National Inclusion Week is an essential celebration of diversity, promoting the importance of equality in the workplace. With understanding and acceptance, a more inclusive society will allow everyone to be the best versions of themselves, empowering minority groups to share their unique and valuable perspectives.

The week will highlight areas of improvement for companies across the globe, so find out how to prepare for National Inclusion Week 2026 below.

When is National Inclusion Week 2026?

National Inclusion Week is running from the 14th to the 20th of September 2026. Over the seven days, businesses are encouraged to celebrate inclusion in all forms to create a more diverse workplace.

What is National Inclusion Week?

Drawing attention to inequalities in the workplace, National Inclusion Week provides actionable strategies for inclusion and better diversity. Event organisers arm companies with the knowledge needed to make their employees feel safe and included, dismantling the biases still active in British industries. 

National Inclusion Week continues to encourage people everywhere, from the general public to business leaders, to make room for diversity in their professional and personal lives. The theme of National Inclusion Week 2025 was #NowIsTheTime, and the 2026 theme is yet to be announced. 

Source: Inclusive Employers

Why is National Inclusion Week Important?

Though we as a society have made great strides towards inclusion, we still have a long way to go. With the millennial and Gen Z generations reportedly being the most diverse in history, it is within a business’s best interest to improve the level of inclusion in its workplace. Further, diverse companies are considered 1.7 times more likely to be innovative.

Who are the Top Speakers to Hire for National Inclusion Week 2026?

One of the best ways to improve the level of inclusion in your workplace is to book a diversity and inclusion speaker. These resident experts have personally experienced the importance of acceptance and can convey to corporate audiences how diversity can lead to better decision-making and innovation.

Chris Tompkins, a Keynote Speaker & Entertainment Manager at Champions Speakers, has evaluated data from 298 National Inclusion Week events held between 2022 and 2025 to form his exclusive selection of the top 18 speakers to hire for National Inclusion Week!

1. Mark Foster

Widely considered to be one of the greatest swimmers ever to come from Team GB, Mark Foster has since carved out a respectable media career. Mark’s influential decision to come out as gay following his retirement made waves for the LGBT+ community. As a speaker, Mark now discusses his experience of elite sport and how hiding his sexuality damaged his mental health.

2. Inga Beale

When Inga Beale became the first female CEO of Lloyd’s of London, a staggering achievement considering their 328-year history of solely male business leaders, she made corporate history. An openly bisexual businesswoman, Inga is dismantling stereotypes with every speech on diversity and inclusion she gives. Whether discussing gender inequality or the LGBT+ community, her positive influence ignites her corporate audience’s appreciation of inclusion.

3. Asif Sadiq

As Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Warner Bros., Asif Sadiq helps one of the world's biggest storytellers to keep diversity and inclusion at the heart of their operations. With a diversity of voices, perspectives and experiences crucial to the business, Asif is on a mission to foster diverse and creative talent. With over 15 years of experience, he has witnessed firsthand the evolution of inclusion in British businesses and earned several awards for his influential work, including the Asian Professional Award.

4. Shola Kaye

Shola Kaye is a leading voice in the diversity, inclusion and equality space. Through her award-winning services, she has worked with leading companies across the globe to transform their workplace culture and instil a sense of belonging in their employees. Shola specialises in empathy and wellbeing, her inclusion speeches maintain the emotional benefits of a connected, united corporate team. 

5. Piers Linney

Listed in the 2018 Top 100 BAME Leaders in Business list, Piers Linney is an industry force to be reckoned with. His inspiring and empowering work has paved the way for minority ethnic communities, with his success proving to many that our differences should not dictate our likelihood of success. Sitting on Sky's Diversity Advisory Council, Piers is an authority on both corporate growth and diversity.

6. Akala

BAFTA award-winning hip hop artist, poet, historian and diversity speaker, Akala continues to reach thousands through his many forms of influence. He is a firm advocate for inclusion and has used his platform to influence people from all backgrounds – from Shakespeare enthusiasts to MTV regulars, and more. An event featuring Akala is sure to resonate with audiences, teaching them the power of diversity in art, politics and business.

7. Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin, better known as the first transgender professional motorsports racer, is a pioneer of inclusion in the male-dominated sport. As an LGBT+ speaker, she shares her incredible story with audiences across the world, opening their eyes to a unique, inspiring perspective. The discrimination that Charlie has faced sends a clear message: inclusion and diversity must be achieved.

