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Commitment to equality sees huge rise for Teesside University

21 January 2019

 

Teesside University has risen in the rankings and has today been named as one of the country's top 50 employers for LGBT+ staff.

Teesside University's LGBT+ Focus Group (left to right): Dr Joan Heggie, Dominic Dunn, Juliet Amos, Helen Severs and Margaret Younger
Teesside University's LGBT+ Focus Group (left to right): Dr Joan Heggie, Dominic Dunn, Juliet Amos, Helen Severs and Margaret Younger

Teesside University has risen in the rankings and has today been named as one of the country’s top 50 employers for LGBT+ staff.

The University’s commitment to equality has been commended by Stonewall, the lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity which annually publishes its list of the country’s top 100 workplaces.

This year’s top 100 was the largest ever with 445 employers entering, demonstrating their commitment to LGBT workplace inclusion.

Teesside University has surged up the rankings this year and is placed at 47 in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2019, a rise of 20 places from the University’s position in 2018.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Teesside University has been included in the top 100 list of employers, which are recognised for their outstanding efforts to create an inclusive workplace for their lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees.

Teesside University is one of just five universities in England and the only university in the North East to be featured in the top 50 in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2019.

As part of the Workplace Equality Index, Stonewall collects more than 92,000 anonymous responses from employees on their experience of Britain’s workplace culture and diversity. Each entrant also compiles a submission demonstrating their organisation’s performance against a set of criteria exploring areas including community engagement, senior leadership and allies and role models.

Teesside University has demonstrated its commitment to embracing diversity and actively opposing prejudice, having signed the All Different, All Equal Pledge, part of an ongoing initiative with the Students’ Union to ensure all members of the University community are respected and supported in an inclusive environment and feel able to challenge all forms of discrimination, hate crime, harassment and bullying.

This kind of recognition reaffirms the University’s position as an employer which is committed to inclusivity, equality and diversity towards all students and staff

Margaret Younger, the University’s Equality and Diversity Adviser

The University has also supported the Love Your Neighbour movement, an initiative which encourages people and communities to live in harmony, mutual respect and care.

Margaret Younger, the University’s Equality and Diversity Adviser, said: 'This is the fourth consecutive year that Teesside University has been listed in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and to see such a significant rise of 20 places is a fantastic achievement.

'This kind of recognition reaffirms the University’s position as an employer which is committed to inclusivity, equality and diversity towards all students and staff.'

Darren Towers, Stonewall’s Executive Director said: 'Teesside University and all those who have made this year’s Top 100 Employers list are making a huge difference to workplaces, services and communities across the UK. LGBT-inclusive employers play a crucial role in changing society by using their power and influence to protect and support LGBT people.

'More than a third of LGBT staff (35 per cent) still hide their identity at work for fear of discrimination; that has an impact on productivity, wellbeing and more and shows we still have lots to do. However, with organisations like Teesside University displaying such a strong commitment to LGBT equality, we are one step closer to creating a world where all lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees are welcomed and accepted without exception.'


 
 
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