News | 30 Jan 2020

Stonewall names Vodafone UK one of Britain’s top 100 LGBT-inclusive employers

The Stonewall Top 100 Employers are the best performing employers on Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2020, an annual audit across workplaces, services and communities.

Vodafone UK has been named one of the most inclusive employers in Britain by equality charity Stonewall in its Top 100 Employers list for 2020. Vodafone is ranked 19th on this year’s list out of a record-breaking 503 entries.

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As part of the Top 100, Stonewall collects nearly 110,000 anonymous responses from employees on their experience of Britain’s workplace culture and diversity.

Nick Jeffrey, CEO, Vodafone UK said: “I am immensely proud that Vodafone has been recognised by Stonewall as one of the Top 20 LGBT+ organisations in the UK. It is important to me that we are able to offer an inclusive working environment for all Vodafone employees, and our LGBT+ colleagues know they are a valued part of a broad community of diverse opinions, beliefs and ideas.

Everyone works to the best of their abilities when they’re encouraged and supported to be themselves

(Nick Jeffery, CEO, Vodafone UK)

Vodafone is ranked

#19 in Stonewall Top 100

Stonewall’s 2018 Work Report revealed that more than a third of LGBT staff (35%) have hidden who they are at work, and almost one in five LGBT employees (18% ) have been the target of negative comments from colleagues.

Sanjay Sood-Smith, Stonewall’s Executive Director of Workplace & Community Programmes, said: “We are delighted to name Vodafone UK as one of our Top 100 Employers this year. All the organisations in this year’s Top 100 Employers 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 (35%) 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 Vodafone UK are bringing us closer to a world where everyone is accepted without exception.”

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.

To see the full list, click here.