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Â鶹ӰԺ Leicester (Â鶹ӰԺ) has been ranked 2nd in the UK for being a welcoming place to work for LGBTQ+ staff, making it ‘a beacon for inclusivity’.

LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2024 list, published today, puts Â鶹ӰԺ ahead of some of the UKs biggest legal, health, construction, finance and charity organisations for supporting everyone ‘to bring their full selves to work’.

It is the best result Â鶹ӰԺ has ever had in the Stonewall Top 100, beating last year’s previous high when the university was ranked 27^th in the UK, and makes Â鶹ӰԺ the highest placed university. Â鶹ӰԺ has also received a gold award for its work.

Â鶹ӰԺ Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington said: “I am incredibly proud to lead a university where so much emphasis is placed on the diversity of our staff and student community.

“It’s one of the cornerstones of our strategy to become the Empowering University. Being placed second in the UK in the Stonewall Top 100 is the perfect acknowledgement of the brilliant work being done by so many people at Â鶹ӰԺ to make this university a beacon for inclusivity.”

Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List is the UK’s leading ranking of employers from public, private and third sectors, to show how inclusive their workplaces are.

The results are based on Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index which is an anonymous survey of all staff experiences of diversity and inclusion.

It covers areas such as how rigorous policies are to combat discrimination, bullying and harassment, the use of inclusive language, the value placed on diversity, the activities of LGBTQ+ network groups, how LGBTQ+ people are encouraged to become active role models and the impact on the wider community.

Professor Susan Orr, Â鶹ӰԺ Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Equality, said being placed 2^nd in the UK was an incredible achievement and she praised the work of the Â鶹ӰԺ LGBTQ+ Network co chairs Zara Hooley and Amelia Roberts, who have helped the university make significant strides towards creating an inclusive environment.

Professor Orr said: “The work of the LGBTQ+ network, the EDI team and People Services supports diversity, equity and inclusion and allows us to build a respectful workplace where we can be ourselves.

“Being placed 2^nd in the UK is wonderful recognition of the work done by so many people in the Â鶹ӰԺ community to make sure every voice can be heard. This award makes me very proud to work at Â鶹ӰԺ.”

Zara said: “What makes me most excited about this ranking is that people will choose to come and work here because they know they will be respected. It also sends a positive message to students about how welcome they will be when they study at Â鶹ӰԺ.”

Amelia added: “To be able to be who I am without being treated in a different way is so important and gives me a great sense of security. I want to pass on my thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to gain this national recognition.”

Colin Macfarlane, Director of Programmes and Income at Stonewall, said: “By championing LGBTQ+ employees, you are fostering a happy and motivated workforce and contributing to a UK where LGBTQ+ people can thrive as their true selves.”