Sussex Police achieve highest position ever in Stonewall Top 100 Employers Guide, jumping 80 places from 102 in 2015 to 22 in 2016.
The Gay Police Association Sussex (GPA-S), the Sussex Police LGB support network, has also been recognised as a ‘Highly Commended Network Group’ within the index.
Chief Constable Giles York, the Sussex Police lead for equality and diversity, said: “This is brilliant news. It is vital that Sussex Police has a positive, inclusive working environment. I hope this result encourages even more LGBT people to consider working with us, so we can continue to better reflect the communities we serve, as well as increasing trust and confidence to encourage more reporting of crimes that affect the LGBT community. Over the past year we have strengthened our diversity and equality initiatives; developing our Proud Allies scheme, as well as growing our staff support group, the GPA-S.”
Jane Carter, chair of GPA-S, added: “The inclusion of Sussex Police in the Stonewall top 100, at an unprecedented number 22, as well as GPA-S being recognised as a highly commended network group, is a significant achievement for the organisation. Both the inclusion and the high placement speak volumes about the efforts and initiatives that have taken place to promote and cement inclusion in the workforce. GPA-S is proud to continue to support this work and assist in any way possible to further encourage and reinforce the values promoted by Sussex Police.”
The Stonewall Top 100 Employers list, created by lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) equality charity Stonewall, is compiled from submissions to the Workplace Equality Index, a benchmarking tool used by employers to assess their achievements and progress on LGBT equality in the workplace.
MI5 topped this years list, up from seventh in 2015. In second place was Lloyds Banking Group (third 2015), closely followed by the National Assembly for Wales in third (fourth 2015).
This year more than 400 organisations took part in the Index, the highest number in its 12 year history. Each participant must demonstrate their expertise in 10 distinct areas of employment policy and practice, including networking groups, career development, training and community engagement.
Following erratic performances over the last three years Brighton & Hove City Council did not enter the Stonewall Guide this year choosing instead, the Local Government Equality Index. Political and budgetary decision.
More than 60,000 staff from across organisations that entered the Index also took part in an anonymous survey about their employers’ attitudes towards workplace culture, diversity and inclusion, making it one of the largest national employment surveys in Britain.
Responses to this survey reveal that:
♦ Only 27 per cent of lesbian, gay and bi people feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation to all colleagues and customers. Figures were lower for lesbians (23 per cent) than gay men (33 per cent), and considerably lower for bi individuals (12 per cent).
♦ People who are out as LGB at work experience better job satisfaction and have a higher sense of achievement, according to 67 per cent of lesbian, gay and bi people
♦ We need to see more visible LGBT role models. Just 11 per cent of respondents believe there are bi role models at work; 19 per cent see trans role models, 42 per cent see lesbian role models and 53 per cent see gay role models at work
♦ Senior leaders are showing more commitment to lesbian, gay and bi equality now (63 per cent) than in the previous year (53 per cent)
♦ Just 42 per cent of trans respondents said that senior leaders demonstrate a visible commitment to trans equality at work
Organisations from the legal and housing sectors dominate the Top 10 on the Index, and across the Top 100, local government, education and health and social care are the most featured sectors.
Outside of London, Wales and the East Midlands have the most organisations featured in this year’s Index (12 and nine respectively).
Andrew Parker, Director-General, MI5, said: “Diversity is vital for MI5, not just because it’s right that we represent the communities we serve, but because we rely on the skills of the most talented people whoever they are, and wherever they may be. This accolade from Stonewall is a great acknowledgment of the continued progress we have made over recent years in ensuring we draw on the widest possible pool of talent in our vital work.”
Ruth Hunt, Stonewall Chief Executive, added: “MI5 have made fantastic strides in creating an inclusive workplace, and have now appeared on the Stonewall Top 100 Employers list since 2012. This is an amazing achievement and demonstrates just how seriously diversity and inclusion is taken. I’d also like to thank all of those organisations that took part in Stonewall’s 2016 Workplace Equality Index, and congratulate our Top 100 and award winners. We’re thrilled to see such a commitment to lesbian, gay, bi and trans colleagues, but we also know that there is still lots to do.
‘Those organisations that are ‘getting it right’ are not only improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff, stakeholders, clients and customers, but are also reaping business benefits. We know that people perform better when they can be themselves, and it’s been proven that diversity among staff leads to a more productive, positive and creative workplace environment.
“Stonewall looks forward to working with all of those organisations and others in the year ahead, to work towards a world where all lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff feel equal at work and are accepted without exception.”
For the first time in 2016, the Index asked questions specifically about policies related to trans people, as the first step towards organisations being marked and measured on their commitment to trans equality in the workplace in future years.
Information gathered from these questions will produce resources which will be released during 2016 to reflect best practice, allowing organisational change to be monitored via the 2017 Index. Organisations will be formally marked on their trans policies from 2018.
To read the full results of Stonewall’s 2016 Top 100 Employers list, click here:
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