CSCI shoots up Stonewall’s list of top 100 gay-friendly employers

By Corin Williams on January 7, 2009 in Pay and conditions

The Commission for Social Care Inspection has shot up campaign group Stonewall’s annual list of the top 100 gay-friendly employers.

The charity’s Workplace Equality Index 2009, released today, showed that CSCI had risen 50 places to number 28.

A number of local authorities also performed well, with 14 making the top 100. Brighton and Hove Council fared the best at number three, with Tower Hamlets at number seven.

Police forces also did well, as did the Home Office which came in at number 10.

Charity sector fares less well

However, the charity sector fared less well, with last year’s winner Nacro falling to number five. Barnardo’s scraped in at number 98, continuing its decline down the list since reaching number 46 in 2006. Few other charities made the top 100.

The index is compiled by examining employers’ equality policies and recruitment practices. Organisations are also judged on how they engage with lesbian and gay staff, customers and service users.

Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill hailed this year’s list as “the most competitive index to date”. In all 317 employers took part, involving nearly 7,000 employees surveyed. The charity added that staff satisfaction levels were highest at the top 100 organisations and that gay staff working at the top 25 organisations reported a satisfaction level nearly 10% higher than those at workplaces outside the top 100.