Cambridge scores highly in equality survey

The Stonewall Workplace Equality Index – the basis for the campaign group’s Top 100 Employers 2011 – is the definitive national benchmarking exercise showcasing the UK’s top employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) staff.

The survey, now in its seventh year, put the University of Cambridge in 90th place with a total score of 148 out of 200. In all, 378 organisations entered, with employers from 25 different industries making submissions.

Stonewall Director of Workplace Programmes David Shields said: “This year’s Workplace Equality Index profiles employers who are leading the way in sexual orientation equality best practice. These employers understand that people perform better when they can be themselves and are working with the index to create inclusive workplaces for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.”

Mr Shields added that the standard of entries was also increasing. “To secure a top 100 place, employers had to achieve a minimum score that was higher than the average overall score in the 2009 index.”

Sigrid Fisher, Head of Equality and Diversity at the University, said: “This is an achievement of which we are very proud. It is the result of much hard work by many people across the University who have focused on progressing and promoting equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people at work and study."

The University is hosting a number of talks and events as part of this month’s LGB&T History month. For more details on these, and the University’s equality and diversity work, click the link at the top right of this story.