The charity’s list of the top inclusive employers in the UK in 2017 also named the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Royal Bank of Scotland, Aviva and HSBC, which were included among a raft of firms across the public, private and third sectors.
The annual list, which is in its thirteenth year, is compiled from submissions to the Workplace Equality Index, which saw 439 employers participate in the past year, the largest number of submissions to date.
Lloyds was noted as standing out for its recent extension of private healthcare provision to include interventions and support for trans colleagues, to make them the first UK-owned company to make the policy addition. The group also launched a new colleague volunteering programme with LGBT charities and featured a same-sex marriage proposal in their advertising campaign ‘For Your Next Step’.
Karin Cook, group director of operations at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Ensuring our LGBT colleagues are as engaged as other colleagues is important for meeting our commitments on inclusion and diversity as part of our Helping Britain Prosper Plan. This award recognises the progress we’ve made in this space. I’m extremely passionate about ensuring our LGBT colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
“In 2017, we will continue to listen to colleagues, using their feedback to drive priorities to ensure we remain a top LGBT employer, and focus on improving our processes so we can make the Group easier for the LGBT community to interact with. My goal is to see Lloyds Banking Group recognised as an LGBT employer and brand of choice and I am confident we will succeed in this.”
Chief executive of Stonewall, Ruth Hunt, added: “Congratulations to the 2017 Stonewall Top 100 employers for your outstanding achievements, and thank you to all who took part. You are at the forefront of driving LGBT inclusion in the workplace and we are incredibly proud to work with you. With your continued partnership, we can ensure that all lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees across Britain are accepted without exception.”
