Beauty and wellness services booking platform Treatwell has launched a LGBTQIA+ friendly badge on its platform in a bid to make the beauty, spa and wellness industries more inclusive.

According to Treatwell, the sectors are struggling with inclusivity which has resulted in limited accessibility, gendered treatments and narrow beauty standards.

The company says the introduction of the badge enables communities to easily find and book salons where they can feel accepted and affirmed. The badge is awarded to salons that embrace inclusivity, welcome everyone and commit to Treatwell's pledge to pride.

The pledge can be accepted by salons digitally via Treatwell's official website where they commit to upholding pride values (professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence) with every booking.

The initiative is part of Treatwell’s new brand campaign, Treat everyone well.

Recognising the importance of long-term dedication, Treatwell is also going to implement comprehensive education programmes to equip partners with the necessary tools and knowledge to enhance inclusivity.

Looking ahead, the organisation plans to expand its inclusivity efforts to address the specific needs of underrepresented groups, including factors such as accessibility, religion and ethnicity.

​​”The beauty industry has long been burdened by biases, but now is the time for a change,” said Giampiero Marinò, CEO at Treatwell.

“With our network of over 50,000 salons across Europe, Treatwell can play a pivotal role in driving this transformation by leveraging our collective power for good and leading the way in this transformative movement.

“We see this as a defining ‘before and after’ moment in the history of beauty, and we’re resolute in our commitment to lead this revolution, both externally and internally.”

The development of the Treat everyone well campaign was a collaborative effort that involved the entire company.

Guided by an inside-out approach, Treatwell engaged its employees, both those who are part of the LGBTQIA+ Communities and those who are not, and conducted various internal research from the outset to gain a comprehensive understanding of the needs and validate its ideas.