The University of St Andrews has been shortlisted for the PinkNews Public Sector Equality Award for 2018, an honour which celebrates efforts by public sector employees to improve LGBT+ equality in their workplace.
The annual Awards are one of the UK’s most significant LGBT+ events, celebrating organisations in education, government, and other public services in their fight for equality for all.
On the nomination, Principal Professor Sally Mapstone said, “The University of St Andrews aspires to be a leading light in equality and diversity. To be shortlisted for the PinkNews Public Sector Equality Award is a wonderful endorsement of the progress we have been making.
“We work hard as a community to develop an inclusive culture that values all staff and students, promotes respect, courtesy and friendliness, and eliminates gender bias.”
She continued, “We are the only Scottish university to have achieved LGBT+ charter recognition, and we have developed Diverse St Andrews as a central theme in our new University strategy. We believe that St Andrews is a place where people should be able to fulfil their potential to the maximum, encouraged and supported by the institution, whatever they do and whoever they are.”
In its nomination, PinkNews noted that the University of St Andrews “strives to represent every member of the community through its policies that ensure that LGBTQI+ employees, students, and community members have a voice and are not discriminated against.”
St Andrews is, as Professor Mapstone noted, also the only Scottish university to achieve the LGBT Charter, a programme facilitated by LGBT Youth Scotland that enables organisations or schools to include LGBT+ people in every aspect of work, protect staff, and provide a high-quality service to its customers.
PinkNews noted that the University’s procurement process was endorsed as the best LGBT+ UK higher education sector practice by Stonewall because of its efforts to scrutinise equality policies before giving contracts to companies looking for business with the University.
Speaking of St Andrews, Benjamin Cohen, CEO of PinkNews, said, “We were very impressed with the University of St Andrews’ nomination for this year’s PinkNews Awards and were glad to shortlist them alongside some fantastic Public Sector organisations.”
Other nominees for the award include the House of Commons, Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and Transport for London (TfL). The final winner will be announced on Wednesday 17 October at the PinkNews awards.
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