PRIDE Champion
The PRIDE Champion Audit
The PRIDE Champion Audit is an auditing process in which we, as an independent organization, conduct a comprehensive audit of your company’s measures with regard to the diversity dimension “sexual orientation and gender identity” on the basis of the audit questionnaire. The questionnaire enables companies to evaluate their existing diversity engagement and identify potential for improvement.
The internal auditing process usually takes two days and is supervised by employees of the participating company. It is guided by an online questionnaire, which consists of around 75 questions (depending on the size of the company) in 4 superordinate categories:
- Organizational Structure
- Human Resources
- Communication & Visibility
- Legal framework & Regulations
The questionnaire is reviewed and further developed annually by the LGBTIQ+ diversity experts of the UHLALA Group and representatives from other LGBTIQ+ organizations. Due to the holistic approach of the audit, all aspects of good and sustainable LGBTIQ+ diversity management are covered and current benchmarks are also taken into account within the evaluation.The audit results support the design and improvement of structures, measures and instruments.
What is the PRIDE Champion seal?
The PRIDE Champion Seal for Employers is the audit-based certification of companies and their LGBTIQ+ diversity management. After the completion of the auditing process, companies and organizations that have achieved at least 60% of the total possible score in the questionnaire are awarded the PRIDE Champion seal. The seal exists in two versions: silver for a result between 60 – 80% of the possible total score and gold for a result between 80 – 100%.
How does the process work?
1. Answering the audit questionnaire and evaluating the current state of your LGBTIQ+ diversity management. Participation in the PRIDE Champion Audit is possible at any time.
2. Feedback and detailed evaluation as well as an one-hour feedback session with our LGBTIQ+ diversity experts.
3. All PRIDE Champions are listed in the annual PRIDE Index at the end of the year.
Building on the PRIDE Champion Audit, the UHLALA Group offers the following additional services:
Marketing Bundle: A communication package that certified PRIDE Champions can use to make their commitment visible to the outside world. The bundle includes social media posts across UHLALA Group channels, the individual PRIDE Champion trophy, and a one-year company profile on the UHLALA Group website and our LGBTIQ+ job and career platform Proudr.
Benchmark Report: In March of the following year, we publish the Benchmark Report to provide an in-depth assessment of our own results and compare the individual results of the participants with those of all participating organizations in a given year.
Strategy workshop: Building on the individual results from the PRIDE Champion Audit, measures and initiatives are developed in an interactive workshop (up to three hours long) with which the (LGBTIQ+) diversity commitment in the company can be further expanded.
Contact us and request the PRIDE Champion Audit registration form:
Seal bearer 2023
Seal bearer 2022
Our services
Get noticed by LGBTIQ+ talent through certification as an LGBTIQ+ friendly company.
Increase your visibility through your company profile on UHLALA channels.
Work with us to develop measures and initiatives to further expand and improve your LGBTIQ+ diversity management.
See how you compare to your peers with the add-on Benchmark Report.
Advisory Board
Our PRIDE Champion Audit questionnaire is reviewed and expanded every year, on the one hand by our external advisory board, which consists of representatives of LGBTIQ+ organizations. On the other hand, our questionnaire is also reviewed by our diversity experts, who are informed about new measures on LGBTIQ+ diversity through their regular contact with companies.
Here you can find our current PRIDE Champion Advisory Board:
Anastasia Biefang
Head of Unit “QueerBw”, German Armed Forces
Frank Janßen
Chairman Diversity Völklinger Kreis e.V.
Jan Walsken
Founder Diversity at WHU e.V. & PhD student,
WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Meike Imberg
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead, Vattenfall Heat UK
Tim Mehlis
Product Owner, RTL Deutschland GmbH
Vaughan Price
Former Leader UK Business Group, PwC Germany
F.A.Q. PRIDE Champion, Audit & Index
How long does it take to complete the PRIDE Champion Audit?
