The Inclusive Companies celebrated the winners of this year’s Inclusive Awards, in London’s Hurlingham Club this week.
Hosted in London for the first time, the Inclusive Awards sponsored by EON and Emcor UK this year, are the only awards ceremony that rewards organisations and individuals for harnessing a truly diverse workforce. These awards recognise the significant efforts of those who have excelled in their commitment to equality and inclusion across all strands of diversity.
Dr Yvonne Thompson was honoured with the Lifetime Achiever Award this year. A dynamic leader with a wealth of experience in the communications industry, Dr Thompson is a highly respected change-maker, advocate for small businesses, and champion of diversity and inclusion in the UK. She is author of bestseller, “7 Traits of Highly Successful Women on Boards,” which promotes greater gender and race diversity in company boardrooms. This year, she celebrates the 25th anniversary of the WinTrade Global Women In Business Network Summit and Awards, which she founded.
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP
Stuart Love, CEO of Westminster City Council, scooped the CEO of the Year Award, for his outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Liz Douglas, Group Head of People & Organisations for Group Functions at Anglo American, won the Head of Diversity and Inclusion Award. She is responsible for the end-to-end people strategy for functions. In the last five years, Douglas has established a DEI team, vision, and strategy, leading senior leaders towards full equity commitment.
HSBC UK Inclusion Team, won the Diversity Teams Award. The team prioritises three core values: Representation, Respect, and Reputation, which strive to create positive outcomes for customers, colleagues, and the wider community.
INSPIRING CHANGEMAKERS
myGwork, the largest talent platform and professional network for LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates, inclusive employers and anyone who believes in workplace equality, walked away with the D&I Tech Initiative Award, sponsored by e.on.
Equality Leaders, a team of aspiring change-makers seeking to re-imagine a more inclusive future for their organisations and communities, scooped the D&I Consultancy Award.
INCLUSIVE CULTURES
Metro Bank, dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for its workforce, won the Inclusive Culture Initiative Award. Finally, Aviva walked away with the Outstanding Network Award for its Aviva Origins; a network with the broadest remit of all Aviva’s ERGs, covering race and ethnicity, faith and belief and social mobility.
Independent UK charity Migrant Leaders, which works directly with young people, particularly young migrants, from deprived backgrounds, won the Social Mobility Project Award. The Top 50 Inclusive Employers List and the Diversity Power List were also revealed on the night.
EMBRACING INCLUSION & EQUITY
“The Inclusive Awards is always such a positive and feel-good evening,” said Paul Sesay, CEO of Inclusive Companies and Founder of the Inclusive Awards. “Now in its ninth year, it never fails to make me feel both humbled and proud to witness the immense efforts and achievements of people and organisations taking giant steps to make their workplace, communities and wider society more inclusive and equitable.
“We know that encouraging and embracing an inclusive working environment brings business and market advantages. But it is imperative to look beyond these more obvious benefits to understand and believe that true diversity, inclusion and equity shape and build communities that make everyone stronger. At a time when across the world we are witnessing tragedies born out of an inability to accept diversity and be inclusive, it is never more important to acknowledge how fortunate we are to be able to foster positive change through our own actions.”
OUTSTANDING D&I ACHIEVEMENTS
Sean Fletcher, TV presenter of ITV’s Good Morning Britain and the BBC’s Countryfile, Sunday Morning Live and Songs of Praise, hosted the Inclusive Awards this year. “The Inclusive Awards are a great opportunity to celebrate those individuals and organisations who have done so well this year,” said Fletcher. “More importantly, this event acts as a spark of inspiration for others to see what can be achieved and is hugely encouraging for others looking to bring about positive change in attitudes, behaviours and outcomes in their own circles.
“It’s an honour for me to be on the stage meeting those people who have put so much into their work and rewarding them for their outstanding achievements. I love the way the Inclusive Awards bring together so many people doing such great work: the atmosphere in the room is electric, full of energy and respect for everyone who is playing their part in promoting diversity and inclusion.”
2023 INCLUSIVE AWARD WINNERS
Entries to the eight categories were assessed by an independent panel of judges from diverse cultural and business backgrounds. Together they looked beyond policies and practices to identify those individuals and organisations who could demonstrate they have achieved true diversity, inclusion, equality and equity in their workplace or community. A Highly Commended Award was also given in each category.
The complete list of winners, and highly commended, for each category include:
Head of Diversity & Inclusion Award
- WINNER: Liz Douglas, Anglo American
- Highly Commended: Joanne Conway, DLA Piper
Chief Executive of the Year Award
- WINNER: Stuart Love, Westminster City Council
- Highly Commended: Andy Briggs MBE, The Phoenix Group
D&I Consultancy of the Year Award
- WINNER: Equality Leaders
- Highly Commended: Diverse Educators
D&I Tech Initiative Award
- WINNER: myGwork
- Highly Commended: Global Equality Collective
Inclusive Culture Initiative Award
- WINNER: Metro Bank
- Highly Commended: Auto Trader
Outstanding Diversity Network Award
- WINNER: Aviva Origins
- Highly Commended: University of Sunderland – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Staff
Social Mobility Project Award
- WINNER: Migrant Leaders
- Highly Commended: Greene King
Diversity Team of the Year Award
- WINNER: HSBC UK Inclusion Team
- Highly Commended: Anglo American EDI Team
Lifetime Achiever
- Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE
RELATED ARTICLES
Check out the full shortlist of finalists for 2023’s Inclusive Awards here.
2022’s Inclusive Awards Winners Revealed
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