Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce that it has been ranked in 25th place in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers List 2019.
Compiled from evidence based submissions to Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index, a powerful benchmarking tool used by organisations, this definitive list showcases the best employers for lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) staff across the UK. This year's list attracted submissions from 445 employers across the public, private and third sectors. Stonewall also sought feedback directly from the entrants' employees and received over 92,000 anonymous responses to the employee survey, making it one of the largest employment surveys in Britain.
The firm's inclusion this year as one of the top 25 employers showcases the firm's ongoing investment in creating a workplace where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation and their gender identity, can be themselves and perform to the best of their ability.
In the course of last year Travers Smith developed and delivered a number of initiatives aimed at promoting greater LGBT+ inclusion. Highlights include:
- Launching the second year of its innovative mentoring programme in partnership with LGBT+ charity Just Like Us to give LGBT+ graduates the skills, confidence and support as they transition from university life into the workplace. Through a one-to-one mentoring programme, 25 mentors selected by Travers Smith, work with LGBT+ university students from across the country, giving them the skills and advice to guide them through a period of significant change and to enter the workplace feeling able be their authentic selves.
- Implementing LGBT+ inclusive workplace policies, including producing a trans inclusion toolkit to promote a greater awareness and understanding of trans identities.
- Developing more inclusive LGBT+ workplace benefits, including enhanced surrogacy leave, and the provision of LGBT+ inclusive insurance products and policies from Emerald Life.
- Launching a firm-wide rainbow ribbon campaign, in partnership with Just Like Us, as part of a wider initiative aimed at combatting homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying in schools.
- Visibly signalling our commitment to LGBT+ inclusion by introducing a Pride-themed Travers Smith web logo, a first for a City law firm, and creating a ‘rainbow staircase’ in our office building.
- Supporting a range of LGBT+ charities and organisations, including Just Like Us, SeriesQ, Stonewall and the RVT, by providing significant pro bono legal advice.
Additionally, in October 2018, Daniel Gerring, Head of Pensions and Chair of the Travers Smith LGBT+ network, was ranked at number 15 of 100 in the OUTstanding Leading LGBT+ Executives List, presented by the Financial Times.
Travers Smith's work on LGBT+ inclusion forms part of its wider diversity and inclusion (D&I) programme, which is driven by firm's partner and senior management led D&I Board, which includes Daniel Gerring, HR Director Moira Slape, and CSR & Diversity Director Chris Edwards. The firm's innovative and collaborative approach to D&I works across multiple diversity strands to help create a fully inclusive workplace which enables people to thrive and reach their full potential. Travers Smith's D&I related work complements its CSR Programme, which has been recognised for its award winning work with refugees and asylum seekers, as well as its bold and inventive approach in supporting student and graduate artists.
Daniel Gerring said: "We are thrilled to have been ranked again in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers List. Our inclusion this year in the top 25 is a reflection of our commitment to playing a leadership role, not only in the business world but also within wider society. I am especially proud of what we achieved this year in supporting not only our own LGBT+ people and their allies, but also other LGBT+ communities across the UK and beyond. We are delighted that this work has been recognised by Stonewall, and we look forward to an equally effective year ahead".
Chris Edwards commented: "I'm proud to be part of a firm which has a genuine and authentic commitment to promoting greater LGBT+ inclusion and D&I more broadly. Stonewall research demonstrates that more needs to be done to support marginalised people within the LGBT+ community, and we are committed to working with other industry leaders and stakeholders to drive positive change at organisational and individual levels".