To pick up on a detail, you mentioned requests for gender identity and sexual orientation on the application. I once sat on a DEI committee and we recommended adding those questions in as part of benchmarking efforts. It's nothing sinister - just inclusion KPIs for HR. Of course, it's up to you if you choose to answer the question.

The data can also be used to protect staff members - for example, avoiding sending people from certain groups to locations where they might feel unsafe, or offering additional assistance if the area suddenly becomes hostile (e.g. Florida).