Stonewall top 100 LGBT employers 2020 - here are the Yorkshire winners

The University of Sheffield came 11th in the annual workplace equality index, followed in 35th place by Channel 4, which has opened a national operation in Leeds.

Mental health charity Touchstone, based in Leeds, York St John University, Leeds City Council, Irwin Mitchell LLP and Sheffield City Council also feature.

Channel 4, the University of Sheffield and York St John are also included in the charity's 20 top trans employers list.

This year's top 100 was the "most competitive ever", said the charity, with 503 entrants.

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The University of Sheffield was named in the run-down for the seventh year in a row.

The Stonewall Regional Awards for Yorkshire and the Humber named the University of Sheffield as Employer of the Year and Professor Gill Valentine, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and senior LGBT+ champion, has been named Senior Champion of the Year.

Professor Valentine said: “Recognition from Stonewall is testament to our dedication to bring about culture change and develop a truly inclusive University where LGBT+ colleagues and students feel they belong, are supported to be themselves and can flourish to reach their potential.

“I am honoured and humbled to have been named Senior Champion of the Year and I will continue to champion equality and diversity.

"I came out at a time when being openly gay was taboo.

"I experienced discrimination and harassment in the early stages of my career which I overcame in part through the support of straight allies.

"That’s why I’m passionate about developing an inclusive work environment.

"Over the past 30 years or so there has been real and positive change in relation to equality and diversity in the workplace and our University has been at the forefront of many innovative initiatives.”

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Channel 4 moves into the Majestic in Leeds later this year as part of a commitment to take 300 jobs outside of London, and staff have already started to move over.

Alex Mahon, chief executive, said: “Standing for the underrepresented, challenging stereotypes and promoting diversity and inclusion is at the heart of why Channel 4 exists and so we are utterly thrilled to make it in to the Top 100 LGBT+ inclusive employers list for the first time.

“I am so proud that we have climbed 112 places and even more so that we are in the exclusive group of top trans places to work.

"My team and I are determined to continue to make Channel 4 one of the most LGBT+ inclusive workplaces in the country and to drive lasting positive change within and across the media industry and the whole of the UK.

"This can be achieved in many more workplaces by following the pro-active action plan we have implemented, such as creating a Transitioning Policy, expanding our Families Policy and introducing gender neutral toilets alongside the strength and brilliance of our 4Pride LGBT+ network.”

The full list can be viewed here: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/creating-inclusive-workplaces/workplace-equality-indices/uk-workplace-equality-index