51Âþ»­

51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) has secured its highest-ever ranking in an influential list of the most inclusive employers in Britain. 

This is the seventh year the university has been named among Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List, which rates employers from public, private and third sectors on how inclusive their workplaces are. 

This year, 51Âþ»­ was ranked 27th in the table, third in the education sector and eighth overall in the public sector category. 

It is also the second consecutive year that the university has won a Gold Award, which recognises those organisations which exemplify best practice when it comes to LGBT inclusion. 

Professor Susan Orr, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and University Lead for EDI at 51Âþ»­, said the university was proud of the recognition. 

She said: “We have put in place a new strategy focused entirely around empowerment. And empowerment starts with being recognised and included.  All of us, students and staff, should feel comfortable and confident bringing our many identities to 51Âþ»­.   

“We work hard to make sure our university community is an inclusive as it can be, firm in the belief that a strong community is a diverse one.  

“As an LGBTQ+ member of staff this is a particularly proud moment for me.”   

In the past year 51Âþ»­’s equality and diversity team has spent time talking to a wide range of staff about LGBTQ+ inclusion, which resulted in the publication of new guidance which highlighted ways staff could find out more about inclusive events and groups and offered practical support on issues like pronouns and feeling comfortable at work. 

The team also updated the university’s protecting and supporting trans, gender fluid and non-binary staff and students policy. This was done following a student focus group and consultation with the LGBTQ+ and Allies Staff Network. That was supported by new guidance for trans and non-binary staff along with advice on being an LGBTQ+ ally. 

Alongside this, 51Âþ»­ put on a series of diverse events for 51Âþ»­ Pride, marking LGBTQ+ History month. Those events included a conversation with racing car driver and transgender rights activist Charlie Martin, a panel discussion on ‘Bisexuality: Representation, Validation, and the Lived Experience’ and an audience with Eva Echo talking about her transgender experience.  

is the UK’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, and the Top 100 Employers List is compiled through submissions to a free, voluntary benchmarking tool, the Workplace Equality Index.  

All submissions are then marked against thorough and standardised criteria and the Top 100 Employers are picked out by Stonewall for their work in creating inclusive workplaces for their LGBTQ+ staff. 

Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall (she/her) said: "It’s been fantastic to see all of the work put in by 51Âþ»­ over the past year 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.”