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Stonewall Diversity Champions Scheme

Becoming part of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Scheme is a clear demonstration, not only to LGB staff, potential staff, and the LGB community but to the wider community as a whole, of Portsmouth City Council's commitment to creating a workplace culture that genuinely values people and all their differences. The council is determined to ensure that it has a work culture in which all staff, including LGB, feel genuinely supported valued and free from any type of harassment or discrimination.

Stonewall, a registered charity since 2003, is renowned for its campaigning and lobbying in support of equality for the LGBT community and is internationally recognised as a lead in this area. Some major successes include helping achieve the equalisation of the age of consent, lifting the ban on lesbians and gay men serving in the military, securing legislation allowing same-sex couples to adopt and the repeal of Section 28. More recently Stonewall has helped secure civil partnerships and ensured the recent Equality Act protecting lesbians and gay men in terms of goods and services. Stonewall also works with a whole range of agencies to address the needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in the wider community through its Diversity Champions Programme.

This programme is Britain's good practice forum for lesbian and gay workplace issues, especially in view of the follwoing facts:

• a third of gay staff conceal their sexual orientation from their employers and co-workers
• 55% of gay employees facing discrimination report a direct negative work impact
• approximately 20% of gay employees facing discrimination at work will consider suicide
• 36% of gay employees will change careers due to discrimination
• it is estimated that 1 in 10 of the population are gay
• the first tribunal case brought in 2005 against an employer cost them £35,000

The programme brings together top employers from across the UK to promote diversity in the workplace. Over 200 organisations are already members, employing over 3.4 million people, and public bodies represented include, The Royal Navy, Hampshire Constabulary, Manchester City Council, Sheffield City Council, Disability Rights Commission, Brighton & Hove City Council, Newcastle City Council, Birmingham City Council and Leeds City Council to name but a few.

The programme provides support in developing good practice and understanding, networking, workplace guides, seminars, use of branding for all internal/external communications and recruitment advertising, as well as allowing members to benchmark their progress annually against others signed to the scheme. It also provides entry into the Starting Out recruitment guide that is distributed to every university in the country.

A workplace culture in which respect for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) diversity is taken seriously will be a culture in which all employees will feel treated with respect, both by management and by colleagues

Further information about the benefits of membership are attached.If you would like any further information please contact the Equality & Diversity Team.

Associated documents:

• Ten key benefits of joining Diversity Champions  (0.02 MB)

• Why join? A clear business case  (0.02 MB)

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