At VodafoneZiggo, we want you and everybody else to feel the freedom to be who you are. Whatever your gender, age, cultural background or sexual orientation. For when you're yourself, you can truly reach your maximum potential and get more enjoyment out of your work.
That's why we take every effort to be a reflection of society. And overcome stereotypes. It's also why we're the main sponsor of Utrecht Canal Pride. During Pride month, we’re extra committed to showcasing the LHBTIQA+ community as it really is. Find out below what we're doing this year, and have been doing over the past years.
The theme of Pride Utrecht 2026 is United by U: coming together, embracing differences and giving each other the space to be yourself. The people around us - family, friends, colleagues and partners - play an important role in this. For many people in the queer community, support from friends and family is unfortunately not something they can take for granted, even though that acceptance can make such a difference.
At Ziggo, we connect people to what truly matters. Not only through technology, but also through the relationships that bring colour to your life. That is why we want to use Pride to show the value of connection and support.
In recent years, we mainly celebrated Pride under the Vodafone flag. This year, we are doing so for the first time under the Ziggo brand. Because with Ziggo, we are The Everything Network: the network that is always there for everything. And for us, “everything” also means everyone. A network is only truly strong when everyone feels connected to it. When everyone can take part. When everyone is seen. That is exactly why Ziggo is supporting Pride Utrecht this year.
Pride: together with your biggest supporters
To bring this idea to life, we developed a social campaign focused on putting people from the queer community and their biggest supporters in the spotlight. These could be parents, grandparents, friends, partners or other loved ones. People who stand beside you, walk alongside you and show you: you belong.
On the day itself, we captured stories from visitors, our colleagues, winners and their biggest supporters. Why is support so important? What does Pride mean to them? And what is it like to be visible together?
Inclusion matters 365 days a year
Pride is an important moment to give visibility to the LGBTQIA+ community and to draw attention to equality and acceptance. At the same time, we believe that inclusion should not be limited to one day, week or month a year.
An inclusive organisation is built through everyday choices. By creating a culture where people feel safe to be themselves. By actively making space for different perspectives. And by continuing to talk to each other about what connects us.
“At VodafoneZiggo, we want everyone to feel they have the freedom to be themselves, embracing everything that makes them unique. For us, inclusion is not just a slogan on a poster. It is something we invest in all year round. Through inspiring sessions, workshops and activities, we bring colleagues together, broaden perspectives and encourage meaningful conversations. In doing so, we are building an organisation where everyone feels welcome, can be their true selves, and where our differences make us stronger and enrich who we are,”
Bjorn Hamburg, Project Manager DE&I at VodafoneZiggo
Queers Connected: inclusion in action
A great example of inclusion in practice is our internal network, Queers Connected. Throughout the year, colleagues organise activities through Queers Connected, including a walking tour of Queer Utrecht, a 'Stories that slay’ storytelling workshop, and other opportunities to connect , learn and share experiences. This is how we work together to foster greater visibility, understanding and connection. All year round.
“I was looking for an employer where I could truly be myself. VodafoneZiggo’s commitment to inclusion was the reason I applied for the role here. In reality, it turned out to be even better than I had hoped. During my training, I felt accepted and valued for who I am from the very beginning. That was such a positive surprise that my plan for a temporary job turned into a long-term career ambition. Today, I proudly and passionately contribute to greater equality within VodafoneZiggo through Queers Connected. After all, you are the best version of yourself when you can truly be yourself.”
Wout Neinders, Chair of Queers Connected and Senior Commercial Advisor B2B, VodafoneZiggo.
The world is changing. And with it, so is the conversation about identity, about what it means to be yourself and how that often feels less accepted. And as that conversation grows louder, one voice seems to soften: the voice of support. Support that starts before you’re sure, before you have the words, before you dare to ask. It’s precisely in those early moments that support is indispensable but too often invisible, because we don’t know what to say or are afraid of saying the wrong thing.
At VodafoneZiggo, we see how crucial that initial space is, not just when major issues arise, but in every small moment of doubt, curiosity, or uncertainty. Within our organization, we make room for questions, discomfort, and growth. We learn from one another, hold each other accountable, and support each other, whether you’re queer yourself or want to learn how to be a better ally. If it works within our walls, why not beyond them? That’s why we’re making ourselves heard and giving that space to everyone. This aligns perfectly with the Utrecht Pride 2025 theme: Loud, Out, Proud!
