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HERE TO CHALLENGE! A GUIDE TO WHATS HAPPENING IN LGBT BRIGHTON & HOVE
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Brighton City Council drops to 15th place in Stonewall's Top 100 Employers Index
By James Ledward
Jan 13, 2012 - 4:16:05 PM
Jan 13, 2012 - 4:16:05 PM
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Brighton & Hove City Council has fallen down the annual Stonewall Top 100 Employers Index for the second year running.
Two years ago they rose to fourth place, last year they fell to eighth and this year they have fallen to 15th place. They remain the highest placed local authority in the country.
The council’s cabinet member for communities, equalities and public protection, Councillor Ben Duncan, said:
“We’re delighted that the excellent work we do around LGBT issues has been recognised in this way.
“We have spent years innovating new policies in this area, and this underlines our position nationally as a best practice authority on equalities issues.”
Councillor Phelim MacCafferty, National Spokesperson of LGBTGreens added:
“Brighton and Hove City Council is one of the top employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual people according to Stonewall and the top council in the country and the Green councillors are thrilled as this is a fantastic achievement.
“The Green administration continues to walk the walk on lesbian, gay and bisexual equality supporting the city’s new LGBT community safety forum and helping to provide emergency funding for the invaluable and much-loved LGBT Switchboard.
“While Stonewall don’t include work regarding trans employees, the Green council is determined to work as hard as we can to ensure our services are fair and accessible to the trans community and very recently met with representatives from the trans community to work together to achieve this.
“Stonewall used employee engagement, training, monitoring, supplier engagement, LGB community engagement and the quantity of senior LGB employees to come to their findings. One of the Green administration’s top priorities for the city is creating a more equal Brighton and Hove and central to that commitment is our work with the LGBT community and campaigning for LGBT equality.”
Last years winners the Home Office dropped to second place leaving accountants Ernst & Young to take the coveted top spot and 'Stonewall Employer Of The Year' award.
Barclays Bank came third and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust climbed to fourth.
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven, said:
“Congratulations to the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on an excellent achievement. I am proud to represent a constituency with a substantial LGBT population and it is great that significant local employers, such as local health services, are embracing the benefits of equality and diversity in the workplace.”
Sussex Police dropped out of the top 100 list this year while Hampshire Constabulary came 14th, South Wales Police 23rd, British Transport Police 25th, Merseyside Police and North Wales Police joint 30th, Kent Police, Suffolk Constabulary and West Mercia Police joint 49th, Dyfed Powys Police 75th, Gwent Police came 82nd and Devon & Cornwall Police came 87th.
Reacting to the news that Sussex Police had dropped out of the Top 100 employers this year, Deputy Chief Constable, Giles York, said:
"The competition has been tougher than ever, and I congratulate those partner organisations who have achieved success this year. The work we do to promote an inclusive workplace has made great strides this year and is guided by, developed along with and evaluated by our communities. Our focus will always be squarely on the people we serve: they tell us when we succeed or fail and at the moment, they tell us we're heading in the right direction. I look forward to our entry in the 2013 Index."
Chair of the Gay Police Association - Sussex (GPA-S), PC Peter Boiling, added:
"It is disappointing that Sussex Police has not appeared in this year’s Top 100 employers. I will be encouraging the Force to make the best possible use of the Stonewall feedback report to identify, evaluate and implement good practice from other employers. I look forward to the GPA-S working with the organisation to continue to improve the working environment for LGB officers and staff."
Emma Daniel, lead Sussex Police Authority member for Equality and Diversity, said:
"Although I am disappointed that Sussex Police has fallen from the Top 100 list, I am sure the Force’s ongoing commitment to an inclusive workplace which will include learning lessons from this year’s feedback, will bear fruit in 2013 for lesbian, gay and bisexual officers and staff in Sussex Police."
The Rugby Football league came 53rd while Victim Support moved up a creditable 31 places to be voted in at 45th place.
Victim Support has been steadily rising in the UK ranks in recent years from 92nd place in 2009 to 76th in 2010. It is one of only five third sector organisations to make it into the top 100 in the UK.
The Index is based on a range of key indicators which this year included a confidential survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual employees, with over 7,500 participants. This consistently confirmed that the satisfaction levels of gay staff were highest at the top-ranking organisations in the Index.
Ben Summerskill
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Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said:
"Competition for a place in the Top 100 was fiercer than ever this year.
"With new, more demanding criteria, every employer securing a position in the Top 100 has performed impressively with the participating employers collectively employing over 1.9 million people.
"The Index remains 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."
Liz Bingham
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Liz Bingham, Managing Partner for People at Ernst & Young, said:
"A strong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness is not only important for our people, but is also a business imperative in what is an increasingly competitive and interconnected world."
363 employers took part in the survey.
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