Three Big Four firms praised for being LGBT-friendly

The UK LGBT equality charity Stonewall has given EY their coveted Star Performers award for being one of the most consistently LGBT-friendly firms to work in across all sectors of the UK economy.

Also in Stonewall's Top-100 Employers 2016 rankings, PwC ranked 11^th and KPMG was in 44^th position.

Over 400 entries

More than 400 employers submitted entries to the 2016 Index, which was the highest number since it first opened in 2005.

PwC's relatively high showing reflects well on the work that the firm's inclusive business network has done over the past year. GLEE@PwC, which stands for Gays, Lesbians and Everyone Else, hosted more than 30 different events and created hundreds of new client connections.

Fantastic achievement

GLEE@PwC partner sponsor Andy Woodfield said: "This is a fantastic achievement for PwC and everybody in the firm should be proud of their role in creating an open, inclusive environment for all staff. We've created something very special – a working environment where our people can be themselves and be different. It continues to be a pleasure to be involved in our GLEE@PwC network and to work closely with Stonewall and others in the LGBT community that help guide our way."

The UK's financial sector had some other star performers in the rankings. Several employers ranked in the top ten of the Stonewall Top 100 Employers list a minimum of three times in the last five years. These companies include Accenture, Barclays and Goldman Sachs.