WCS LGBTQ+ Awards 2025 | Sustainability & Innovation.
- WE CREATE SPACE
- Jun 9
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 30
This year's WCS | Awards are celebrating Queer Leaders around the world - LGBTQ+ change-makers who are using their platforms, profile and roles to drive change, making the world a more inclusive place for all LGBTQ+ people. The Sustainability & Innovation Award celebrates individuals, organisations, or initiatives that demonstrate exceptional leadership in promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship through innovative practices, with a focus on incorporating LGBTQ+ perspectives. This category highlights the role of queer voices in shaping sustainable practices and policies that not only protect the planet but also ensure inclusivity in environmental movements.
Sustainability & Innovation | Our 2025 Awardees:
Colin Belcourt, Flavia Sales, Jens, Kimberley Malone Crossley, Boe La, Manuel Schlothauer, and Tadhg Mac Mahon.
Other Award Categories:
Colin Belcourt.
(he/him)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Colin is a queer leader working at the intersection of sustainability, equity, and technology. With over 10 years of experience in Human Resources, Community, and Operations across both large enterprises and fast-paced startups, he brings a people-centered lens to systems change. As a certified Sustainability and DEI Practitioner, Colin focuses on embedding inclusive and climate-conscious practices into business strategy. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Human Resources & Community Officer of ProudZone, a virtual platform designed to connect LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide, share resources, and create safe, empowering networks. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals; especially Reduced Inequalities, Climate Action, and Strong Institutions, Colin is committed to building tools and spaces that make equity tangible. His work is grounded in the belief that community, when prioritised alongside innovation, can lead to lasting global impact.
Flavia Sales.
(she/her)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Flávia is a Brazilian marketing professional who harnesses the power of education and strategical content and communication to drive innovation and sustainability transformation in traditional sectors. Based in Spain for the past decade while working for global companies, currently she is the marketing manager of Finboot, a startup which helps global companies manage greener supply chains with technology that tracks carbon emissions, creates digital product passports, manages sustainability credits, and supports compliance. She actively manages a FLINTA group and supports various LGBTQ+ initiatives, organizing events that create networking opportunities for underrepresented voices in sustainability. She hosts podcast conversations with industry experts and creates educational content that emphasises a core philosophy: true sustainability cannot exist without social justice and inclusion.
Jens.
(he/she)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Jens is the founder of Baal, a transpositive fashion label, which focuses on feminine clothes for transfeminine people. Baal was established in 2013 in Berlin as Jens’ Bachelor of Arts in Fashion graduation collection and continued being showcased at Berlin Fashion Week and Hamburg Pride Week. In 2016 Jens moved to London and in the following years presented his work at Sparkle Manchester, Brighton Trans Pride and was invited to speak about Baals mission at Soho House London and the Institute of Contemporary Arts London. In 2022 Jens partially resettled to Palermo, Sicily and has since founded “Cheers for Queers Palermo”, an English speaking LGBT group. Since 2013 Jens has held “ measuring events” in Germany, the UK and Sicily to collect measurements of trans women for the development of a new clothing size.
Boe La.
(they/she)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Boe is a London-based multi-disciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of queerness, transness, and identity, with a particular focus on advocating for queer people of colour. Their artistic practice is known for its bold, maximalist style, creating immersive worlds that challenge conventional boundaries and celebrate fluidity, resilience, and self-expression. In addition to their studio practice, Boe is also an experienced curator and community organiser. They are the founder of London Queer Mart, a grassroots platform that champions a diverse community of queer artists and queer-owned small businesses. The mart offers an affordable and inclusive space for creatives to showcase their work, connect with visitors, share experiences, and sell their products. Boe also participated in the curation of the Museum of Transology’s 10 Year Anniversary Exhibition: Transcestry, a curated project centring trans artists and histories, further demonstrating their commitment to creating spaces that uplift and empower marginalised voices.
Manuel Schlothauer.
(he/him)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Manuel Schlothauer is the Founder and CEO of HeyManuel.com, where he helps individuals, leaders, and organisations thrive authentically in a rapidly changing world. As a therapist, coach, and consultant, he empowers people to break through barriers, step into leadership, and create workplaces where everyone—no matter their identity—can flourish. With 15+ years' experience including 8 years at Google, Manuel led key allyship initiatives and partnered with senior leaders to advance inclusion. Today, he blends his background in HR, DEI, and leadership development with therapeutic and coaching expertise. A LinkedIn Top Voice and nominee for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ Person of the Year, Manuel’s work has been featured in Fast Company, FOX Soul, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He collaborates with organisations like TikTok, Microsoft, and MongoDB, delivering leadership programmes, impactful talks, and retreats on mental health, authenticity, and inclusion. He also mentors LGBTQ+ youth through ShoutOut Ireland, runs a free mental health community, and supports a global client base in living life on their own terms.
Tadhg Mac Mahon.
(he/him)
Queer Leadership in Sustainability
Tadhg is the Founder & CEO of Shane Collective (getshane.io), a mission-driven Tech for Good startup building Shane - a global Platform & App empowering LGBTQ+ people and organisations through community-powered safety and mobility tools. An Irish-German transgender man raised in Cameroon and France, Tadhg brings a global perspective to his work. A former international footballer, his background spans international law, nonprofit leadership, and tech for good. He co-founded a humanitarian NGO, co-created the AMOS Women’s French Cup, served on the board of TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland), and spent five years at Twilio, where he excelled as a social impact sales specialist and co-led the Global LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group.
While you're here...
Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here.
We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!
Comments