MI5 named the UK’s most gay-friendly employer
National security agency MI5 has been named Employer of the Year in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers list.
A record number of 400 organisations participated in the 2016 survey, with the intelligence agency coming out on top for its efforts to embrace and represent diversity among its workforce.
After jumping up from 7th place in 2015, Andrew Parker, the Director General of MI5, says it’s success in this year’s list acknowledges the efforts of the security agency over a number of years to improve its workplace culture for lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff.
“Much of MI5’s work keeping the country safe goes on by necessity out of view, so I’m delighted we can be publicly recognised as such an inclusive and welcoming place to work,” he says.
“MI5’s success in protecting the country depends on our staff’s commitment to the mission and to our enduring values of teamwork, professionalism and innovation.
“People can only give the best they can give when they feel supported, valued and treated with respect by their colleagues.”
Parker says that diversity and inclusion were at the heart of M15’s values, and played an integral part of everything from recruitment to its culture of teamwork.
“Diversity is vital for MI5, not just because it’s right that we represent the communities we serve, but because we rely on the skills of the most talented people whoever they are, and wherever they may be,” he says.
“This accolade from Stonewall is a great acknowledgment of continued progress we have made over recent years in ensuring we draw on the widest possible pool of talent in our vital work.”
MI5’s number one ranking is all the more remarkable given that LGBT people were banned from working for the organisation as recently as 1991, over fears that they could be blackmailed.
Described as the “definitive list” to showcase the very best of gay-friendly UK employers, the Stonewall Top 100 has been compiled annually over the last 12 years from submissions to LGBT benchmarking tool, the Workplace Equality Index.
Stonewall Chief Executive Ruth Hunt added she was “delighted” this year’s list was inclusive of the transgender community for the first time.
“Through consultation, feedback and gathering best practice, we’re developing a great sense of trans experiences in the workplace which will only continue to grow, and we’re fully committed to helping you drive trans inclusion in your organisation.”
Making the Top 10 in the Stonewall 100 were:
- MI5
- Lloyds Banking Group
- National Assembly for Wales
- B3Living
- Pinsent Masons
- Tower Hamlets Homes
- Leicestershire County Council
- Metropolitan
- Clifford Chance
- Royal Navy
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