Cambridge has been ranked the best university in the country in a list of the most gay-friendly workplaces.

The 2013 Workplace Equality Index, produced by Stonewall, placed Cambridge 11th, making it the best-performing higher education employer in the country for lesbian, gay and bisexual employees. The ranking was a repeat of last year’s performance, when Cambridge jumped nearly 80 places from 2011 to make the top 15.

The next university on the 2013 list, Liverpool John Moores University, came in at 28th. Cardiff University, University College London and the University of Liverpool also feature in the top 100. In first place was consultancy firm Accenture, with the Co-Operative, the Home Office and Ernst & Young also making the top ten.

Sigrid Fisher, Cambridge University's head of equality and diversity, said Cambridge was "very pleased to retain the same high ranking we achieved last year. This shows that the work the University has been developing over the last few years to support its LGBT staff is now very much part of the day-to-day workplace."

"Lots of people have helped to bring about this success, particularly our Equality Champions and the LGBT Staff Network, and I am sure we will all continue in our efforts to ensure that the University is an inclusive environment for work and study, for everyone."

The ranking, based on surveys and interviews with nearly 9,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual employees, is Stonewall’s “audit of workplace culture for gay staff” and looks at workplace practices and policies on harassment, employee benefits and equality across the country.

Stonewall wrote that Cambridge have “implemented a series of measures to address potential barriers facing LGB staff” and pointed to the university’s programme of diversity training and strong LGBT staff network.

Craig Burns, a second year NatSci at Pembroke, commented: “I think this is great news, and really reflects just how good the welfare provisions are and how much of a non issue not being heterosexual at Cambridge is."

“In my almost one and a half years I've never experienced anything that would even border on homophobia or offence, despite being openly gay. I'm torn that the university is actively targeting ‘LGB’ staff for career help as it seems like a form of positive discrimination, such help should be available for all, but the intention sounds good at heart.”

However, Burns said that more could be done on transgender issues as it “often feels like acceptance of trans people lags that of LGB considerably”, pointing out that the survey only covered lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.