“Inclusion matters” – Pride Month reflections on Midsumma 2025

With winter upon us, this Pride Month we reflect on our involvement in the Midsumma Carnival and Pride March on a pair of very hot, summery Sundays in Melbourne last January.

It meant the world to us to be welcomed by the estimated 115,000 attendees, where we took in the fun, family atmosphere of each event, got to know different communities, and spoke with our members. After attending for the first time in 2024, we wanted to bring more to the table in 2025—quite literally, some might say.

Being amongst the crowd at the premier queer and arts festival is one of the ways that UniSuper demonstrates its allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community, and the approximate 7% of our employees who identify as being part of it. We’re a fund open to all Australians and we also have the ambition to be a great place to work. When we say that, we mean it.

Allyship is more than just words—it means taking action and showing our support in tangible ways. It’s more important than ever.

Then and now

UniSuper at Midsumma was conceived and championed by a handful of passionate employees, and came to life soon after at that year’s Carnival and Pride March. Among them was Learning and Development Consultant, Saj Sinniah.

Saj has been a Midsumma regular since moving to Australia from Sri Lanka some 20 years ago. Identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, he’s a passionate advocate for inclusion and has worked hard to evolve UniSuper’s support for the LGBTQIA+ community and allyship.

At the picturesque Alexandra Gardens, the Midsumma Carnival brings together people, clubs, communities, organisations and businesses, all in the name of inclusion. Uniquely colourful stalls line the grassy riverside hangout, inviting attendees to interact and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere.

On a still, hot Sunday, we welcomed visitors from all walks of life to the UniSuper stall, proudly the only superannuation fund present that day. Shell-shaped sunglasses and fans were must-have accessories, while many stopped to have their face painted or photo taken. Importantly, approximately 100 people stopped to talk to our super consultants^#, who helped attendees understand the steps they can take around retirement and superannuation. We were incredibly pleased by some of the warm feedback we heard from our members.

Throughout the day, Saj noticed a clear increase in engagement at the stall compared to last year: “This time, we really noticed people walking past our stall—their eyes were just immediately attracted to something on the table.

“Because we had more to offer, I thought it attracted probably double the crowd that we had last year that organically came to us. It’s definitely grown and provided us the opportunity to build awareness about UniSuper.”

Among the UniSuper crew at the Carnival was Chief People Officer (CPO), Julie Watkins, who looks to lead by example, and lead with action.

Having spent time at Midsumma last year, Julie was eager to return, mingle with the community and be an ally: “I loved the fact that we had some members come up and share a ‘no holds barred’ views of UniSuper and their considerations as they move towards retirement.

“I had some people talking about experiences they weren't happy with, but this was far outweighed by more people talking about what they do love about UniSuper. So for me, as an executive, it's so helpful to hear directly from our members.”

Chief Marketing & Growth Officer Dani Murrie and Chief Technology Officer Steve McGregor also got involved in festivities, taking part in February’s Pride March. Julie, Dani and Steve are members of UniSuper’s executive leadership team.

Committed to inclusion

Saj has seen plenty at Midsumma over the years. But, as we marched forward together on that early February day, something unnerving caught his eye that left a lasting impact.

“I saw a very young person. They looked like they were late teens or early 20s. They held up a sign that said, ‘I’m here, I’m queer, and I’m living in fear’,” he recounts with worry.

“I was gobsmacked when I saw that. This is the world that we are living in at the moment where so many things are being questioned and people are made to feel this way.”

Saj puts his passion for inclusion into practice as one of UniSuper’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion champions. This cross section of employees is responsible for making meaningful change and allyship within the workplace, and help UniSuper continue to enshrine its name as a fund that’s open to all Australians.

The young person’s sign was a confronting thing to see at an event where everyone is welcome, but it gives some insight into how the LGBTQIA+ community may be feeling.

“Yes, it is a grim time, and to be honest, the Pride March and Carnival could not have come at a more perfect time. Amongst this feeling, we at UniSuper are saying, ‘no, we’re going to keep going with this’,” Saj says.

“Inclusion matters.”

Above all, these feelings reinforce to us just how important it is to keep marching forward alongside the LGBTQIA+ community, now more than ever.

“One of the things I talk about with new starters induction every month is … we consciously do less talking and take more actions as this helps ensure every employee knows they matter and are supported,” CPO Julie says with distinction.

”It’s critical in the current global context, that we demonstrate to our employees that they are all important, everyone’s voice is important, and we’re not walking backwards on diversity and inclusion.”