Diversity in the Workplace and the Position of LGBTIQ+ Persons

Creating workplaces where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.

The LGBTQI+ Conference 2026 brings together leaders, policymakers, human rights advocates, employers and LGBTIQ+ communities from across the Dutch Caribbean and beyond to explore one essential question:

What does an inclusive workplace really look like — and what will it take to create one?

Over two days in Aruba, we will connect regional experience with international expertise, share practical approaches and explore how organisations can turn inclusion commitments into meaningful action.

Why this conversation matters

Workplaces play a critical role in creating equality.

For LGBTIQ+ people, inclusion is not only about having the right to work. It is about being able to work safely, participate fully, be recognised and respected, and bring your whole self to work without fear of discrimination or exclusion.

The 2026 conference will explore the progress made across the Dutch Caribbean while asking what still needs to change.

Featured Keynote

David Pollard

Executive Director, Workplace Pride

Global Perspectives on LGBTIQ+ Workplace Inclusion

David Pollard, Executive Director of Workplace Pride, will deliver a keynote exploring the global landscape of LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion. Drawing on international experience, David will examine changing expectations among employees, employers, and leaders, and the practical steps organisations can take to create more inclusive workplaces.

His keynote will explore:

• Global trends in LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion
• What leading organisations are doing differently
• The role of leadership in creating lasting inclusion
• Moving beyond policies towards meaningful organisational change
• Challenges facing LGBTIQ+ employees across different regions and cultures
• How organisations can measure progress and demonstrate impact

The keynote will connect the international workplace inclusion agenda with the realities and opportunities of the Dutch Caribbean.

Featured Workshops

Yuli Kim

Programme Director, Workplace Pride

Yuli Kim will lead two practical, interactive workshops on the tools, behaviours, and strategies organisations can use to strengthen LGBTIQ+ inclusion.

Workshop 1

What Does Good Look Like?

Best Practices of LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Policies

Having a policy is one thing. Having a policy that genuinely protects, supports and empowers LGBTIQ+ employees is another. This workshop will examine international best practices in LGBTIQ+ workplace policies and explore how organisations can translate good intentions into effective systems and processes.

You will explore:

• What effective LGBTIQ+ inclusion policies look like
• International best practices
• Inclusive recruitment and employment practices
• Benefits, parental leave and family recognition
• Supporting transgender and gender-diverse employees
• Preventing discrimination and harassment
• Creating inclusive workplace language and processes
• How to assess and improve your existing policies

Workshop 2

• The Power of Allyship
• Creating a Culture of Inclusion, Diversity in the Workplace and the Position of LGBTIQ+ Persons
• Policies create a foundation.
• People create culture.

This interactive workshop will explore how leaders, managers and colleagues can become effective allies and help create workplaces where LGBTIQ+ people feel safe, respected and valued.

Participants will explore:

• What meaningful allyship looks like
• How to move beyond symbolic support
• Everyday actions that make a difference
• Challenging exclusion and inappropriate behaviour
• The role of leaders and managers
• Creating psychologically safer workplaces
• Supporting LGBTIQ+ colleagues through everyday workplace interactions
• Turning allyship into sustained organisational action

The question we’ll ask: What could you do differently tomorrow to make your workplace more inclusive?

Regional Voices. Global Perspectives.

The conference will bring together voices from across the Dutch Caribbean alongside international experts in workplace inclusion and human rights.

Among the prominent regional voices is Janice Tjon Sien Kie, President of the Human Rights Caribbean Foundation and a longstanding advocate for LGBTIQ+ equality and human rights.

Janice has played an important role in regional conversations about LGBTIQ+ rights and social change, including discussions surrounding significant legal developments in Aruba and Curaçao.

Her contribution will help connect the workplace inclusion conversation to the wider human rights landscape across the Caribbean.

Beyond Legal Recognition

The Dutch Caribbean has experienced significant developments in the recognition of LGBTIQ+ rights.

But legal progress is only one part of the journey.

The next question is: How do we make equality something people experience every day — at work, in their communities and in society?

The 2026 conference will explore this question through the lens of workplace inclusion, human rights, policy and culture.

It will create space for honest conversations about progress, challenges and the work that remains.

Who Should Attend?

This conference is designed for anyone with a role in creating more inclusive workplaces and societies.

We welcome:

Business & Employers

* CEOs and senior leaders
* HR and People & Culture professionals
* Diversity, Equity & Inclusion leaders
* Managers and team leaders

Government & Policy

* Government representatives
* Policymakers
* Legal and policy professionals
* Public-sector leaders

Community & Human Rights

* LGBTIQ+ organisations
* Human rights advocates
* Civil society organisations
* Employee networks and ERGs
* Community leaders

Everyone committed to inclusion

Whether your organisation is just beginning its LGBTIQ+ inclusion journey or already has established programmes and policies, there will be opportunities to learn, share and connect.

What you can expect

Learn

Discover international best practices and practical approaches to LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion.

Connect

Meet leaders, advocates, employers and community representatives from across the Dutch Caribbean and beyond.

Challenge

Question existing approaches and explore where organisations can do better.

Act

Leave with practical ideas and tools that you can take back to your workplace.

Join the Conversation

The LGBTQI+ Conference 2026 is more than a conference about inclusion.

It is an opportunity to build connections across the region, learn from international experience and turn shared ambition into practical action.

Organisers

The LGBTQI+ Conference 2026 is organised jointly by:

*Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
*Representation of the Netherlands in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
*Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations

Together with regional partners and stakeholders committed to advancing LGBTIQ+ equality, human rights and inclusive workplaces across the Dutch Caribbean.