Recognised as an inclusive place to work
The University has been recognised as a fully inclusive community to work after rising 25 places in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2013.
Staff and students endorsed the University as a supportive working environment in the nationally recognised league table which was created by the charity Stonewall.
The Workplace Equality Index is a means to benchmark organisations according to their support provisions for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) staff.
The University ranked 106 out of almost 400 organisations across the UK, after rising 25 places since its last submission. The institution aims to support people, regardless of sexual orientation or any other equality characteristic, to work together to create and be part of a fully inclusive university community.
Andrew Dodman, Director of Human Resources, said: "This result is a cause for celebration. Our goal is to create a truly remarkable and inclusive place to work, and I am delighted that our approach of working in partnership with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (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."
The University's 2013 submission was the result of an innovative collaboration of staff across the University including LGBT staff and student networks. This enabled the institution to gain a wider perspective of how the University is supportive of LGBT staff and students, and identify areas to improve.
Key highlights recognised in the submission included the University's sponsorship of Sheffield Pride for the third consecutive year, representation of LGBT staff and students in the first ever Sheffield Pride parade, and the Allowed Out event.
Allowed Out was a joint enterprise between the Department of History and Sheffield's gay choir Out Aloud, showcasing LGBT voices from the community in a multimedia performance as part of the hugely successful Festival of the Mind.
Next month the University will launch 'Storying LGBT@TUOS'. This film is a joint venture, featuring testimonials from LGBT staff and students, which will be shown as part of a wider networking event to celebrate LGBT History Month.
Tom Reaney, LGBT Staff Network Chair, said: “As a member of staff, I am proud to see the University striding forward and accepting this challenge of bettering ourselves as a place for LGBT people to work and study. The collaborative efforts behind the University’s submission only highlight how much can be achieved when people can be themselves.”
Stonewall was founded in 1989 by a small group of women and men who had been active in the struggle against Section 28 of the Local Government Act.
Section 28 was an offensive piece of legislation designed to prevent the so-called 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools; as well as stigmatising gay people it also galvanised the gay community.