West Midland Fire Service and UK Power Networks among UK’s top inclusive employers

West Midland Fire Service, UK Power Networks and Mott MacDonald have been named as some of the UK’s top inclusive employers for 2023/24.

Researchers from industry network Inclusive Companies collated data from 750,000 employees across the nation for its seventh annual report. An independent advisory panel of diversity and inclusion experts reviewed and analysed each submission to determine the rankings.

This is the second consecutive year that West Midland Fire Service has taken first place on the list, having participated since 2016. It ranked highly due to its inclusion and diversity agenda, and resilience and agility while continuing to drive its inclusion strategy. It also uses Section 159 of the Equality Act throughout its senior appointment process and its leadership is dedicated to its inclusion and diversity agenda.

The top 10 inclusive UK employers are:

1. West Midlands Fire Service
2. UK Power Networks
3. Touchstone
4. Hastings Direct
5. MoneySuperMarket
6. Mott MacDonald
7. Capgemini
8. E.On
9. TalkTalk
10. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Paul Sesay, founder and chief executive of Inclusive Companies, said: “Organisations participating in the benchmark have provided sufficient evidence on an amalgamation of topics, designed to collate the most accurate and relevant data from employers regarding their inclusivity practices. 2023 was another challenging year for all businesses and has taken a personal toll on individuals, but inclusive businesses will bounce back and flourish, with the most prosperous ones understanding the value of harnessing diverse talent and creating authentic work environments.

“Organisations that have ranked on the inclusive top 50 UK employers list 2023/24 have embarked on their journey of progression and have made great strides to become an inclusive workplace where employees feel a sense of belonging, valued and empowered to be their true selves. Employers featured on this year’s list are standing up as responsible employers against inequality, injustice and intolerance.”