Britain’s House of Lords is one of the most inclusive employers in Britain. It is ranked 64th on the Top 100 list compiled by lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity Stonewall.
The House of Lords Administration submitted to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index for the first time this year and has achieved 64th place in the Top 100.
The Administration is the highest new entrant for 2020. This year’s Top 100 was the largest ever with 503 employers entering, demonstrating their commitment to LGBT workplace inclusion.
For the first time, Britain’s House of Lords submitted itself for consideration in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The House was ranked 64th, resulting in it becoming the highest new entrant in the Top 100 list.
This year saw more than 500 employers applying for consideration; this clearly shows British employers’ commitment to full LBGT workplace inclusion.
The House of Lords’ Focus on Inclusion strategy acts as a guide for the Administration to continue developing its welcoming and inclusive culture.
The strategy commits to a wide programme of activities, initiatives and programmes to enable all colleagues, Members and visitors to feel included when they work for, visit and interact with the House of Lords Administration.
The Administration is very proud of its record as an inclusive workplace and has also been recognised as having achieved ‘Gold’ status inclusive employer in the ‘National Inclusion Standard’, achieved ‘Leadership’ status in the Government’s’ ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ and was named in the ‘Top 50 Inclusive Employers list’ 2020.
The Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler, said: “It is great news that the House of Lords has achieved a spot on the top 100 list on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, especially as this is the first time we have entered the list.
“I have been a longstanding champion of LGBT equality, and this result demonstrates the inclusive culture and practises we are developing within the House of Lords. I hope that we build on this momentum and take further strides to become even better champions for LGBT members and colleagues in the future.”
Stonewall’s 2018 Work Report revealed more than a third of LGBT staff (35 per cent) have hidden they are LGBT at work, and almost one in five LGBT employees (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments from colleagues because of their identity.
Ed Ollard, Clerk of the Parliaments, House of Lords, said, “We are delighted to be the highest new entrant in the 2020 Workplace Equality Index. For our first application, our position at 64th in the Top 100 means a huge amount to so many colleagues within the House of Lords.
“This success is a testament to the hard work and commitment of colleagues throughout the Administration to improve the experience of our LGBT+ colleagues, members and visitors alike.
“We know that when our colleagues feel welcomed, supported and valued, they are able to reach their fullest potential and enjoy their work in the House.
With that in mind, we will celebrate this success by furthering our efforts to ensure our workplace continues to be a role model for LGBT+ inclusion.”
Sanjay Sood-Smith, Stonewall’s Executive Director of Workplace & Community Programmes, said, “We are delighted to name the House of Lords as one of our Top 100 Employers this year. All the organisations in this year’s Top 100 Employers list are playing a huge role in improving the lives of LGBT people and should be very proud of their work.
“We still don’t live in a world where everyone is able to be themselves in the workplace, as we know more than a third of LGBT staff (35 per cent) hide who they are at work. By taking steps to make their workplaces supportive and welcoming of all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, businesses like the House of Lords are bringing us closer to a world where everyone is accepted without exception.”
Stonewall’s Top 100 is compiled from submissions to the Workplace Equality Index, a powerful benchmarking tool used by employers to assess their achievements and progress on LGBT equality in the workplace, as well as their wider work in the community and on service provision.
Each organisation must demonstrate their expertise in 10 areas of employment policy and practice, including networking groups, senior leadership, procurement, and how well they’ve engaged with LGBT communities.
To see the full list of Britain’s Top 100 LGBT-Inclusive Employers, please visit www.stonewall.org.uk.
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