Barclays 'most gay friendly boss'

Feb 7 2013

Banking and financial services company Barclays has been named Scotland's most gay-friendly employer by an equal rights charity.

The firm was among six Scottish workplaces to make it on to Stonewall's 2013 Top 100 Employers in Britain.

Stonewall, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality charity, said its list was based on a range of indicators which included a confidential survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual employees.

Almost 9,000 people participated across Britain, and the top-ranking organisations were found to have the highest satisfaction levels among homosexual and bisexual staff.

The second-best placed Scottish employer is Lloyds Banking Group, with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service coming in third.

Clydesdale Bank has been named the Scottish Network Group of the Year and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service is awarded Most Improved Employer of the Year. Royal Bank of Scotland also made the Top 100, Stonewall said.

The full results will be announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh tonight, hosted by the arts funding body Creative Scotland.

Colin Macfarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, said: "Every employer in the Top 100 has performed impressively.

"These results are significant as it's just 10 years since we won vital legal protections for gay people in the workplace.

"By seeking to recruit, develop and retain the very best talent regardless of sexual orientation, the Scottish employers featured in the Top 100 are helping to make our workplaces fair and equal in our lifetime."