All participating organizations have 3 months to complete the Audit. Gathering all the information and evidence can take a few days, so we recommend that you start processing and preparing in time. Here, the Audit PDF can serve as an additional support. Especially in larger organizations, several departments often need to be approached to answer the questions.
What is asked in the PRIDE Champion Audit?
In the Audit, questions are asked about the four categories Organizational Structure, Human Resources, Communication & Visibility, and Legal Framework & Regulations. In another category, you have the opportunity to indicate any additional engagement that was not covered in the questionnaire.
How is uploaded data used?
We comply with the statutory regulations and handle the data entrusted to us responsibly.
This means in particular that information is not passed on to third parties.
Access to files is only possible for members of the project team.
The data provided by the organizations is only used for evaluating the audits and advising the respective organizations.
Will the results of the audit be published?
The answers to individual questions or specific initiatives and projects of a company are not published. We include the overall result and the performance in the four main categories in the publication of the PRIDE Index. If you do not agree, we will not publish the results. If the result does not exceed 50% of the possible score, we will actively seek your consent for inclusion in the PRIDE Index before publication.
In the Benchmark Report, which is compiled in the spring of the following year, an average score of all participating companies and organizations appears for the respective categories. This means that it is not possible to track the results of individual employers.
In what form do you receive the results of the audit?
After the audit has been evaluated by the UHLALA Group consultants, you will receive your individual results as a PDF via email.
The document contains a visualization of the average results for the individual categories and subcategories.
In addition, you will receive a detailed list of all audit questions, your answers and the score achieved in each case.
How does the evaluation interview take place?
In an one-hour evaluation meeting, we discuss your results in detail and focus on the aspects where you can still improve your LGBTIQ+ diversity management. During the consultation, you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the individual points. Our goal is to identify potential and give you input for further measures.
From what percentage of points does our company receive the PRIDE Champion seal for employers?
From 60% of the points companies and organizations receive the seal in silver and from 80% of the points in gold.
What is the PRIDE Index?
All information about the PRIDE Index can be found here.
Why should we participate in the PRIDE Champion Audit?
Since 2017, the PRIDE Audit has been showing employers in the DACH region how they can (further) develop and implement their diversity commitment in the LGBTIQ+ sector. The audit supports the design of structures, instruments and measures to include LGBTIQ+ employees in organizations and to make appreciation tangible.
Test yourself, discover untapped potential, further develop your corporate culture and become an attractive employer for LGBTIQ+.
How much does it cost to participate in the PRIDE Champion Audit?
Prices depend on the size and type of organization.
- Small Business | PRIDE Champion Audit: €1,000 | Marketing Bundle: €500
- Medium-sized Companies | PRIDE Champion Audit: €1,500 | Marketing Bundle: €1,000
- Large Companies | PRIDE Champion Audit: €2,000 | Marketing Bundle: €1,000
- Public Institutions | PRIDE Champion Audit: 1.500€ | Marketing Bundle: 1.000€
Additionally, Marketing Bundle, Strategy Workshop and the Benchmark Report can be added.
Contact Jonathan Frank, Executive Assistant to the CEO, for more information on our offerings and services.
As a public institution, can we participate?
Yes, public institutions can also participate in the PRIDE Champion Audit. In addition to questionnaires for large, medium-sized and small companies, we have developed a questionnaire that takes into account the characteristics of public authorities and their differences from private companies.
Can small and medium-sized enterprises also participate?
Yes, in addition to questionnaires for public institutions and large companies, we have developed a questionnaire for small companies (0-50 employees) and another for medium-sized companies (51-500 employees). In these, we take into account typical characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises and their differences from large enterprises (e.g., in terms of organizations and access to resources).
Is the PRIDE Champion Audit offered in different languages?
Yes, the questionnaires for private companies are available to participants in German and English.
Get in touch
Are you interested in our work in the field of LGBTIQ+ inclusion and empowerment? We look forward to hearing from you!