University repeats success in equality survey

The 2013 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, the results of which were announced yesterday, ranks the University joint eleventh, the highest placed higher education institution (HEI) ahead of Liverpool John Moores University, the University of West England, University College London and the University of Liverpool. Cambridge has been the highest ranked HEI for two years in a row. Last year the University jumped 80 places in the survey of Britain's most gay-friendly employers thanks to a range of workplace initiatives to understand, engage with and promote the experiences and needs of its LGB&T staff, and it has continued to work hard over the past 12 months to sustain that level of practice, says Head of Equality and Diversity Sigrid Fisher. "As the standard of practice that Stonewall monitors for the index gets better each year, we are very pleased to retain the same high ranking we achieved last year. This shows that the work the University has been developing over the past few years to support its LGB&T staff is now very much part of the day-to-day workplace. "Lots of people have helped to bring about this success, particularly our Equality Champions and the LGB&T Staff Network, and I am sure we will continue in our efforts to ensure that the University is an inclusive environment for work and study." Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said: "Every employer in the top 100 has performed impressively. These results are significant as it is just ten years since we won vital legal protections for gay people in the workplace.