tokenism, while the reward lies in transparent, needs-led actions proven by real outcomes. Success now depends on moving beyond pledges to tangible, everyday inclusion embedded across business functions.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- The demographic, economic and political factors impacting DE&I in the UK
- Perceived underrepresentation of different groups in the workplace, advertising and the media
- Priority sectors and brand responsibilities for DE&I, including higher demand for inclusion in financial services, tech and fashion
- Consumer attitudes towards DE&I, including scepticism over the authenticity of brand efforts
- How brands are navigating an increasingly complex DE&I landscape
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