Allen & Overy, Pinsent Masons and Herbert Smith Freehills are among six law firms to have been included in a ranking of the world's most LGBT-inclusive employers by equality charity Stonewall.

Baker McKenzie, Dentons and Simmons & Simmons also made the list of 13 "top global employers", alongside corporates such as Barclays, BP, RBS and Vodafone.

Stonewall's Global Workplace Equality Index, now in its seventh year, is an industry indicator that evaluates employers for their commitment towards creating inclusive workplaces and advancing equality for LGBT people worldwide.

Participating employers are ranked on employee policy, training, staff engagement, leadership, monitoring, procurement, community engagement and understanding local context, global mobility, and additional in-country activity.

Pinsents senior partner Richard Foley said: "Everybody deserves to feel comfortable and confident in bringing their whole self to work. As a global employer we firmly believe in the importance of promoting and fostering an inclusive culture across our whole organisation.

"Over the last year, the level of engagement with our diversity programmes has never been higher, not only within our business but among our client base too. We must continue to engage with our colleagues, clients and the wider community and work together to further the progress that is being made in advancing equality for LGBT+ people globally."

Stonewall chief executive Ruth Hunt said: "At a time when global LGBT rights are under threat of going backwards, we're proud to work alongside our top global employers, who operate in some extremely difficult contexts, to ensure all people are protected and welcome at work, wherever they are."

The global ranking comes after Stonewall this January released a list of the UK's most LGBT-friendly employers, with Pinsents, Baker McKenzie and legacy BLP included in the top 10.