One of the most inclusive organisations in Britain

Cardiff University has been named one of the top ten most inclusive employers in Britain by lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity Stonewall in its Top 100 Employers list for 2020.

The annual ranking saw Cardiff continue its climb, securing 10th place and becoming the highest ranked university overall.

The University’s staff LGBT+ network, Enfys, was also recognised as Network Group of the Year.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Karen Holford said: “The University is delighted to have made it into the top 10 of the Stonewall Top 100 employers for the first time.

“This achievement represents over a decade of commitment to LGBT+ equality including policy development, introducing LGBT+ into our curricula, increased support for our trans staff and students and working together with our LGBT+ student community and our fantastic allies to create an environment where people can truly be themselves."

Some of the steps the University has taken include changing its policies, raising awareness of LGBT+ through regular communication and guest speakers, celebrating the contribution of LGBT+ people by awarding honorary fellowships, creating workshops to look at how LGBT+ inclusive our curricula and support is, planting a living rainbow flag on campus and providing support to a grassroots community BAME LGBT+ group.

The University has also worked closely with its LGBT+ students, with its LGBT+ Working Group bringing together members of all the student facing services and the Student Union LGBT+ Officers.

Karen Harvey-Cooke, chair of Enfys said: “Networks can be so many things: a unique type of support, a social network, a chance to step up and get involved, and an opportunity for allies to learn. When someone gets in touch to say that they’ve been helped or they’re now able to be the person they really are, it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I’m proud to be the chair of a fantastic group of people who make an important contribution to this University.”

Stonewall’s Top 100 is compiled from submissions to the Workplace Equality Index, a powerful benchmarking tool used by employers to assess their achievements and progress on LGBT equality in the workplace, as well as their wider work in the community and on service provision.

Each organisation must demonstrate their expertise in 10 areas of employment policy and practice, including networking groups, senior leadership, procurement and how well they’ve engaged with LGBT communities.

This year’s Top 100 was the largest ever with 503 employers entering and Stonewall collecting more than 109,000 anonymous responses from employees on their experience of Britain’s workplace culture and diversity.

Sanjay Sood-Smith, Stonewall’s Executive Director of Workplace & Community Programmes, said: “We are delighted to name Cardiff University as one of our Top 100 Employers this year. All the organisations in this year's Top 100 Employer's list are playing a huge role in improving the lives of LGBT people, and should be very proud of their work.

“We still don't live in a world where everyone is able to be themselves in the workplace, as we know more than a third of LGBT staff in Wales (34 per cent) hide who they are at work. By taking steps to make their workplaces supportive and welcoming of all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, businesses like Cardiff University are bringing us closer to a world where everyone is accepted without exception.”