Why work specifically on sexual orientation?

Why is sexual orientation at work important, surely it is a private matter?  Well, one thing we all have in common is that we all have a sexual orientation and it’s not something we can leave at the workplace door on a Monday morning and pick up again at the end of the week.  Sexual orientation has therefore always been part of workplaces, it’s just that traditionally it has been a heterosexual norm.  Organising workplaces solely on these terms is therefore exclusive of LGB people and potentially discriminatory which goes against the legislation and the expectations of a diverse Britain.

Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme is the employers' forum on sexual orientation issues in the Workplace. Organisations which are members of this programme commit to improve their workplace for their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.
 
The programme assists members to ensure their workplace culture, policies, procedure and practices are fully inclusive of their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. To achieve this aim the programme assists members in tackling issues which relate to sexual orientation. The programme does not specifically deal with issues relating to gender, disability, race, age or religion or belief. However it does aim to deal with the multiple discrimination gay people face, such as the specific issues gay women face in the workplace, and aims to share good practice which applies across all six of the equality strands.
 
Stonewall firmly believes that there is a need to work specifically on sexual orientation in the workplace as the issues lesbian, gay and bisexual people face in the workplace are unique and a generalised equality approach covering all areas of equality would not sufficiently identify and overcome the barriers, discrimination and concerns of lesbian, gay and bisexual employees. We would strongly encourage all the organisations we work with to address all areas of inequality, ensure all their employees are treated with dignity and respect and have a workplace culture where diversity is celebrated and valued. Organisations are best placed to do so where they have an understanding of the unique needs of individual diversity strands as the basis from which to build truly inclusive workplace cultures.
 
Many of the organisations we work with take part in other employers' forums which aim to deal with the specific barriers employers face in terms of their gender, age, disability, race, religion or belief. Stonewall supports this approach and the potential it offers to share learning.
 
However, whilst legislation, good practice and innovation have existed for many years in some of the other areas of equality, sexual orientation legislation is still being embedded by the organisations we work with and the issues lesbian, gay and bisexual people face in the workplace are still not fully understood or challenged. This unfortunately has a lot to do with the continued sensitivity that remains around sexual orientation in the workplace, and the lack of evidence due to the reticence of employers and the government to monitor people on sexual orientation. Therefore Stonewall sees it as essential that employers draw upon the advice, guidance and expertise of Stonewall and the other members of the Diversity Champions programme to create a UK where lesbian, gay and bisexual people can bring all aspects of themselves to work and make a full contribution as a result.
 
For this very reason Stonewall created the Workplace Equality Index: a benchmarking tool which provides employers with a robust model of good practice in LGB equality and diversity; a baseline assessment against this; benchmarking comparisons; and a tool for improvement. Members have a nominated client account manager with whom to explore the results of the index within their organisation and look at ways that Stonewall can help them to improve. It allows organisations to chart their progress over time, with the Top 100 employers being recognised by Stonewall when we publish the results. This celebrates the success of employers but the index is not a kite mark style accreditation.  Whilst many employers are doing fantastic work, even those at the top of the index say that there is much more to be done and Stonewall will continue to challenge and work with employers in progressing this agenda.