The Proudline
This year, we’re introducing the Proudline: an interactive phone booth where you can hear, feel, and celebrate support. Listen to genuine, funny, or heartwarming messages, or record your own Loud, Out & Proud message. With this, we’re creating a sharable experience during Pride, making support tangible. The Proudline is an interactive support line that gives you exactly what you need to head into the celebration Loud, Out, and Proud. A festive safe space filled with love.
Our own colleagues recorded short videos with messages of love, support, pride, or joy for this. Whether funny, moving, or empowering, these words could be just what someone needs to celebrate Pride 2025 Loud, Out & Proud. Watch the videos from Björn, You, Jahiris, Wiebe and Fabian.
Connection is the focus during Utrecht Pride on Saturday June 1st. While the feeling of connection is so important to combat loneliness, it is not a given for everyone in the queer community. We are therefore introducing a powerful symbol of connection: the Belong(r)ing. This ring symbolizes an invitation to come together during Pride and express that person's openness to connection. We are using this campaign to reinforce the message of Utrecht Pride: U Belong.
Risk of loneliness
Movisie research shows that individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community are at greater risk of feeling lonely. A lack of social support and acceptance can lead to feelings of isolation. This is why Pride, as the day of the LGBTQIA+ community, is a great time to connect with each other. It is an invitation to everyone to be themselves and come together in love and pride.
Encouraging connections
We therefore believes it is important to encourage those connections in the community and to make connection tangible during Pride this year. With the ring as a symbol of connection, we wants to make the step to come to Pride easier. By wearing the ring, Pride visitors indicate that they are open to conversation and new interactions. With the striking design by Utrecht queer designer Jade Hermans, everyone can see other wearers that are open to new connections and celebrate Pride together. Through this campaign, we conveys: U Belong, I Belong, We Belong.
Our own colleagues from the Queer Community are the best at talking about making connections. So our Real Models Joey, Thijs, Soheil, Jasper and Daan proudly show off the rings.
Fleur van Beem, our Executive Director of Strategy, Insights & Digital Transformation and SLT sponsor of the internal Queers Connected network, emphasizes, “No one should feel alone, yet individuals in the queer community are more likely to struggle with this. We are trying to address that internally ourselves with, among other things, our Queers Connected network. With the Belong(r)ing, we bring the connection we are trying to foster internally to the rest of the queer community as well. Enjoyment and progress with every connection is at the core of our business, so I'm proud that Vodafone is doing something for the community in this way and making connection tangible.”
During Utrecht Canal Pride on Saturday, June 3rd, Vodafone will reveal its digital Role Real Models collage. The work of art brings together portraits of our colleagues from the Queer community. All the different faces symbolise the diversity of that community. Pride visitors can become a part of the artwork themselves, as it changes in real time to represent the continuous process of discovering who you really are. Through the campaign, we want to support this year’s central theme of Utrecht Canal Pride: What if love is the masterplan? Could you be the masterpiece?
Queers Connected network
The first Real Models in the collage are colleagues and members of Queers Connected, VodafoneZiggo’s rainbow network. Steven Kroon, chair of the Queers Connected network explains: “The aim of Queers Connected is to create a safe working environment for LHBTQI+ colleagues by coming together and organising events and workshops. We experience full support from VodafoneZiggo – in word and deed – which is how, for instance, this work of art came to be.”
In search of identity
Our very own colleagues from Queers Connected know all about what it means to discover who you really are. And because we firmly believe that everybody can be a role model, we’ve compiled the stories of Björn, Jasper and Wayne for you to read.
Pride History 101
On May 25, all our colleagues were invited to Central Office for the Pride History 101 workshop, which was hosted by Jonah Lamers of the Natural Foundation. It was a wonderful opportunity for colleagues to connect with each other and at the same time increase awareness of Pride and everything for which it stands. During the 90-minute session, we learned all about the history of the queer community: how queers found each other throughout the ages, forming alliances, and how these alliances grew from separate organisations into the transnational social movement we all know today as Pride.
We first embarked upon our Role Real Models campaign in 2022 to show the world that truly anybody can be a role model for others. A role model to feel the freedom to be yourself. By expressing yourself as you are, you inspire others in the community to do the same. To prove the point, every Pride visitor can can have their picture taken in one of our photo booths and display themselves as Role Real Model on screens throughout the city.
Pride Month is 30 days, but VodafoneZiggo promotes an inclusive society and positive working environment for queer colleagues all year round. The full breadth of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has been integrated into VodafoneZiggo's corporate strategy, of which LHBTIQ+ inclusivity is obviously an inherent part.
