Royal Holloway has been named as a top 100 employer by Stonewall in its current list which recognises leading LGBTQ+ inclusive organisations across the public, private and third sectors in the UK.
The recognition comes following Royal Holloway’s participation in the 2023 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. They ranked at 93rd among all UK participating organisations, rising 107 places from their position in 2020, and were 13th out of 30 education sector entrants. Additionally, the university achieved a G0ld Award, the highest award possible from the Workplace Equality Index.
This demonstrates excellent work in nine areas of employment policy and practice for the benefit of both students and staff, assessed alongside colleagues’ feedback in an anonymous survey.
A Gold Award means that, as well as performing well overall, Royal Holloway specifically met a high proportion of Stonewall's criteria for transgender and bisexual inclusion, supporting two of the most marginalised groups within the LGBTQ+ community.
Stonewall is the UK’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, working to create a world where every LGBTQ+ person is free to be themselves, wherever they are.
Founded in 1989, they continue to campaign for LGBTQ+ equality, working with employers and schools to create environments which are safer and better for everyone to thrive – not just LGBTQ+ people.
Their Workplace Equality Index is the UK’s leading benchmarking tool for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace and is a voluntary way for organisations to measure and improve their inclusion practice.
Professor Julie Sanders, (she/her) Principal of Royal Holloway, said: “We are very pleased to have been recognised by Stonewall as a top 100 employer and to have received the Gold Award.
“Over the last three years, the university has taken significant strides towards creating an inclusive working environment. In 2022, we revised and strengthened our Transitioning at Work Policy and Managers’ Guidance, updated the wording around protected characteristics in our Dignity at Work Policy, and renewed our Family Friendly Policies with more explicitly inclusive guidance that they apply regardless of the gender of colleagues and their partners.
“We also renewed our Transgender Equality and Transitioning at Work Guide.
“I would like to thank our student and staff members who worked hard on achieving this result, and whilst this is a great kudos for our university, the recognition is just part of wider efforts on equity and inclusion and our commitment to continuous improvement.”
Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall (she/her) said: “It’s been fantastic to see all of the work put in by Royal Holloway over the past few years to create a workplace where LGBTQ+ staff feel free to thrive as themselves.
“For many of us, the majority of our time is spent at work, so if we have to hide who we are it can take an enormous personal toll and hold us back from fulfilling our true potential. Creating environments where we can all feel comfortable makes our workplaces a safer, better and friendlier place for everyone and helps staff be proud of who they are.
“We’re incredibly proud to see so many new entrants from a range of sectors on this year’s list, who are committed to making LGBTQ+ people’s lives better.”
