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Stonewall launches Workplace Equality Index at Nabarro event

12 May 2011

Stonewall, the lesbian, gay and bisexual equality charity, has launched its 2012 Workplace Equality Index at the Sheffield offices of national law firm Nabarro, in a bid to encourage more Yorkshire and Humberside employers to participate in the survey.

The Index opens for submissions in June and will measure the extent to which employers make the workplace a welcoming professional environment for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people. Currently, Yorkshire and Humberside ranks fourth out of seven regions in terms of the number of companies having a strong performance in the Index which examines policies, training, community engagement and other positive approaches to having lesbians, gay men and bisexual people in the workplace.

Stonewall’s Madeline Lasko said: “Employers need to get the most out of their staff and ensure that their workforce is fully productive. As there are 1.75 million LGB employees in Britain it is vital that employers create workplaces where everyone can reach their full potential.

“The Stonewall Workplace Equality Index has become the de facto measure of companies’ approaches to employing and encouraging the success of lesbians, gay men and bisexual people and we are eager for more companies within Yorkshire and Humberside to participate in the Index, to work towards creating inclusive workplaces and to see how they measure up on a national scale.”

Jane Turley, managing associate at Nabarro, said: “The Index does show that this region performs very well in making the workplace a welcoming environment for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people, but the relatively high number of people who don’t feel able to come out at work in Yorkshire and Humberside shows we still have work to do.

“There are a number of vital messages to employers within this launch, not least that people perform better when they can be themselves in the workplace.

“Holding this event at Nabarro in Sheffield demonstrates the firm’s eagerness to engage with all sections of the community and shows Stonewall’s commitment to working more closely with local organisations to help them develop their workplace policies.”

The results of the 2012 Workplace Equality Index will be revealed in January 2012. Almost 400 companies and organisations participated in the 2011 Index.

The event also saw the launch of Nabarro’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group, Out ‘N’ About, which is part of a wider diversity and corporate social responsibility programme at Nabarro specifically focusing on LGBT issues.

Out ‘N’ About, chaired by Nabarro partner Darren Stolzenberg, has been launched to increase the firm’s awareness and understanding of issues facing LGBT employees at the firm, supporting employees internally and ensuring that the firm’s policies, procedures and practices are not prejudicial to LGBT people.

Darren Stolzenberg says: “We will hold regular meetings to gauge the views of members on issues affecting LGBT employees and matters relating to the wider diversity initiative with a view to shaping the firm’s internal policies and working practices.”

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