June 2025 Diversity and Inclusion Calendar: Key Dates
June DEI calendar: inclusive observances for employers
From Pride to Juneteenth, June is a powerful month for visibility, reflection, and inclusion. Use this guide to plan observances that educate, uplift, and show your team what belonging looks like in action.
Pride Month - June 1–30
Pride Month celebrates the LGBTQ+ community’s right to live and love freely. It honors the history of LGBTQ+ activism and the ongoing fight for equity.
For employers, this month presents an opportunity to go beyond symbols and statements. It’s a chance to build a workplace where authenticity, respect, and inclusion are part of the culture—not just the messaging.
This month is about more than rainbows. It’s a chance to champion authenticity, respect, and inclusion in the workplace.
Here’s a corporate communication plan to help your organization engage meaningfully throughout Pride Month.
Corporate Communication Plan for Pride Month
Theme:
Beyond the Rainbow: Celebrating Authenticity and Equity
Goals:
Acknowledge and honour the LGBTQ+ community
Educate employees on LGBTQ+ history and workplace inclusion
Promote real action over performative gestures
Build a culture where authenticity is recognized and celebrated
June 1:
Launch Message from Leadership:
Begin Pride Month with a company-wide message from your leadership team. This message should: acknowledge the significance of Pride Month, reaffirm your company’s commitment to equity and inclusion, preview what employees can expect during the month
Example leadership message excerpt:
Pride Month is about more than visibility—it’s about listening, learning, and showing up for our LGBTQ+ colleagues every day.
Week 1: Learn the History
Focus on education
Share an internal article about the origins of Pride Month, including events like the Stonewall uprising
Highlight LGBTQ+ trailblazers in politics, science, sports, or business
Consider hosting a lunch and learn or inviting an external speaker
Week 2: Listen to Voices
Center LGBTQ+ experiences
Share employee stories or anonymous reflections (with consent)
Highlight LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and entrepreneurs
Share a curated list of LGBTQ+ books, films, and podcasts
Host a virtual roundtable or an open mic session where employees can speak or listen in a safe and respectful environment.
Week 3: Act for Inclusion
Make your policies and practices part of the conversation
Share information about inclusive benefits like gender-affirming care or family leave
Offer practical allyship tools, such as pronoun guides and inclusive language sheets
Launch a simple challenge to encourage small actions, such as: updating email signatures with pronouns, attending an inclusion training, amplifying LGBTQ+ voices on LinkedIn
Week 4: Reflect and Commit
Close the month with reflection and a look forward
Summarize what was shared, learned, and experienced
Share ongoing DEI commitments and upcoming initiatives
Offer a short, anonymous feedback form to gather input from employees
Additional tips for meaningful pride communication
Visuals:
If you update your logo or social media banners, ensure it’s part of a broader effort—accompanied by clear actions and internal programming.
External Partnerships: Consider spotlighting or donating to LGBTQ+owned businesses or nonprofits.
Avoid Tokenism:
Pride Month is not a marketing campaign. Avoid using LGBTQ+ identity or culture solely to enhance your brand image.
National Indigenous History Month June 1 - 30
National Indigenous History Month is a time to honor the contributions, cultures, and voices of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
It’s also an opportunity for organizations to support reconciliation and promote awareness.
National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) marks the summer solstice and is a time to learn directly from Indigenous communities.
Corporate Communication Plan for National Indigenous History Month
Theme:
Beyond Recognition: Learning from Indigenous Voices and Supporting Reconciliation
Goals:
Acknowledge and honour the unique identities and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples
Educate employees on Indigenous history, culture, and rights
Support reconciliation through informed, sustained action
Promote respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and individuals
June 1
Launch message from leadership
Begin National Indigenous History Month with a company-wide message from your leadership team. This message should:
Acknowledge the significance of the month
Recognize the organization’s presence on Indigenous land (with a land acknowledgment)
Reaffirm a commitment to reconciliation and respectful learning
Preview what employees can expect during the month
Example leadership message excerpt:
National Indigenous History Month is a time to listen, learn, and take responsibility. It’s about recognizing the stories, cultures, and leadership of Indigenous Peoples—and doing our part to build a more equitable future.
