College secures a spot on Stonewall’s Top 100 list for leading LGBTQ+ inclusive employers.
• Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2024 list recognises exceptional employers who are committed to supporting their LGBTQ+ staff and customers
• Gower College Swansea was praised for its work creating a welcoming workplace where LGBTQ+ employees can bring their full selves to work
• The College joins a number of top construction, legal, health, finance and education organisations who made the annual Top 100 list of LGBTQ+ inclusive employers
Stonewall, Europe’s largest charity for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) rights, has launched the Top 100 Employers List 2024 and Gower College Swansea was recognised for its work on supporting LGBTQ+ staff to be themselves at work.
Over the past year, the College has undertaken significant strides towards creating an inclusive working environment, including the Gower College Swansea Rainbow Day and the setting up of a staff LGBTQ+ Network.
More than a third of LGBT staff (35%) have hidden who they are at work for fear of discrimination. This means LGBTQ+ people often feel that they have limited options when applying for jobs – or that the work culture isn’t for them when they do land a job.
We all perform our best work when we feel comfortable bringing our full selves to work – and for LGBTQ+ people, that means not having to hide who you are or who you love, while at work. The challenges that can hold LGBTQ+ people at work affect us all - the majority of Britons support LGBTQ+ people, and many have loved ones who are LGBTQ+ themselves.
Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List 2024 is the UK’s leading ranking of employers from public, private and third sectors on how inclusive their workplaces are.
Colin Macfarlane, Director of Programmes and Income at Stonewall (he/him) said: “Implementing inclusive practices and policies is vital for employers who wish to attract and retain top LGBTQ+ talent. The Workplace Equality Index draws participants from diverse industries and sectors, all of whom understand that inclusivity is the future and are leading the way in this vital change. By championing LGBTQ+ employees, you are fostering a happy and motivated workforce and contributing to a UK where LGBTQ+ people can thrive as their true selves.”
“We’re absolutely delighted to have been named as one of the Top 100 leading LGBTQ+ inclusive employers,” says Gower College Swansea’s Diversity and Equality Officer, Paul Vincent. “Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and safe in their place of work and Gower College Swansea is committed to ensuring our LGBTQ+ staff and students continue to flourish within the organisation.”
ENDS
Please find the full Top 100 list here
The Top 100 Employers List is compiled through submissions to a free, voluntary benchmarking tool, the Workplace Equality Index. All submissions are then marked against thorough and standardized criteria and the Top 100 Employers are picked out by Stonewall for their excellent work in creating inclusive workplaces for their LGBTQ+ staff.