Herts ranked Top 100 Employer in Stonewall’s UK Workplace Equality Index
A leading charity has ranked the University of Hertfordshire as one of the best employers in the country for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Herts has been named as a Top 100 Employer in Stonewall’s UK Workplace Equality Index (WEI), a definitive benchmarking tool for employers to measure their progress on lesbian, gay, bi and trans inclusion in the workplace.
Experts surveyed University staff and assessed its achievements on LGBTQ+ equality. These include its transgender statement of support and its provision of gender-neutral toilets in addition to single sex and accessible facilities for all staff and students, taking into consideration protected characteristics of sex and gender reassignment within the Equality Act (2010).
Trans Day of Visibility and Trans awareness week celebrations have been included in the University’s diversity events calendar. Herts also shares the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ staff in its community, while its LGBTQ+ staff network and LGBT+ student society advocate, support and stand against inequalities. The University’s LGBTQ+ allyship programme currently has over 150 members.
Already part of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme, which aims to ensure that all LGBTQ+ staff are accepted in the workplace, this latest accolade shows that Herts is continuing its ongoing commitment to advancing equality for LGBTQ+ people.
Jo Stuart, Pro Vice-Chancellor for International and Marketing at the University of Hertfordshire and Senior Champion for the LGBTQ+ Network, said:
“Herts is committed to creating positive change for our wonderful LGBTQ+ staff and students, so we are delighted to see our efforts reflected by our ranking in the WEI. No one should face discrimination because of who they are and we are very proud to be an employer that fully supports people of all different backgrounds and identities.
“Over the coming months, we’ll be putting in place Stonewall’s feedback, so we can be an even more inclusive employer. This will include continuing to support the LGBTQ+ Staff Network, student society and mentorship and allyship programmes, developing an LGBTQ+ action plan and building a trans inclusion policy and revised guidance.
“There is still plenty of work to be done, but this is a fantastic achievement that reflects the amazing work Herts has already put in place.”
More information about equality, diversity and inclusion at the University of Hertfordshire is available online.