Week 1: Learn the History
Focus on education
Share an internal article about the history and purpose of National Indigenous History Month
Highlight distinctions between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities
Offer a resource list (books, videos, courses) to support foundational learning
Consider hosting a speaker or sharing a recorded educational session from an Indigenous knowledge keeper
Week 2: Listen to voices
Center Indigenous experience
Share employee stories or community spotlights featuring Indigenous colleagues, artists, or leaders
Highlight Indigenous authors, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs
Share a curated list of Indigenous-led content including books, documentaries, and podcasts
Host a virtual sharing circle or roundtable with Indigenous facilitators, if appropriate
Week 3: Act for Reconciliation
Make your values visible through action
Share how your organization supports Indigenous communities—past, present, or planned
Promote internal policies and practices that reflect a commitment to reconciliation
Encourage employees to take small, meaningful actions, such as:
Learning about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
Supporting Indigenous businesses
Attending a local cultural event or workshop
Week 4: Reflect and Commit
Close the month with reflection and a look forward
Summarize what was shared, learned, and experienced
Highlight ongoing commitments and actions beyond June
Share next steps the organization is taking in relation to Indigenous engagement
Offer a short, anonymous feedback form to gather employee reflections and suggestions
Additional tips for meaningful communication during National Indigenous History Month
Land Acknowledgements:
Use them thoughtfully and consistently. Consider developing a standardized land acknowledgment for meetings and events, and ensure it's delivered with understanding—not as a formality.
Community Connections:
Build relationships with local Indigenous communities. If you're donating, partnering, or learning—make sure it's with meaningful consent and reciprocity.
Avoid Performative Actions:
This month is not about checking a box. Avoid tokenism by focusing on learning, respect, and long-term relationship-building—not just temporary content or campaigns.
Shavuot - June 1
Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah in Jewish tradition.
At work:
Respect dietary restrictions (some Jewish individuals keep Kosher)
Offer both dairy and dairy-free meal options if catering
Share resources or videos to foster awareness
Eid al-Adha Evening of June 6– Jun 10
Eid al-Adha, or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to God and marks the end of Hajj.
Inclusive tips for the workplace:
Offer flexible scheduling for prayer and family gatherings
Provide a private space for prayer
Share an educational message about the meaning of Eid
Hajj
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and a major pilgrimage that draws millions to Mecca each year.
At work, you can:
Acknowledge employees who may be participating or observing from afar
Educate your team about the spiritual significance of the pilgrimage
Ensure Muslim employees feel supported and included during this time
Father’s Day - June 15
Father’s Day is a moment to celebrate and support all kinds of caregivers.
Why it matters at work:
Revisit your parental leave policies — are they inclusive of all fathers and gender identities?
Use affirming, non-binary language in your messaging
Acknowledge the broad spectrum of fatherhood and caregiving
Juneteenth - June 19
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the U.S. learned of their freedom.
Ways to observe at work:
Invite a speaker with expertise in Black history or civil rights
Host a team workshop focused on racial justice
Screen a powerful film followed by a group discussion
Suggested films: 13th, Moonlight, Hidden Figures, The Color Purple
World Refugee Day - June 20
World Refugee Day raises awareness about the experiences of refugees around the world and the importance of protection and inclusion.
Workplace ideas:
Share educational resources on global refugee issues
Highlight refugee-led organizations
Offer volunteer or donation opportunities
Summer Solstice - June 20
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and holds cultural significance across many Indigenous, Wiccan, and global communities.
While not a formal DEI observance, it's a chance to:
Celebrate global traditions tied to nature and renewal
Host a lunch outdoors or share stories around cultural summer solstice traditions
Muharram (Date varies)
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and one of the holiest months in Islam.
Did you know?
The Islamic lunar calendar is about 10–12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar
Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, is especially important in many Muslim traditions
At work, simply acknowledging the start of Muharram shows respect and awareness.
Keep building inclusive habits year-round
June is filled with moments to honor diverse identities, histories, and cultures — but the work doesn’t stop there. Use these observances to spark action, learning, and deeper understanding in your workplace.
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