South: Law firm Blake Morgan climbs ranks in equality index

Law firm Blake Morgan has been recognised for its commitment to supporting lesbian, gay, bi and trans employees with an improved ranking in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

The firm is among 434 organisations to be ranked in the index, described as the definitive benchmarking tool for employers to measure their progress on inclusion in the workplace.

Blake Morgan, which is a sponsor of Women in Business, the annual awards campaign staged by The Business Magazine, climbed 81 places from its ranking in the previous year. This major increase is a reflection of the success of the firm's efforts in continuing to develop an inclusive workplace over the past 12 months. 

Organisations are asked by Stonewall to demonstrate their work and progress in 10 areas of employment and practice. This information is used to determine the rankings, along with an anonymous survey of more than 90,000 employees across participating employers.

Liz Bryne, head of learning and development at Blake Morgan, said: “Blake Morgan has a long-standing commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace, and we are dedicated to ensuring that every team member is equally valued and respected. We are pleased that this commitment and our continued progress has been recognised in this well-respected national index.”

Bruce Potter, chairman at Blake Morgan, said: “Blake Morgan is built on its outstanding people. By removing barriers and enabling them to reach their fullest potential, we aim to ensure that all staff can help drive forward the success of the firm.

“It is very satisfying to see that our commitment to diversity and inclusion is recognised by Stonewall and, importantly, by the people within Blake Morgan.”

Ruth Hunt, Stonewall’s chief executive, said: "Creating a workplace environment that accepts everyone isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s makes good business sense. When staff feel comfortable, happy and understood they will, of course, perform much better than if they’re having to hide who they are, or if they’re scared to go to work for fear of abuse."

Blake Morgan is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, the leading employers' programme for ensuring all LGBT staff are accepted without exception in the workplace.

The firm also has a dedicated equality, diversity and inclusion committee, and a wealth of resources in an internal training academy which actively seek to raise awareness and provide support and guidance to all within the business.