LJMU top university in Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2014 List
LJMU is the UK's most gay-friendly university, according to the Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2014 list, which showcases Britain's best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.
LJMU is now ranked 25th overall, an improvement of 3 places on last year's list.
Commenting on the result, Dr Edward Harcourt, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement) said:
"Equality and respect for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff and students is something we take very seriously at LJMU, and it’s great to get this recognition as the most gay-friendly employer in the Higher Education sector in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index.
"The Index has recognised our strong staff development and community engagement initiatives – as well as our staff and supplier policies. This is a recognition of which all members of the University community can be proud."
Gentoo was named as Stonewall's top gay-friendly employer. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust was second and The Co-operative third, with Accenture, EY and the Home Office completing the top five.
Only seven educational institutions made it into this year’s Top Employers List, with LJMU securing pole position, followed by the University of the West of England (35th), Cardiff University (52nd), University of Liverpool (57th), Newham College of Further Education (82nd), University of Sheffield (82nd) and Somerset College (91st).
Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive said:
"Gentoo and every single employer in the Top 100 has performed remarkably this year as competition for a place on the list of gay-friendly employers has never been fiercer. This commitment from organisations - across 38 different industries - is changing the face of workplaces for the better for all staff - regardless of their sexual orientation."
The Top 100 list is based on the results of Stonewall’s Workplace Equality 2014, the tenth published by the charity. The Index is based on a range of key indicators which include a confidential questionnaire of lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, with over 9,700 participants. This consistently revealed that employees from organisations ranked in Stonewall’s Top 100 exhibited higher levels of staff satisfaction and loyalty.
Moni Akinsanya, LJMU Equality and Diversity Adviser, added:
"LJMU is a University that actively promotes diversity and we are delighted to have been named as the university sector leader in this year's Stonewall Employers List. This result clearly demonstrates that the University provides an environment in which all staff can flourish and achieve. Credit is given to everyone working to help LJMU achieve its equality and diversity agenda, which brings real benefits for the whole University community."
To see the full Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2014 List, click here
Clare Doran, Press and Publications Officer, Liverpool John Moores University, T: 0151 231 3004 c.n.doran@ljmu.ac.uk
Founded in 1825, LJMU is a modern civic university delivering impactful research and scholarship that form the foundation for its interaction with industry, business and the community. Ranked in the top 100 new universities in the world, the University has around 24,000 students, recruited from over 100 countries, who are enrolled on a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research degrees as well as continuing professional development programmes. LJMU is one of the UK’s leading research active contemporary universities, with world-leading and internationally recognised research taking place across the institution. It also continues to be one of the UK’s leading higher education institutions for its interaction with business and the community. This interaction informs both teaching and research at the University and impacts positively on graduate employability, with 92% of graduates being in work or further study within six months of leaving the University.