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How the Global Index works

The Global Workplace Equality Index is the definitive benchmarking tool for global LGBT workplace equality.

The Global Index empowers organisations to navigate the challenges of upholding inclusive values globally and make progress towards LGBT equality, wherever they operate. It provides organisations with a clear and rigorous action plan for their LGBT inclusion work across the globe.

The best-performing employers receive Top Global Employer awards to recognise and celebrate their progress.

What does an organisation need to do to become a Top Global Employer?

Each entrant compiles a submission demonstrating their organisation’s performance against a standard set of criteria.

The criteria are split across seven different areas of employment policy and practice, examining both global working structures and operational in-country activity:

  • Workplace policy: how the organisation guarantees the equal treatment of LGBT employees through its global policies.
  • LGBT Employee Network Groups: how the organisation supports the development of its global employee network group, the activities it carries out, and specific support for local chapters.
  • Leaders and changemakers: how the organisation supports individual leaders, role models and allies to make a positive impact.
  • Talent and development: how the organisation attracts diverse talent, develops LGBT individuals, and collects workforce data to analyse barriers facing LGBT employees.
  • Safe travel: how the organisation supports LGBT people before and during overseas travel.
  • Supply chain: how the organisation engages with existing and potential suppliers across their global supply chain.
  • Human rights, partnerships and advocacy: how the organisation publicly commits to human rights initiatives, develops meaningful partnerships with local LGBT organisations, and participates in advocacy to champion equality for LGBT people.

Global employers navigate challenging legislative, socio-political and cultural landscapes when it comes to embedding LGBT equality across a global footprint. We’ve designed a zoning system that breaks down the world into ‘zones’ based on some key legislative factors relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. Through this zoning system and the criteria in the Index, employers are guided to design and embed appropriate initiatives for the locations in which they work.

How is the Global Workplace Equality Index marked and scored?

The Global Index is marked by experts in the field of LGBT workplace equality. All markers undergo extensive training to ensure that every organisation is marked to the same high standards.

Our Gold, Silver and Bronze award levels mean that all entrants have a clear and fixed path of progress. But the WEI isn’t designed to be something you can ‘complete’ – no organisation gets full marks.

What kind of feedback do entrants receive?

The Global Index is designed as a developmental framework, meaning respondents are supported with in-depth feedback to build a robust, tailored action plan to improve their work year by year.

Members of Stonewall’s Global Diversity Champions programme receive in-depth feedback on their submissions. This includes:

  • Written feedback on every section of their submission
  • Information on how they compare to other employers in their sector
  • A two-hour benchmarking meeting with a Stonewall expert to discuss their results

Find out more about working with us.