Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2013

University ranked 106 in Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2013

The University is pleased to announce it has been ranked 106 out of almost 400 organisations from many sectors entering the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2013. This is an improvement of 25 places since our last submission, and in a record year where the number of organisations entering continues to rise.

"This result is cause for celebration. Our goal is to create a truly remarkable and inclusive place to work, and I’m delighted that our approach of working in partnership with LGBT staff and students is paying off. The index has also highlighted some areas where we can improve, and we will continue to build on this hard work in the future.” Andy Dodman, Director of Human Resources

To achieve our goals, we want people, regardless of sexual orientation or any other equality characteristic, to work together to create and be part of a fully inclusive university community. The 2013 submission was a collaboration led by staff and students, including Human Resources, the LGBT Staff and Student Networks, and other colleagues across the University. This enabled us to gain a wider perspective of how the University is supportive of LGBT staff and students, and to identify areas to improve.

Key highlights in our submission included our sponsorship of Sheffield Pride for the 3rd year running; representation of LGBT staff and students in the first ever Sheffield Pride parade; and our ‘Allowed Out’ event – a joint enterprise between the University’s Department of History and Sheffield’s gay choir, Out Aloud, to showcase LGBT voices from the community in a multi media performance. Our full submission document can be downloaded via the right-hand link.

In February 2013, the University will launch “Storying LGBT@TUOS”. This film is a joint venture, featuring testimonials from LGBT staff and students, to be shown as part of a wider networking event to celebrate LGBT History Month. For further information, and to get involved, see the LGBT Staff Network, the LGBT Student Committee and the Equality & Diversity webpages.

The Workplace Equality Index was created by the charity Stonewall as a means to benchmark organisations according to their support and provisions for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB staff), and to challenge employers to ensure a comfortable working environment for LGB staff. The index is a tool for organisations to examine and improve their workplace to create and build upon a culture of inclusivity, and includes questions about policies, initiatives and senior management support and involvement.

For further information, see Stonewall and the Workplace Equality Index 2013.

"People perform better when they can be themselves" Stonewall.