Britain’s biggest bank pledges ‘solidarity’ with trans staff

Lloyds executives vow to support colleagues after ‘unsettling day’ at the Supreme Court



Britain’s biggest bank has pledged “solidarity” with transgender staff after the Supreme Court ruling on the legal rights of women.

Executives at Lloyds Bank, which counts one in two British adults as customers, have backed transgender staff working at the company, saying they would support them during this “very tough time”.

Hours after the judgement, Andrew Walton, Lloyds’s chief corporate affairs officer, posted on the bank’s intranet to say the lender would back its trans staff following the “unsettling” day.

“Thought I would come on here today with a note of support for our trans and non-binary colleagues on what I know will be an unsettling day following the UK Supreme Court decision,” he wrote on Lloyds’s Rainbow network, the bank’s internal group for LGBTQ+ people, according to messages reviewed by The Telegraph.

“Please know that we cherish and celebrate you and we remain committed to inclusivity. If you’re a line manager, please be mindful of the potential impact on members of your team and be available to them. We are here to listen and support.”

Sharon Doherty, the chief people and places officer at Lloyds, said in response to Mr Walton’s post: “Very well said... Standing in solidarity at this very tough time.”

Both Mr Walton and Ms Doherty are among the most senior leaders at the bank, sitting on a 14-person executive committee headed by Charlie Nunn, the chief executive.

A former Lloyds employee who saw the messages but wishes to remain anonymous criticised the two executives for wading into the trans debate without presenting a balanced approach.

“If you are the chief people officer this is a political matter which has very strong feelings on both ideas,” they said.

“It is risky. What about the women who are fighting for their rights? Employers should look after everybody.”

The ex-employee said the bank had previously made it clear to employees that trans staff could use the toilet facilities that were most comfortable to them.

Lloyds Bank declined to comment.