We support customers, clients and colleagues across the broad spectrum of diversity of sexuality and gender identity.
We support customers, clients and colleagues across the broad spectrum of diversity of sexuality and gender identity.
Championing equality, understanding, respect and inclusivity for LGBT+ colleagues, customers and clients is important to us. We recognise that sexual orientation and gender identity are only one part of people’s identity and want them to feel free to express who they are at all times.
We have received global recognition from organisations such as Stonewall and the Human Rights Campaign.
We want every one of our colleagues to feel comfortable being themselves at work. It’s central to our culture here at Barclays. We nurture it through activities and initiatives, and building networks for colleagues to connect.
Our ongoing relationship with Pride globally is just one of the ways in which we show our commitment to the LGBT+ community.
Read more in Barclays Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report:
Making everyone feel comfortable being themselves at work is central to our culture. We nurture this through activities and initiatives,and building networks for colleagues to connect. We provide opportunities for colleagues to attend leadership summits, talent accelerators through our partnership with OutLeadership, the global LGBTQ+ business network.
Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive of Barclays Execution Services (BX)
Making banking inclusive - our history of championing LGBT+ rights
Barclays' has a strong track record in supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) colleagues and customers.
Whether it’s being the first bank to promote a transgender woman to the position of branch manager or the first bank to feature LGBT+ couples in our advertising, we have a strong history of championing LGBT+ rights and being a market leader in this space.
We have also supported marriage equality bills in both the UK and US, and have sponsored Pride celebrations across the world. This includes having sponsored Pride in London since 2014 and supporting many other regional events.
Our personalised debit card function allows customers to add a range of rainbow, bisexual and trans flag filters and overlays to their debit cards – to add a little more Pride into their everyday payments.
Our current account, debit card and savings customers are able to select an ‘MX’ title on their registered account details.
Working at Barclays
We have provided pronouns guidance to all colleagues, explaining the importance of personal pronouns, and encouraging their use across email signatures, video conferencing display names and in person.
Our Out To Drive Change training programme equips leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to provide a supportive, inclusive environment for LGBT+ colleagues. We offer private medical cover for transitioning trans colleagues.
Internships and Apprenticeships
Barclays has delivered a series of diversity-focused recruitment insight events for Apprenticeship hiring in collaboration with Spectrum, to showcase career opportunities and our diversity networks and enrich the diversity of talent we welcome to Barclays Apprenticeship Programmes.
Spectrum – Barclays LGBT+ resource group
Our employee resource group (ERG), Spectrum, is dedicated to supporting colleagues and Spectrum allies who are members or supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer inclusive (LGBT+) community and other non-mainstream groups on the spectrums of sexual orientation and gender identity.
As an ally, colleagues commit to staying informed and vocally challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and to educate others on the importance of inclusion, equality, diversity, and respect.
Spectrum, is one of our longest-standing ERGs, set up nearly 20 years ago and leads the way in celebrating Pride around the world. Our annual Spectrum fundraising dinners raise over £200,000 every year for LGBT+ charities.
Supporting other businesses
Our business and corporate banking team works with start-ups, SME and corporate banking clients to advise them on how to foster inclusive working environments, and support their LGBT+ colleagues through a number of life experiences.
Barclays is proud to be a partner of Open For Business, a coalition of global companies making the case that inclusive, diverse societies are better for business and better for economic growth.
Our partnerships
We’re a Stonewall Top 100 Employer - a list is compiled from the Workplace Equality Index, the UK’s leading benchmarking tool for LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace.
We’re a member of TeamPride, supporting Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign to champion LGBT+ inclusion in sport.
Through fundraising and colleague volunteering we support the Terrence Higgins Trust Work Positive Programme, which supports those living with HIV back into work.
We are a founding partner of LGBT Foundations of Pride in Ageing in the North West, which supports over 50-year olds with access to housing, health, mental wellbeing counselling, and access to group support for coping with isolation.
Sue Baines, an OUTstanding LGBT+ Future Leaders Role Model and Co-Chair of the bank’s Spectrum network, shares how the bank is building an inclusive environment that supports colleagues, customers and communities.
Ray Dempsey, Barclays’ new Group Chief Diversity Officer, on why having ‘difficult conversations’ and a rigorous approach to data are key to fostering real diversity and inclusion.
We talk to Elizabeth Rimmington, Data Architect at Barclaycard, who shares her experience of working at the bank as a transgender woman, the importance of male allies – and why “helping others through change” drives her.
