An Interview with... Colin Kimber

For Colin, being recognised at the Rainbow Honours was about far more than professional achievement. In this interview, Colin reflects on the experiences that first shaped their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, the organisational impact they are most proud of, and why lasting change comes from creating inclusive cultures rather than simply sustaining DEI programmes.

Colin Kimber, Pareto Facilities Management Ltd

You’ve been recognised by the Rainbow Honours. What does receiving this level of recognition mean to you personally and professionally?

Receiving the Rainbow Honours in 2024 was incredibly special, but probably not for the reasons people might expect.

Professionally, it was a real affirmation of something I've believed for a long time. I genuinely love the Facilities Management industry. We often think about buildings in terms of bricks, systems and services, but for me the workplace is one of the most powerful tools we have for helping people thrive. When we create environments where people feel psychologically safe, where they can be themselves and know they belong, we unlock confidence, collaboration and performance. That's why I've always been so passionate about culture and inclusion – not as separate initiatives, but as fundamental to creating great workplaces.

Personally, though, the award took me on a journey I wasn't expecting.

Winning it triggered a huge amount of self-reflection. Like many LGBTQ+ people, I'd spent much of my life learning not to draw attention to myself. Recognition sounds wonderful, but accepting it publicly was actually quite uncomfortable at first. I realised there were still parts of me that associated visibility with risk rather than opportunity.

Over time, I came to see the award differently. It wasn't simply recognition for something I'd achieved; it was a reminder that visibility has value. If someone sees an openly gay leader being recognised for their contribution and thinks, "Maybe there's a place for me too," then that visibility matters. Learning to accept that, and to step into it with confidence, has probably been one of the biggest pieces of personal growth I've experienced in recent years.

Looking back now, I see the Rainbow Honours as much more than an award. It became a catalyst for my own development as a leader. It helped me move beyond worrying about being seen, to recognising that sometimes being seen is exactly how we create space for others.

Looking back at the beginning of your career, what experiences first shaped your commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging?

When I look back, I don't think my commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging started in my career at all. It started much earlier, through my own experiences of trying to understand where I fitted in.

Like many LGBTQ+ people, I became very good at reading situations and adapting to them. I learnt to judge what felt safe, what parts of myself I could share and when it was easier to stay quiet. At the time, I didn't think of that as unusual - it was simply how I navigated the world.

Looking back now, I realise those experiences gave me something incredibly valuable. They taught me what it feels like to belong, and they taught me what it feels like not to.

As my career progressed, I became fascinated by why some people could walk into a room and immediately feel they belonged, while others seemed to spend so much of their energy working out whether they did. The more people I met, the more I realised this wasn't just an LGBTQ+ experience. Everyone has something that shapes how comfortable they feel showing up as themselves, contributing ideas or speaking up. The reasons are different, but the feeling is universal.

That realisation fundamentally changed the way I thought about leadership. I stopped seeing inclusion as something that was only relevant to underrepresented groups and started seeing it as something that benefits everyone. When people feel accepted, valued and able to contribute without constantly questioning whether they fit in, individuals perform better, teams become stronger and organisations thrive.

That's still what drives me today. My passion has never really been about diversity programmes or policies in themselves. It's about creating environments where people can spend less energy wondering whether they belong, and more energy becoming the very best version of themselves.

Which achievement are you most proud of in terms of creating impact within organisations?

I'm most proud of helping to create change that lasts. For me, success isn't launching an initiative or running a great event; it's seeing inclusion become part of everyday leadership and culture.

Early on, much of the conversation was centred around awareness campaigns and employee networks. Those are important, but lasting impact comes when inclusion influences how leaders make decisions, how teams work together and how people experience the organisation every day.

Seeing that shift happen has been my proudest achievement. The real measure of success is knowing the culture continues to evolve because those behaviours have become embedded, not because one person is driving them.

Many organisations struggle to sustain momentum around DEI initiatives. How do you make them a success?

I actually think we should stop worrying about sustaining DEI initiatives and focus on sustaining inclusive cultures.

Initiatives have a natural lifespan. They launch, create awareness and then lose momentum. That's perfectly normal. The real question is whether they leave something behind.

For me, success comes when inclusion becomes part of how leaders lead, how decisions are made and how people experience the organisation every day. That means connecting it to business priorities rather than treating it as a separate agenda.

When people understand that inclusion improves collaboration, innovation, retention and performance, it stops being something that needs constant campaigning. It simply becomes part of how the organisation operates.

What trends do you believe will shape the future of DEI across Europe and the UK over the next five years?

I think we're entering a more mature phase of the conversation. The language around DEI may continue to evolve, but the need won't. Every organisation still needs to attract great people, create environments where they can thrive and build cultures that bring out the best in diverse teams.

Over the next five years, I think we'll see a greater focus on evidence, accountability and leadership, rather than simply measuring activity. Organisations will increasingly ask, "What's actually making a difference?" instead of "What initiatives are we running?"

Technology will also play a significant role. AI has huge potential to improve accessibility and reduce barriers, but only if it's implemented thoughtfully, with human oversight and an awareness of bias.

Ultimately, I think the conversation will become less about labels and more about culture. The organisations that succeed will be those that create environments where people feel they belong, can contribute their best work and where different perspectives are recognised as a genuine strength.

How should organisations respond to increasing scrutiny around diversity and inclusion initiatives?

I think organisations should see scrutiny as an opportunity rather than a threat. It encourages us to be clear about why we're investing in inclusion in the first place.

For me, the answer is simple. If an initiative helps people feel valued, removes unnecessary barriers and enables them to perform at their best, then it's worth doing. If it doesn't, we should be prepared to challenge it, adapt it or stop doing it.

I also think it's important to move away from ideology and focus on outcomes. Inclusion shouldn't be about political debate or ticking boxes; it should be about creating fair opportunities, building stronger teams and helping organisations perform at their best.

When organisations stay focused on people, evidence and purpose, they're much better placed to navigate scrutiny with confidence.

What role do younger generations of employees play in redefining workplace culture and expectations?

Younger generations are undoubtedly influencing workplace culture, but I don't think they're doing it in isolation. For the first time, we have up to five generations working alongside each other, each bringing different experiences, expectations and strengths.

Younger employees are encouraging organisations to think differently about flexibility, wellbeing, technology and authenticity, and that's creating positive change. At the same time, more experienced colleagues bring invaluable knowledge, perspective and resilience that shouldn't be overlooked.

The organisations that will succeed won't be the ones that try to build a culture around one generation. They'll be the ones that create a culture where different generations learn from each other, challenge each other's assumptions and recognise that diversity of experience is just as valuable as any other form of diversity.

If you could leave readers with one message about the importance of inclusion and belonging, what would it be?

My one message would be this: belonging matters to every single one of us.

Regardless of our background, identity or experience, we all want to feel respected, valued and able to contribute. When people have that sense of belonging, they don't just enjoy work more—they collaborate more openly, share ideas more confidently and achieve more together.

That's why I believe inclusion isn't just a people issue; it's a leadership issue. Creating environments where people can thrive benefits individuals, teams and organisations alike.

At the end of the day, every one of us knows what it feels like to belong, and every one of us knows what it feels like not to. If we remember that when we lead, we'll create workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.