LGBT candidates are part of the workforce across different occupations and levels of employment, so LGBT recruitment should not automatically be viewed as relevant only to particular roles.

ONS analysis of Census 2021 found that 70.4% of people identifying as gay or lesbian in England and Wales were in employment, compared with 57.2% of the overall population. Among people in employment, 15.2% of gay or lesbian people were managers, directors or senior officials, compared with 12.8% overall.

ONS also cautions that differences in age profiles affect these comparisons, so the figures should not be interpreted in isolation.

For employers, the evidence does not show whether an individual recruitment campaign is successfully reaching LGBT candidates. That requires looking at the attraction activity used for the vacancy itself.

LGBT Equality can provide a specialist candidate attraction route alongside an employer's existing ATS, agencies, multiposters and other recruitment channels.

When that outreach is documented by vacancy, recruitment leaders gain clearer visibility of where LGBT focused attraction formed part of a campaign.

Across an organisation, consistent records can also support management oversight and recruitment reporting by showing what activity actually took place, rather than relying on general statements about inclusive recruitment.