Stonewall shuts down claim it ‘purged’ government departments from top 100 employers list

Stonewall, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ organisation, has shut down claims that it “purged” government departments from its 2023 Top 100 Employers list.

In reality, Stonewall says, the list is decided by a set of strict criteria which employers are ranked against, and this year, no government departments made the cut.

The 2023 Top 100 Employers list – which was released back in February – is made up of employers that have done “great work for all LGBTQ+ people” in the last year, and provide an environment where LGBTQ+ folks are free to be themselves.

Three UK ministries, including the Home Office, made Stonewall’s Top 100 list in 2020. In 2023, none did.  

Sharing the months-old news on Friday (18 August), The Telegraph claimed: “Stonewall has purged all government departments from its list of top 100 employers.” 

However, Stonewall told PinkNews that this is not true.

A Stonewall spokesperson said: “Each entrant is marked against set criteria and those in the top 100 scored the highest.

“Media reports that we have ‘purged’ the list of government departments are wholly inaccurate.”

International law firm Clifford Chance tops this year’s Top 100 Employers list, followed by sustainable development firm Arup and the charity Victim Support.

The NHS Business Services Authority, an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care comes in fourth, followed by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. Swansea University, HSBC, Tesco, Unilever and Sky UK all made the top 20. 

*LGBTQ+ people still experience discrimination at work*