The UK’s top 100 LGBT-friendly employers revealed

LGBT charity Stonewall named the UK’s top 100 LGBT-friendly employers for 2019.

Solicitors firm Pinsent Mansons topped the annual list this year, after finishing runner-up in both 2017 and 2018.

Stonewall said the company has demonstrated that diversity and inclusion “forms a core part of its values and purpose” with an LGBT and allies employee network group and specific training for its HR department to remove barriers to employment for trans individuals.

Law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner was named runner-up in this year’s list, while Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and MI5 came third and fourth respectively.

The top five was rounded out by the National Assembly for Wales and Newcastle City Council, which finished in joint fifth place.

Pinsent Masonswas was among the employers in Northern Ireland who published a joint statement in September 2018 calling for equal marriage in Northern Ireland, and the firm works with a number of schools to promote LGBT equality, acceptance and education.

Executive director Darren Towers said the company was “leading the way, championing lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality in the workplace”.

“They know that helping staff feel that they can bring their full selves to work doesn’t just make a huge difference to individual team members – it makes real business sense too,” he said.

Universities that made the list in their capactiy as employee included Cardiff University, Skills Development Scotland, The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Sheffield, De Montfort University, University of South Wales, Swansea University, Teesside University and Newham College London.

University of Brighton, University of Leicester, Aberystwyth University, University of Reading, City of Glasgow College, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Essex, University of Oxford and Cardiff Metropolitan University also made the top 100.

Check out the full list of Stonewall’s 100 LGBT-friendly employers below:

1 Pinsent Masons
2 Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
3 Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
4 MI5
= 5 National Assembly for Wales
= 5 Newcastle City Council
7 Lloyds Banking Group
8 Welsh Government
9 Citi
10 Baker McKenzie
11 Cardiff University
12 Ministry of Justice
= 13 Environment Agency
= 13 Intellectual Property Office
= 15 Dentons UKMEA LLP
= 15 Royal Navy and Royal Marines
17 Home Group
= 18 Cheshire Constabulary
= 18 Skills Development Scotland
= 20 The University of Manchester
= 20 Touchstone
22 Manchester Metropolitan University
23 The University of Sheffield
24 GSK
25 Travers Smith
26 Riverside
27 Victim Support
= 28 Barclays PLC
= 28 Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
30 Nottinghamshire County Council
31 De Montfort University
= 32 Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
= 32 Vodafone
= 34 Fujitsu
= 34 Hogan Lovells International LLP
36 Lancashire Constabulary
= 37 Allen & Overy
= 37 Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
= 37 Clifford Chance
= 37 Golden Jubilee Foundation
= 37 Taylor Wessing
42 St Mungo’s
43 University of South Wales
= 44 Moody’s
= 44 Nottingham City Homes
46 Bury Council
= 47 Swansea University
= 47 Teesside University
= 47 Virgin Money
50 Bank of America Merrill Lynch
= 51 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
= 51 KPMG UK
= 51 Linklaters LLP
= 51 The British Army
55 Tate
= 56 Department for Education
= 56 Newham College London
58 North East Ambulance Service Foundation Trust
59 DWF
60 Capgemini UK
61 Sheffield City Council
62 Leicestershire County Council
63 Sky UK
= 64 Credit Suisse
= 64 JLL
66 Eversheds Sutherland LLP
67 Joseph Rowntree Foundation/Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust
68 Royal Air Force
69 Financial Conduct Authority
70 Slaughter and May
71 Oliver Wyman
= 72 Leeds City Council
= 72 Scottish Government
= 72 University of Brighton
= 72 University of Leicester
76 Sunderland City Council
= 77 Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
= 77 Your Homes Newcastle
79 Aberystwyth University
80 University of Reading
= 81 City of Glasgow College
= 81 Sussex Police
83 Trowers & Hamlins LLP
= 84 Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
= 84 University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
= 86 MI6
= 86 Northumberland County Council
= 88 Change Grow Live
= 88 NHS Business Services Authority
= 88 Northumbria Police
91 ThoughtWorks
92 London School of Economics and Political Science
= 93 University of Essex
= 93 University of Oxford
= 95 Cardiff Metropolitan University
= 95 Lloyd’s
= 95 Nottingham City Council
98 Gowling WLG UK LLP
99 Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
100 National Crime Agency