DMU named among Stonewall's top 100 employers for 2022

De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has been named one of the most inclusive employers in Britain by lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity Stonewall in its Top 100 Employers list for 2022.

It is the sixth year running DMU has made the listing but in addition this year, the university was singled out for a Gold Award, which recognises those organisations which exemplify best practice when it comes to LGBT inclusion.

Stonewall’s list, which includes employers from the public, private and third sectors, returns after taking 2021 off to acknowledge the challenges of the pandemic on business efforts to include LGBT people in the workplace.

Each year the Top 100 Employers List is compiled through submissions to the Workplace Equality Index – these are then marked against thorough criteria, and Stonewall picks out their top selections for “excellent work in creative inclusive workplaces for their LGBTQ+ staff”.

There was a total of 403 submissions to Stonewall this year, with 51 educational institutions among them. Within the educational institutions, DMU was the tenth highest ranked organisation, with a ranking of 67^th in the overall list.

Kaushika Patel, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at DMU said the recognition from Stonewall was valuable.

She said: “The work we do through our equality and diversity team is done to make sure students and staff here at DMU feel as welcome as possible.

“We call DMU the ‘empowering university’ and people are empowered when they feel welcome, valued and equal.

“To have Stonewall include DMU in its Top 100 Employers List once again is an important validation and very welcome recognition of the work we do each day.”

Over the past year, DMU’s equality and diversity team has reworked the organisation’s trans policy, talking to staff and students through focus groups and ensuring that terminology was updated and the format was as user friendly as possible.

DMU has also drawn up new guidance for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace and is currently celebrating DMU Pride, all throughout February to mark LGBT+ History Month.

Pride events have included an intersectional bi panel discussion, a film night and Q&A at Phoenix Leicester, an event collaboration with Curve Leicester, links with Leicester Comedy Festival, a social ramble around LGBTQ+ spots in the city centre, a focus on pronouns, a trans and non-binary academic research showcase and a Pride History quiz night with DSU.