Stonewall
Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights charity in Europe. In 2015 Stonewall announced that it was extending its remit to campaign for trans equality alongside lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) equality, following consultation with the trans community.
Stonewall Diversity Champion programme
The university is a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion and joined Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers list in the 2019 Workplace Equality Index. The Workplace Equality Index is the leading best-practice employers' forum for sexual orientation and gender identity equality, diversity and inclusion. Our position in the Top 100 2019 recognises us as one of the top employers for LGBT people in the UK, from over 450 private, public and charitable organisations that applied.
The Stonewall Diversity Champion programme supports and promotes fair practice in relation to the employment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff, and our role as a Stonewall Diversity Champion is integral to our commitment to equality for LGBT+ staff and students.
Like Stonewall, we know that people perform better when they can be themselves. By being a Stonewall Diversity Champion, we are taking action as part of Britain’s leading employers' programme for LGBT people, to ensure that all lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff are accepted without exception in the workplace.
Workplace Equality Index
The Workplace Equality Index (WEI) is a benchmarking tool used by employers to help ensure all LGBT employees can be themselves in the workplace. To participate, employers demonstrate their work in ten areas of employment policy and practice, from training to community engagement. At the same time, staff from across the organisation complete an anonymous survey about their experiences at work.
Our progress
The university takes part in the Workplace Equality Index every other year, and our latest placing, in the WEI 2019 saw us entering the Top 100 Employer's list for the first time, at number 72.
The university’s involvement and advancement in regards to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index will be guided by a Stonewall Working Group.
The university’s LGBT+ Equality Champion is Professor Debra Humphris, Vice-Chancellor, who represents concerns relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality at the University Executive Board.
Our ambition
Ensuring equality for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff is a key priority for the university, and integral to the University Strategy 2016–2021: Practical Wisdom. As part of our commitment to achieving LGBT+ equality, the university is aiming to rank within the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Top 100 by 2020–1 and achieved this goal by placing 72nd in the Workplace Equality Index 2019.
The Stonewall Steering Group will continue to oversee our LGBT+ equality work, including advancing our position in the Workplace Equality Index. Our institutional action plan will be updated to reflect feedback from Stonewall on areas where progress is needed to achieve best practice.
As well as achieving Top 100 status, the university remains committed to on-going equality and support for our LGBT+ staff and students and will continue to work on existing action plans to and enhance the experience for all those who identify as LGBT+ at the university.
As we work towards this goal, actions plans for our Stonewall WEI and LGBT+ equality work will be published here as they become available.