23.2.22

This LQBTQ+ History Month, Cardiff Council has been recognised with the highest award forcommitment to equality and diversity in the workplace.

The Council has achieved Stonewall Gold Status by the charity thatstands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender (LGBTQ+) rights.The award comes as part of, Stonewall's Bring Yourself to Work campaign which highlights the importance of inclusive work environments.

The award has been made in recognition of the excellent work to imbed equality, value diversity and demonstrate inclusivity from application processes to employment within the organisation.

Addressing unconscious bias by using name and address-blind CVs in recruitment, providinga range of equality and diversity training for employees and being an established member of the Proud council network in South Wales through the LGBTQ+ Employee Network, have all been demonstrated by the Council andbenchmarked against the latest best practice for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, Cllr Chris Weaver (he/him), said: "I'm delighted that the Council has been awarded the Stonewall Gold Employer Award.

"Cardiff is a very diverse city. We embrace and celebrate that diversity and are committed to building a fair society where all of our citizens are able to access the services that meet their needs.

"The Council is committed toinclusivity for our service users and as a welcoming environment for current and future LGBTQ+ staff. 

"We are always working to continually improve our inclusion and celebration of LGBTQ+ people and identities."

Liz Ward, Director of Programmes at Stonewall (she/her) said, "We spend so much of our time at work, and our career can be a huge part of how we define ourselves. Every single lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer person should be able to be themself at work. From understanding how HR policies, such as parental leave, will affect them, to being reassured that they can speak openly about their lives and partners at the coffee machine, the impact of inclusive workplaces can be life-changing.

"It's fantastic that Cardiff Council has gained gold for their efforts and commitment to creating an inclusive work environment, and we look forward to seeing and supporting the rest of their inclusion journey."

The Stonewall Top 100 Employers list this year can be found on theStonewall website, as well as further information about the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion.