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The University has been awarded Stonewall UK Workplace Equality Index 2024 gold status, ranking it amongst the Stonewall Top 100 Employers for 2024. Sussex was ranked 30 out of 246 organisations that entered this year, acknowledging our commitment to eliminating inequalities for our LGBTQ+ staff and developing an inclusive culture at Sussex.

About the Workplace Equality Index

The Workplace Equality Index is a benchmarking tool which enables employers to measure their progress on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace. Organisations must demonstrate their work in 10 areas of employment practice and policy, from HR policies to visibility of LGBTQ+ role models. Sussex became a Stonewall Diversity Champion and also a Global Champion in 2018 and in our Inclusive Sussex strategy we set ourselves the objective to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer by 2025.

The gold award recognises the work undertaken by the LGBTQ+ Self-Assessment Team to develop a LGBTQ+ Inclusion Action Plan as a result of the University’s first submission to the Workplace Equality Index in 2019. The action plan supports steps that contribute to the index and includes work relating to study at Sussex, and actions based on feedback from LGBTQ+ staff.

David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion) said: "The ranking marks an important milestone for Sussex, providing independent recognition of our efforts toward achieving LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. We have some way to go, but our LGBTQ+ Inclusion Action Plan gives us a solid foundation upon which we can move forward and deliver on our inclusion aims. I would like to thank the LGBTQ+ Self Assessment Team and members of our wider University community who have supported our journey so far."

Our Stonewall membership

Taking part in the Workplace Equality Index helps us measure the steps we have taken to support LGBTQ+ inclusion and gives us a strong external benchmark as per our other equalities workstreams. We receive helpful feedback from Stonewall on how we compare to other employers, along with guidance and support. Members are not obliged to align with Stonewall’s own policies or campaigning activity and the University ensures that all of our work is consistent with our commitments to equality and inclusion for those with any protected characteristic, to freedom of speech and academic freedom, and against all bullying and harassment.

Following University Executive Team review, Sussex will continue its membership of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme. We will also continue to participate in the Workplace Equality Index, albeit at a reduced frequency of approximately every four years. Preparing a submission is resource intensive and this is to give time for implemented actions to take effect and also to broadly align with the frequency of submissions to other systemic change initiatives in which we participate. The University will not renew its membership of the Global Champions scheme, instead using resources previously allocated to this for other LGBTQ+ projects managed internally.

Stonewall is currently undertaking a review of its benchmarking tool, and the higher education sector agency Advance HE is also developing a kitemark approach for the sector which may include LGBTQ+ inclusion, building on Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter. Both of these initiatives will in turn inform further reviews of our membership of Stonewall.

Read more about work underway towards LGBTQ+ equality at Sussex.

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