Brighton & Hove Council have dropped out of the Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2014 list published today coming in a disappointing 105.
Last year the council appeared at number 15 on the annual list after previously rising to number 3 in 2009.
The Top 100 Employers 2014 list is based on the results of Stonewall’s Workplace Equality 2014, the tenth published by the charity. The Index is based on a range of key indicators which include a confidential questionnaire of lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, with over 9,700 participants taking part nationally. The questionnaire consistently reveals that employees from organisations ranked in Stonewall’s Top 100 exhibited higher levels of staff satisfaction and loyalty.
City leaders rushed to defend the council and their equalities work especially with the Trans* Community.
Penny Thompson CBE, the Councils out Chief Executive said the Stonewall findings did not reflect the recent LGBT staff survey conducted by the council. She continued: “I am incredibly proud of the achievements of Brighton & Hove City Council as an employer which positively impacts all LGBT staff. I am leading from the top as a gay woman and our equality champion is part of the executive Leadership team.
“I am unapologetic that we take a more inclusive approach to equality to better support all groups and pioneer best practice.
“For example; our recent staff survey showed that Gay and Lesbian colleagues thrive here and speak highly of us as an employer. We are also leading the way and were named second in the country for tackling homophobic bullying in schools.
“Over the past year we have also led the way on Trans* issues. Our Trans* community is one of the most disadvantaged and marginalised groups in Brighton & Hove but through the work of the council facilitated Trans* scrutiny panel we are working hard to make the city a fairer place for everyone.”
Council leader Jason Kitcat, said: “The Stonewall Index is not reflective of the huge amount of work that goes on in the council and the community. I am confident we are supporting all of our equality groups and leading pioneering work in some areas. However, we are not complacent and look forward to receiving feedback which will help strengthen our work.”
In a statement defending their record, the Council highlighted the following:
· A diversity mentoring manager in place since October 2012, a post which they claim has seen positive outcomes and fantastic learning in a relatively short space of time. Their LGBT programme has also been taken up by 7 public sector partners
· The council is a leader in taking up the mantle of tackling homophobic bullying in schools working alongside the brilliant Allsorts Youth Project, which runs a drop-in centre for young people
· The council is also working to make things fairer and more equal for the Trans* community through the work of the Trans Scrutiny panel. For example, this week saw the beginning of a ten-week pilot of Trans* inclusive swimming sessions.
Roy Pickard, Chair of the Brighton & Hove City Council LGBT forum, commented: “The LGBT Workers Forum does not feel that the Stonewall index reflects the work of the council. The forum will be working with the council’s executive leadership team over the next year to understand the feedback from Stonewall and to contribute to an action plan to improve its Stonewall rating in the future.”
Todays announcement sent shockwaves through the city council which has come under considerable criticism in recent months for removing the annual £25,000 grant to Pride, which organisers claim could put the future of the Pride Parade at risk.
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, leader of the Conservative group who supports the reinstatement of the council’s £25,000 grant to Pride, said: “This is surprising and disappointing news. Brighton & Hove City Council has led the way for a number of years as an LGBT-friendly workplace and I think it is important that continues.
“However, it is inevitable that other councils will catch us up in terms of best practice and that can only be a good thing for the national picture. I have spoken to officers as a result of this news and they assure me that they remain as focussed as ever upon addressing all staff equality issues.”
Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour and Co-operative group, added: “Obviously this is disappointing and worrying given that the city is both home to and employer of many LGBT people. I will be asking the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive to explain what steps are being taken to reverse this sharp drop. A Labour council elected next year will work to restore our position and reputation as an LGBT employer from day one.”
James Ledward, editor of Gscene Magazine, said: “While there is no doubt that the council’s anti bullying work in schools delivered in partnership with Allsort Youth Project is brilliant and their Trans* Scrutiny report ground breaking, aspects of the council’s engagement work with the LGBT community during the last 12 months has caused concern and unease between some LGBT and HIV organisations.
“From the lofty highs of being placed third in the index in 2009 and revelling in the acolades that followed, to completely drop out of the published index in 2014 should maybe be viewed more humbly by the Green administration who seem to have lost sight of the fact that the LGBT community is a community with complex needs and not a financial commodity to barter with.
“It might also be helpful if future council LGBT staff surveys are conducted anonymously.”
In an email to her staff following the announcement, Ms Thompson, said: “You may have seen in today’s media that Brighton & Hove City Council is not in Stonewall’s top 100 gay-friendly employers list this year and I wanted to let you know my thoughts on this.
“I am rather perplexed how this can happen and have spoken with the chief executive of Stonewall to try and find out more. To be honest I’m still little clearer now and do question the whole process. It seems that my leading by example rather than taking the label of LGB champion, and us having an ELT equalities champion instead, may have gone against us. It may be that the result reflects this and how well we filled in the form rather than our commitment to LGB.
“Colleagues and partners across the city are all equally perplexed, many of them highlight our great work to make the council a diverse and equal place to work for everyone. And I think this may have gone against us in the Stonewall submission.
“Perhaps we’ve been marked down because of our lack of a single focus. We have focused our work on tackling inequality for all staff and I can’t apologise for that. If that means we’ve been penalised, it’s regrettable. We’ll find out more information next week when Stonewall goes through the detail with us.
“Despite the rating, I am incredibly proud of our achievements as an employer; which have had a really positive impact for LGBT staff. And I am committed to consciously working across all aspects of diversity to make this a fair and respectful organisation.
“We must not let this news take away from our fantastic work: our diversity mentoring, the work we’ve done with the trans community, how our Respect value is clear in what we expect from everyone, just to name a few. I’m rightly proud of our outstanding work which should not be devalued by this result; I am just disappointed on behalf of committed staff who feel that the rating is unfair.”
Sussex Police rose two places to 91 in the index and American Express came in at number 90. The highest ranking statutory authority is Leicestershire County Council.
For full details of the top 100 gay friendly employers, CLICK HERE:
Previous positions held by Brighton and Hove Council in the index:
2005 – 35th
2006 – 49th
2007 – 7th
2008 – 9th
2009 – 3th
2010 – 4th
2011 – Joint 8th
2012 – 15
2013 – 15
2014 – 105
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