the workplace equality index - stonewall · community, and what reach they have • examining how...

The Workplace Equality IndexPrivate Sector Webinar

Vicky Constance, Group Manager

Matthew Moore, Client Account Manager

Webinar Summary

• Overview of the Index

• Overview of all sections

• Account Manager Support

• Top Tips

THE WORKPLACE EQUALITY INDEX

An Overview

The workplace equality index is an evidence-based benchmarking tool used by employers to assess their achievements and progress on LGBT equality in the workplace.

It’s used to inform an organisation’s LGBT strategy or ‘action plan’ ensuring that significant and sustainable progress is made to further LGBT equality within organisations and to develop a more inclusive workplace culture.

Runs in 3 year cycles with 2018 being the first year of the next cycle.

How Does It Work?

Scored out of a maximum of 200 points

Criteria revised every three years – we are now in year one

New criteria launched on 12 June, deadline 8 September

Trans inclusion – will be marked for the first time this year

The WEI: Getting it Right 4


The sections

1. Policies and Benefits

2. The employee lifecycle

3. LGBT employee network groups

4. Allies and role models

5. Senior leadership

6. Monitoring

7. Procurement

8. Community engagement

9. Clients, customers and service users

10. Additional work and award nominations


Section Outlines

Today:

Vision for each section

What we are looking for in each section

What’s new in each section

Section 1:

Policies and Benefits


Section 1: Policies and Benefits

Vision by year 3

Every organisation has reviewed their

policies and benefits and incorporated

explicit commitment to LGBT equality

within them

Every organisation will have specific

inclusive policies and guidance for trans

people


What’s new?

• Auditing and reviewing your policies

• Scrutinising more than just two of your policies

• Scrutinising your transitioning at work policy as

well as other trans-inclusive policy and

guidance

• An expectation that policies are communicated

regularly


Section 1: Policies and Benefits

Section 2: The Employee

Lifecycle


Section 2: The Employee Lifecycle

Vision by year 3

Every employee, from seeing a job advert all

the way to exiting the organisation, does so

without fear of bullying, harassment or

discrimination

Every organisation has specifically recognised

LGBT needs throughout the employee lifecycle

Every employee is able to realise and achieve

their potential


Section 2: The Employee LifecycleWhat’s new?

• Scrutinising your recruitment processes – including how you

advertise and how you train your recruitment panels

• What training your staff receive – and how many have

received it

• What LGBT-focused communications your staff have

received

• How career development opportunities are promoted to

LGBT staff


Section 3:

LGBT Employee Network

Group


Section 3: LGBT Staff Network Group

Vision by year 3

Every network group is made up of a diverse

mix of people and has structured goals and

objectives

Every network group engages in and facilitates

activities which have a positive impact on

different communities


Section 3: LGBT Staff Network Group

What’s new?

• Scrutinising how you review and evaluate the network

group’s past and future activity to remove barriers to

participation

• Looking at how your network engages with bi and trans-

specific topics

• Looking at the diversity of the past two years of your

network’s activity – around BAME topics, religion, disability,

gender, trans issues and low income communities.


Section 4:

Allies and Role Models


Section 4: Role Models and AlliesVision by year 3

Every organisation engages and empowers non-

LGBT staff to create change in a structured and

systematic way

In the same way, every organisation engages and

empowers LGBT staff to have the confidence, space

and resource to be visible role models


Section 4: Role Models and Allies

What’s new?

• Scrutinising how you support and encourage your role

models and allies

• Looking specifically at how you support all staff to be

allies to trans communities

• Looking how senior leaders are involved in role

modelling and being allies

• Looking at how you reflect diversity within the role

models and allies you profile


Section 5: Senior leadership



Vision by year 3

Every organisation proactively engages and

empowers senior leaders to drive LGBT inclusion

This empowerment leads to high impact and visible

individual action from leaders



What’s new?

• The whole section!

But…

• This section builds on your existing work with senior leaders

• We will be looking for depth of explanation as to how your senior

leaders are educated and engaged, what exactly they do and how

you ensure its sustainable.


Section 6: Monitoring



Vision by year 3

Every organisation monitors the sexual orientation and

gender identity of their employees with an average

declaration rate of 60% or more

Employees feel able and comfortable to disclose their sexual

orientation and gender identity on diversity monitoring forms

and the information is used to analyse and improve the

working environment for LGBT employees



What’s new?

• Scrutinising how you are asking staff to declare

• Scrutinising what action is taken when the data has

been reported on and analysed


Section 7: Procurement



Vision by year 3

Every organisation operates inclusive procurement policies

Every organisation scrutinises their potential suppliers diversity and

inclusion credentials

Every organisation monitors their contracts to ensure they do not

have a negative impact on LGBT employees, customers or clients



What’s new?

• Scrutinising how you train or give guidance on diversity

and inclusion outcomes (inclusive of LGBT equality) to

the person or team responsible for procurement


Section 8: Community

Engagement


Section 8: Community Engagement

Vision by year 3

Every organisation actively demonstrates its commitment to

LGBT equality

Organisations meaningfully engage with the wider community

to have a positive impact on the lives of LGBT people


Section 8: Community Engagement

What’s new?

• Scrutinising the channels used to communicate with the wider

community, and what reach they have

• Examining how you support LGB and T community groups

• Looking at the impact of your collaborative and partnership efforts

• Giving you an opportunity to tell us about further work you have

done in the past year to promote LGBT equality in the wider

community


Section 9:

Service Users, Customers

and Clients


Section 9: Service Users, Customers and

Clients

Vision by year 3

Every organisation actively engages and consults their

clients, customers and service users to tailor their products

and services to the needs of LGBT people

Every organisation actively promotes LGBT equality and

diversity in their sector


What’s new?

• Scrutinising how you examine your customer/client journey and

remove barriers for LGBT people

• Specific questions for private sector with customers and private

sector with clients


Section 9: Service Users, Customers and

Clients

Section 10:

Additional work


Staff Feedback Questionnaire


• A fantastic way to get a temperature check of your

employee’s attitudes and experiences

• Not just LGBT staff

• Responses need to be higher than the overall

average in order to score points

• Worth 10 per cent of the total index mark

• Send it out far and wide!

FINAL TIPS

36

Top Tips for completing the WEI


1. Identify key staff to be involved

2.Speak to Stonewall

3. Identify tangible, realistic targets and visit

them throughout the year

4.Get senior support

STRATEGICALLY:

Top Tips for completing the WEI


1.Keep your answers concise

2.Clearly label all evidence

3. Submit evidence where requested and make

sure it is accessible outside of your systems (no

intranet links)

PRACTICALLY:

What support is available?


• Top-level submission review

• Phone Support

• Email Support

Final Questions?


the workplace equality index - stonewall · community, and what reach they have • examining how...

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