Accenture tops Stonewall’s 2013 list of gay-friendly employers

Stonewall today (16th January 2013) published its Top 100 Employers 2013, showcasing Britain's best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. Accenture tops the list; in second place is Gentoo and the Co-operative comes third. This is the first year that a mutual retailer has entered the top 10 and Gentoo has reached the highest ever position for a housing employer. There was also strong performance from MI5, who climbed into the Top 30 having debuted on the list at 62 in 2012. And London Ambulance NHS Trust climbs over 70 positions to 22.

Goldman Sachs wins the award for Employee Network Group of the Year and Nationwide is named Most Improved Employer. Chief Constable Alex Marshall from Hampshire Constabulary is named Individual Champion of the Year.

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive said. ‘Every employer in the Top 100 has performed impressively. These results are significant as it’s just ten years since we won vital legal protections for gay people in the workplace. Britain's 1.7 million gay staff and 150,000 gay university students can now confidently use the Index to select a welcoming employer, or look further, safe in the knowledge that they are protected from discrimination.’

Olly Benzecry, senior managing director of Accenture in the UK and Ireland said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to receive this recognition from Stonewall. It is a huge credit to our LGBT network. One reason Accenture is a successful business is because of the individuals and groups who make it a great place for people to work and perform at their best.’

The Index is based on a range of key indicators which include a confidential survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual employees, with nearly 9,000 participants. This consistently revealed that the satisfaction levels of gay staff were highest at the top-ranking organisations in the Index.

Click here for  full 2013 Workplace Equality Index.