Shaw Trust climbs 50 places in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index

NATIONAL employment charity Shaw Trust has welcomed the news that it has shot up the rankings in Stonewall’s new workplace equality top 100, and says it’s now aiming for top spot.

“As a third sector organisation we obviously have limited funds, but that won’t stop our continual improvement,” promised Mark Lomas, National Equality and Diversity Manager for Shaw Trust, which helps disabled and disadvantaged people to achieve work and in-dependence.

“Equality and Diversity are what are all about. We are committed to achieving equality for our clients and to continue to champion it in our own workplace. I would hope that Shaw Trust will become number one over the next few years.”

Shaw Trust was placed 47 in the index of the top 100 gay-friendly employers, compared to its 97 ranking last year, a climb of 50 places despite 30% more companies competing this time. It is one of only four charities in the Index, and the only one to have improved its po-sition this year.

Shaw Trust, which has been a member of Stonewall Diversity Champions for three years, says its success is due to its persistence and commitment, and praised gay equality charity Stonewall’s extensive testing for the Top 100 as a springboard for wider Equality and Diversity policies.

“It is a rigorous examination process and we have taken what we have learnt from targeting one diversity group to further target other groups too. Shaw Trust fully recommends the Stonewall Diversity Champions and Workplace programmes as a means of furthering LGB equality and Equality and Diversity generally in any organisation,” explained Mark.

“Our industry-leading Diversity Peer Networks, for example, were set up because of what we learnt from the Stonewall process.”

The Networks - which share best practice, act as focus and feedback groups and raise is-sues - represent Shaw Trust’s six diversity strands: Disability, Religion, Belief, Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation.

Shaw Trust’s innovative positive action recruitment schemes have increased Black Minority Ethnic (BME) and Lesbians, Gay men and Bisexuals (LGB) job applications. The sexual orientation monitoring now in place shows that LGB applicants had a conversion rate from interview to job offer of 39%, which is far above the average figure for all groups combined of 24%.

“That is due, in part, to our profile as Stonewall Diversity Champions and increased visibil-ity in LBG media and events such as Swindon Pride,” added Mark.

Shaw Trust has also taken a tough line in insisting all suppliers and contractors comply with its own Equality and Diversity Policy and Code of Conduct. It is about to launch its new Supplier E-learning and Building Diversity as a free tool for suppliers, and a paid for service for external businesses and organisations.

“We are very excited about this new service, which is part of our commitment to ensure a better working environment for everyone,” said Mark.


* Mark Lomas is available for interview.


NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further details, please contact Shaw Trust Press Officer Samantha Jobber on 01225 716 300 or 07595 214 649. Or you can email Samantha.Jobber@shaw-trust.org.uk

2. Shaw Trust is a national charity, formed in 1982, which helps people with disability or disadvantage to find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by cam-paigning to change attitudes at all levels. Across the UK more than 1,200 staff now over-see a diverse range of more than 200 projects.

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