Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
has rocketed into the top 10 of LGBT charity
Stonewall’s prestigious Top 100 Employers list for 2017
The Service has jumped five places
from their 13th place in 2016 to
a fantastic 8th position. It is also,
once again, the best performing
emergency service in the UK due
to its efforts to engage lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) staff,
volunteers and communities.
This is the fifth consecutive year the
Service has featured in the Top 100,
which assesses organisations ranging
from local authorities to international
investment banks against criteria
including engagement with staff and
communities, training and leadership.
Last year the Service ranked 13th.
Bob Rudd, the Chair of Cheshire Fire
Authority, the body which oversees
the Service, said the achievement
was a great reward for the
organisation’s efforts around equality
over the last year.
He added: “We are delighted to
be recognised by Stonewall as a
leader for LGBT diversity and inclusion.
The index is a powerful way to help
us demonstrate to our staff and
the communities of Cheshire that
we are here to support everyone,
regardless of their background, sexual
orientation or gender identity.”
Over 430 employers entered the 2017
index, across the public, private and
third sectors. As part of the index there
is a staff feedback questionnaire that
employers ask their staff to complete.
This year Stonewall received over
90,000 responses to the staff survey,
making it one of the largest national
employment surveys in Britain.
The Service was recognised in
particular for its focus on supporting
the community, by addressing the
safety risks faced by LGBT people,
especially those who live alone, those
aged over 65 and young people
- whom the Service engages with
through Prince’s Trust programmes,
cadet units, school visits and other
safety initiatives.
The Service’s efforts in the workplace
to address homophobic abuse and
other forms of bullying were picked
out by Stonewall, including its robust
policies, efforts to engage all staff in
LGBT inclusion and the use of LGBT
youth ambassadors who support the
delivery of LGBT and diversity training
to team leaders and staff working with
young people.
Chief Fire Officer, Paul Hancock
who is also the senior sponsor of the
Service’s LGBT staff Network Firepride,
said: “I am so very proud of the
staff in the Network and Allies and
those across the Service who have
helped to cement our position as a
pioneering employer of choice for
LGBT individuals. To feature in the top
50 of the list over five consecutive
years shows the value that we place
on all our people.
“Despite progress, there are still very
low numbers of visible operational gay
and bisexual staff across the fire and
rescue service, although this is slowly
changing. Our aim is to make sure that
all our staff feel able to be themselves,
give their all and be open at work.
Participating in the Index helps us to shift
perceptions and attitudes in order to
help us achieve that.”
Duncan Bradshaw, Director of
Membership Programmes for Stonewall,
said; “Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
and all those who have made this year’s
Top 100 Employers list have done a
fantastic job, and really do put equality
and inclusion at the forefront of their
work.
“We were thrilled to have 439 submissions
for this year’s Index, one of the most
competitive yet, and I would like to
thank each and every organisation that
took part. With your continued efforts
and hard work, we will continue to work
towards a world where all lesbian, gay,
bi and trans staff are welcomed and
accepted without exception in their
workplaces.”
Paul Hancock concluded: “We want
the best people to work for us, regardless
of background, so I would urge anyone
who would like to join us to keep an
eye on our website for opportunities
such as the Apprenticeship scheme we
are recruiting for this spring or on-call
firefighter recruitment at a number of our
fire s tations.”
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