Workplaces • Page 4
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Sex Matters’ advice to companies on the FCA’s new reporting requirements
Last week, we reported that the Financial Conduct Authority had issued new rules about its requirements for listed companies to report on the proportion of women on corporate boards, scrapping its earlier proposal for this to be based purely on gender self-identification. The new regulations let companies choose whether to report...
29th April 2022
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Diversity and inclusion on boards: advice to companies on new FCA reporting requirements
The Financial Conduct Authority has left it up to companies to determine how they define “men” and “women” in their diversity reporting. This briefing aims to assist boards in complying with the new regulations. We recommend the simplest, clearest, most neutral and most coherent approach: reporting based on sex.
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Sex matters in changing rooms
A story was reported in the media last week about Charlie, a “non-binary teenager”, being excluded from the fitting rooms of the women’s clothing retailer Monsoon in Birmingham. According to the report, Charlie (for avoidance of doubt, a young man) was told to leave the cubicle and then the...
20th April 2022
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Financial Conduct Authority says corporate boards can use sex not gender
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued new rules requiring listed companies to report on the proportion of women on corporate boards, scrapping its earlier proposal to require this to be based on gender self-identification. 439 people and organisations (over 80% of respondents) raised the issue of gender vs sex...
20th April 2022
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Maya Forstater interviewed on BBC Woman’s Hour
Presenter Emma Barnett talks to Maya Forstater about her legal case on 9th March 2022.
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What does it take to get into Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index?
Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index (WEI) has had a revamp, with new “gold”, “silver” and “bronze” awards. Are these medals anything to be proud of?
25th February 2022
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Gender representation on public boards (Scotland) – opinion of the court, 18th February 2022
For Women Scotland sought judicial review of the Scottish Government’s decision to change the definition of “woman”, an appeal against the decision of the Lord Ordinary made on 23rd March 2021.
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Government organisation leaves Stonewall over concerns about impartiality and cost
The government’s Insolvency Service is the latest organisation to leave Stonewall, stating in its internal communications: “Unfortunately, there are concerns around impartiality and upon review, we found that the contract did not represent value for money.” The Insolvency Service joins a growing list of companies and organisations who have...
10th February 2022
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Why UCL decided to leave Stonewall
UCL (University College London) has published the documents about its decision not to re-join Stonewall.
1st February 2022
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Principles for clarity and respect
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is planning to release new guidance on single-sex services imminently. To support this Sex Matters is publishing two briefings. The first one sets out principles for clarity and respect for single-sex services. From everyday facilities such as toilets and changing rooms to...
28th January 2022
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Getting it right – diversity and inclusion on company boards and executive committees
The Financial Conduct Authority’s proposal for monitoring diversity and inclusion is well intentioned, but flawed. Sex Matters and Legal Feminist outline the practical and legal problems in abandoning sex-based monitoring for the controversial concept of “gender identity”, and suggest a better solution.
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Courage calls to courage: in conversation with Maya Forstater
At the Filia 2021 conference, Maya Forstater in an informal discussion with some of the women who have stood up for women's rights and against gender ideology: Stephanie Davies Arai with parents and schools, Joanna Cherry in parliament, Jenni Murray in the media, Laoise Uí Aodha de Brún in...
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Professor Kathleen Stock – the disinformation exposed
The protestors have been circulating falsehoods and vexatious arguments – here‘s our response.
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Exposing disinformation about Kathleen Stock
The intensification of targeting of Professor Kathleen Stock attracted public attention to the long-term campaign against her, and to the larger issue of academic freedom. Claims have been circulating which seek to discredit her and those who support her. We assess each one.
25th October 2021
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A concerning response to the academics’ letter
Signatories to our letter addressed to Baroness Kishwer Falkner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission have received correspondence criticising their decision to sign it, some of which we consider coercive, threatening or discriminatory.
23rd October 2021
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Legal Feminist responds to FCA consultations
Legal Feminist applauds the intention behind the proposals, and is a strong proponent of data-driven policy-making, but felt that the way in which those intentions were to be reflected in rules and policy rendered the proposals at best ineffective and at worst dangerous.
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Pronouns at work
You often ask us what you should do when a workplace asks you to ‘state your pronouns’, in your email signature or during introductions in meetings. We explain the laws surrounding the issue and what to do if this new ritual makes you uncomfortable.
19th October 2021
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Summary of the Sex Matters guide to pronouns at work
A two-page summary of our guide to what you can and can’t be asked to do.
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The Sex Matters guide to: Pronouns at work
Our briefing for employers and employees thinking about workplace rules and policies – and what is and isn’t legal.
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Sex Matters response to Financial Conduct Authority consultation
Why the listing rules for diversity and inclusion should follow the law.
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Sex matters in the City
The Financial Conduct Authority is the regulator for the financial services sector in the UK. They are proposing to set new rules to encourage big companies to have more “female” directors on their boards. The new regulations would cover over 1000 firms, employing tens of millions of people, and...
19th October 2021
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Academics write to the EHRC
In the face of ongoing harassment and discrimination against university staff and students because of their beliefs on sex and gender 240 academics have written to Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chair of the EHRC asking for the EHRC to undertake a “Reindorf Review” for the higher education sector. Download the...
16th October 2021
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The EHRC must step up and provide clarity on single-sex services
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is consulting on its strategic plan for 2022–2025. We have made a submission in the form of a letter to the incoming head of the EHRC, Marcial Boo. Sex is one of the nine protected characteristics for which the EHRC is responsible. Fostering...
5th October 2021
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Ofcom bows out of the Stonewall Champions scheme – but read the small print
Sex Matters has recently learnt that Ofcom is leaving the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme because of concerns that remaining a member “could harm perceptions of Ofcom’s impartiality”. Ofcom, the communications regulator, has been a member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme since 2007, spending over £12,000 in 2019 and...
25th August 2021
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Sex and gender: belief and agnosticism after Forstater
The August 2021 edition of The Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) Briefing features a very helpful article by Akua Reindorf of Cloisters on the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) Judgment in the Forstater case. She asks “Has the EAT’s decision in Forstater brought any light to the heated debate on the...
2nd August 2021
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Gender studies and sexualised threats
Students of Gender Studies at the London School of Economics are taught to view sexualised threats against women in public life (if dressed up in the language of “queer”) as something to applaud.
26th July 2021
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Understanding the risk of following Stonewall guidance – briefing for employers
The mismatches between current legislation and Stonewall’s guidance on ‘trans inclusion’ that employers need to be aware of.
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Employers: consider Stonewall risk
Should I stay or should I go? At least 40 organisations that we know of have left Stonewall including the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, Ofsted and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Anglian Water Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Care Commissioning Group Cabinet Office Cancer Research UK...
7th July 2021
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Do I have to share my pronouns at work?
Woman’s Place UK advise on how to respond if you are asked to share you pronouns at work meetings, add them to email signatures or use them in titles for online meetings.
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The Reindorf Review: a wake-up call for universities
In May 2021 the University of Essex published a review by barrister Akua Reindorf concerning the “deplatforming” of two academics because of their “gender critical” views. The university apologised to the two academics and is working to remedy the deeply concerning issues raised by the review. Sex Matters has...
23rd June 2021
