Lloyds TSB has been named this year’s most gay-friendly employer by gay rights campaigner Stonewall.

Lloyds TSB group chief executive Eric Daniels said sexual orientation had been a “key diversity priority” for the bank for a number of years and that the accolade put them in a position “to help influence the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) equality agenda nationally”. The bank was placed sixth in last year’s index.

A record number of employers competed to be included in this year’s list (see PM News, 1 January) despite fears that diversity budgets would be cut in a recession.

“This is a time when staff performance is crucial to employers weathering financial difficulties, which is no doubt why the index was at its most competitive this year,” said Stonewall’s director of workplace programmes, David Shields.

Professional services, the police and investment banking were the best-performing sectors, while law firm Simmons & Simmons was named most improved employer. Four legal firms were represented in this year’s list, up from one last year.

But the index also highlights a number of issues still facing gay staff, with only 38 per cent of the top 100 employers having openly LGB people in their three top staff levels. Only half (54 per cent) of the firms included in the list asked specific questions on workplace culture and sexual orientation in staff attitudes surveys and only 3 per cent of employers achieved full marks for supplier diversity.

Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2009
1. Lloyds TSB
2. Hampshire Constabulary
3. Brighton and Hove City Council
4. Kent Police
5. Nacro (last year’s winner)
=5. Transport for London
7. London Borough of Tower Hamlets
8. Manchester City Council
=8. Merseyside Police
10. Home Office