Unilever recognised by Stonewall for LGBTQ+ inclusion

Unilever has received recognition from Stonewall for its commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ employees and consumers.

The group has secured a spot on Stonewall's Top 100 Employers list, ranking 16th place overall in the Workplace Equality Index - up 43 places since last year.

Stonewall is Europe’s largest charity for the LGBTQ+ community. It fights for the rights and inclusion of all LGBTQ+ people at all life stages. The Stonewall Workplace Equality Index is a tool for organisations to benchmark and measure their LGBTQ+ inclusion practices against other organisations.

Unilever has also received Stonewall’s gold award status for being a "leading LGBTQ+ employer", and the status of Highly Commended Network, for the group's LGBTQI+ employee network, proUd UK&I.

The proUd network seeks to be "a beacon of inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community and allies". It has 1,200 members globally, with the UK and Ireland network including 400 members.

Recent activities led by the network include "supporting LGBTQ+ charities and events, committing to inclusive talent recruitment, launching and adapting policies to support LGBTQ+ employees, offering training modules, and hosting regular events with guest speakers for employees to learn more".

Austin Key, Co-Chair of proUd UK&I, said: "Myself and the whole network are absolutely thrilled with these results and all the hard work it represents for us to reach 16th place in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

"To also receive Highly Commended Network status this year is amazing and is testament to the strong community we’ve built and continue to grow here at Unilever UK, so that everyone can bring their authentic selves to work."

Other retail businesses to make Stonewall's Top 100 Employers list include Tesco (15th place), L'Oreal UK&I (62nd place), and Amazon UK (97th place).