8. Martine Wright

Motivational speaker Martine Wright is a formidable force on the sitting volleyball court. Following the 7/7 bombings, where she sat only three feet from the suicide bomber, Martine lost both of her legs and a staggering amount of blood. She is now the Captain of the British Paralympic sitting volleyball team, a testament to her grit and determination.

9. Kate Richardson-Walsh

Kate Richardson-Walsh, winner of the Hockey Writers Cup UK Player of the Year twice, is a Team GB hockey gold medalist. With 375 caps to her name, she has overcome injuries and discrimination to rise to the top. Alongside her wife, Helen, the pair became the first same-sex married couple to both win Olympic medals, a staggering feat for the LGBT+ community.

10. Simon Callow

As an active voice in the fight for LGBT+ rights and a celebrated member of the community, Simon Callow has worked tirelessly to improve inclusivity for different groups of people. One of the first openly gay actors announced through his novel Being an Actor, Simon has since been named one of the 2007 Most Influential Gay Men & Women in the UK.

11. Gareth Thomas

Rugby star and LGBT+ advocate, Gareth Thomas, was described as “courageous as ever” when he announced that he was not just gay but living with HIV. The award-winning inclusion speaker uses his story to inspire change, dismantling the stigma surrounding HIV to improve the quality of life for the LGBT+ community. His story was broadcast in the enlightening documentary, Gareth Thomas: HIV and Me.

12. Victoria Pendleton

Previously invited to the 2014 Conservative Party Conference and Clinique’s 2016 female empowerment campaign, Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton is changing the way athletes are viewed. As an advocate for gender inclusivity, she is a role model to future female Olympians, a core motivation that drives her diversity presentations. Victoria’s success is a testament to unlimited female potential.

13. John Amaechi

An inductee of the UK Basketball Hall of Fame, John Amaechi combines performance sport with his PhD in Psychology to advocate for the power of physical activity on wellbeing. Widely considered to be “one of the world’s most high-profile gay athletes”, he uses his elite status to promote acceptance, understanding and inclusion for the LGBT+ community.

14. Belinda Parmar

Belinda Parmar is a corporate activist and campaigner best known as the CEO of The Empathy Business. She specialises in gender diversity, particularly in such STEM industries as technology, via her Little Miss Geek campaign. When booked for events, Belinda is guaranteed to empower female audiences to shatter glass ceilings in their own industries. 

15. Perrine Farque

To boost employee engagement and performance, Perrine Farque invests in workplace diversity. Her public speeches focus on the power of inclusion, and how business leaders can cultivate a connective culture of belonging. She has extensive experience in business, as a speaker, Perrine relates her personal journey to corporate audiences. 

16. Gina Buckney

Gina Buckney is the mastermind behind 'Your People Are Your Power', a campaign that encourages business owners to value the power of workplace inclusion. When employees feel respected and represented, they are more likely to thrive among their peers, so Gina's speeches teach corporate audiences how to tackle unconscious bias and prejudice in the workplace. 

17. Ayo Sokale

Listed in the Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35, Ayo Sokale is a pioneer of gender representation in STEM. She is an environmental leader and inclusion expert, making Ayo the ideal speaker for a wide range of events. She advises corporate audiences on workplace inclusion, teaching them how to navigate a male-dominated profession with confidence.

18. Taz Thornton

Taz Thornton is a leading UK-based keynote speaker celebrated for her transformative approach to personal empowerment and inclusion. As the founder and host of the Proud Women chat show, Taz provides a platform amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices, fostering community, and promoting inclusivity. Her dynamic presentations draw from her personal experiences and extensive work within the LGBTQIA+ community, offering audiences actionable strategies to cultivate inclusive environments. 

Hire a Diversity & Inclusion Speaker

To book one of the diversity and inclusion speakers featured in this post, or any of the other empowering and inspiring figures on our site, simply contact us today by filling in our online contact form or by calling a booking agent directly on 0207 1010 553.

This exclusive article on the top National Inclusion Week speakers to hire was authored by Chris Tompkins, having evaluated data from 298 National Inclusion Week events held between 2022 and 2025.

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