Stonewall has published its list of the top 100 employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. In first place is IBM, second place is Hampshire Constabulary and Ernst & Young comes third.
 
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was ranked at 58. Vincent Badu, who is Director of Social Care and Partnerships, said:
“It’s wonderful news and a tribute to the efforts of everyone at the Trust. We take workplace equality and diversity very seriously, and it’s great to have earned our place among some of the country’s biggest and best organisations.”

Scott Durairaj, who is the Programme Manager for Equality, Diversity and Human Rights at Sussex Partnership, said:
“The Trust applied to be included in the index for the first time in 200. We came in 108th position and were the joint-fifth NHS organisation, so it’s amazing to have climbed 50 places this year.

“This is a massive achievement and one which we are really proud of and is the result of focusing on the requirements of our transgender and service users and staff users.”

In a joint statement Duncan Selbie, CEO of BSUH (Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals), and members of the staff LGBT forum said:
"BSUH is delighted that we have improved our overall score this year.  Our  LGBT Forum is starting a revised work programme in 2010 with the full support of the Management Board, and we are aiming to move even further up the index in the next year. The stronger competition on the index only goes to show that LGBT equality is certainly moving up the agenda for many organisations.'

The Index is based on a range of key indicators which this year included the largest ever survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual employees, with over 7,000 participants. This consistently revealed that staff satisfaction levels were highest at the top ranking organisations in the Index. Gay staff working at the top 25 workplaces reported a satisfaction level almost 10 per cent higher than workplaces outside the Top 100. Staff were also more likely to disclose their sexual orientation in monitoring exercises at the highest ranking organisations.
 
Results of the 2010 Stonewall Top Employers list will be announced at a winner’s ceremony in London hosted by international law firm Simmons & Simmons.

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said:
"Competition was fiercer than ever to secure a place on the 2010 Top Employers List. We received more entries than any previous year from employers who understand and have benefited from Stonewall’s research which found that gay people are far more likely to buy goods or services from companies they know are gay-friendly. The Index is a powerful tool used by Britain 's 1.7 million gay employees and 150,000 gay university students to decide where to take their talent and skills."

Sussex Police in their second year in the scheme moved from a position in the nineties last year to thirty fourth this year.

Brighton and Hove Council dropped one place from third position last year to fourth this year.

Phelim Mac Cafferty, National Chair for LGBT Greens, said:
“Brighton & Hove Council has won 4th place in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The great news is that, again, Brighton and Hove is the highest ranking local authority. While the result is regrettably down from 3rd place last year, we need to remember that we are still awaiting a long-promised ‘Dignity at Work’ report. Our Green councillors are pushing hard for dignity, respect and equality for the city’s LGBT residents to be central to all the work of the Council.

“Brighton and Hove battled double the quantity of companies and organisations this year than it did in 2006, which gives a taste of the success of the Index. Because of the anonymous nature in which evidence is collated, the Index is a powerful example of the ongoing sterling work of the LGBT Workers Forum and indeed all Council staff. But we think the battle is far from over when we talk about delivering for the work-based needs of lgbt citizens in our city- Sussex Police, for example, came in 34th place.
 
“Especially when the Stonewall Index doesn’t include the treatment of trans employees, Brighton and Hove has still lots of work to do. We need to lobby for trans employees to be included in the Index nationally, as trans employees who feel able to be open with their employer, as the Stonewall Index reports employees who feel comfortable 'are significantly happier with their employer than those who are not out.'"
 
 
For more information view:
www.stonewall.org.uk/wei