DMU's dedication to diversity sees university recognised by Stonewall as a top employer


A dedication to equality and diversity has seen De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) rise further up the prestigious Stonewall Top 100 Employers league table – an annual audit of workplace culture for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans staff.

STONEWALL 2016 main

Ruth Hunt, chief executive of Stonewall, said DMU had “performed fantastically this year” and to be included in the Top 100 was a “huge achievement”.

DMU has risen 17 places in the table from 75th to 58th thanks to its tireless work to make the university an inclusive workplace.

Ruth Hunt said: “De Montfort University and all of those employers that secured a place in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2016 list performed fantastically this year.

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“We have had more submissions than ever before and so making the list is a huge achievement. I’d like to thank all of those organisations for their continued efforts to ensure that their lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work and are accepted without exception.”

Professor Dominic Shellard, Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University, said: “It is essential De Montfort University creates an inclusive environment in which all students and staff enjoy the freedom to be themselves and to thrive together.

“To be included in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers is a considerable accomplishment in itself, so to rise still further in the rankings is superb news. Everyone at DMU can be rightly proud of this fine achievement.”

Kiera Rounsley, De Montfort Student's Union Vice-President Welfare and Community, said: "The big jump we’ve seen in the Stonewall table is incredible! An inclusive campus makes for a happy campus and everyone involved should be very proud."

Christine Nightingale, DMU’s Head of Equality and Diversity, said she was delighted the work of all students and staff had been rewarded with a rise in the Top 100 rankings.

She added: “Our rise up the Stonewall workplace equality index over the last few years has been down to the commitment of staff across the university in listening to feedback from lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans staff and students and then acting in positive ways to bring about fairness and inclusion.”

The Stonewall Top 100 Employers are the best performing employers on Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2016, an annual audit of workplace culture for lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff

More than 400employers submitted entries to the 2016 Index, the highest number since the Index first opened in 2005.

As part of the Index there is a staff feedback questionnaire that participating employers can ask their staff to complete. This year Stonewall received 60,506 responses to the staff survey making it one of the largest national employment surveys in Britain, with 11,980lesbian, gay, bi and trans respondents.

Stonewall is Britain’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality, working to create a world where every single person can be accepted without exception. 

It was founded in 1989 by a small group of people who wanted to break down barriers to equality. Stonewall continues to campaign and lobby government to change laws to ensure everyone, everywhere, is free to be themselves.

Stonewall works in partnership with a growing network of more than 700 organisations to help create real change for the better.  It campaigns to eliminate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in communities, and empowers LGBT people and their allies to be role models wherever they live, work, shop, socialise or pray.

To get involved visit   www.stonewall.org.uk   

 

 

 

Posted on Tuesday 19 January 2016

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