Lloyds Banking Group is the most inclusive employer in Britain for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) employees, according to the Top 100 Employers list 2017, compiled by LGBT charity Stonewall.
The list is based on submissions to benchmarking tool the Workplace equality index, through which employers demonstrate best practice in employment policy and practice, covering areas such as networking groups, career development, training, and community engagement.
This year, 439 organisations took part in the index and more than 92,000 employees from within these organisations completed an anonymous survey about their employer’s attitudes towards workplace culture, diversity and inclusion.
Lloyds Banking Group has extended private healthcare provision to include interventions and support for trans employees, and launched a new employee volunteering programme, forming official partnerships with LGBT charities. More than 1,000 hours were volunteered for charities such as trans youth charity Mermaids, elder LGBT organisation Opening Doors London and the Albert Kennedy Trust, which raised £30,000 over the course of the year.
Lloyds Banking Group also supports Bi Awareness Day and Transgender Day of Visibility by implementing new training tools, raising awareness via social media campaigns and by flying the bisexual and transgender flags at 35 of its key sites.
Law firm Pinsent Masons achieved second place in the Top 100 Employers list for 2017, followed by JP Morgan in third place.
Eight organisations that have gone above and beyond in demonstrating their commitment to LGBT inclusion in the workplace have been named Star Performers. This includes Accenture, Barclays, EY, Gentoo, Goldman Sachs, the Home Office, Simmons and Simmons, and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The top 10 organisations in the Stonewall Top Employers list 2017 are:
- Lloyds Banking Group
- Pinsent Masons
- JP Morgan
- Clifford Chance
- MI5
- National Assembly for Wales
- Baker McKenzie
- Berwin Leighton Paisner
- Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Norton Rose Fulbright and KPMG
Ruth Hunt, chief executive at Stonewall, added: "Lloyds Banking Group is a trailblazer for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, and an example of a business that consistently ensures that all staff feel empowered and supported, no matter who they are.
"We’ve learned over the last year that nothing is certain, and this extends to human rights. Corporate organisations have the power to influence this and protect LGBT people, and so it is reassuring to see so many private firms represented in our Top 10 and Top 100.
"I’d like to thank all of those organisations that took part in the index, for each showing a real commitment to LGBT inclusion. These organisations understand the business benefits behind equality and inclusion and, with their continued support, we can together work toward a world where all LGBT people are accepted without exception."