HSBC, Barclays, Heathrow Airport Ltd and Legal & General Group crowned winners in big night for banks at the British Diversity Awards 2024 headline sponsored by Burberry
Bob Bakish awarded Outstanding Commitment to Global Diversity for his work at Paramount at the star-studded event
British institutions, large companies, corporate leaders and a children’s charity have all been named winners at the 2024 British Diversity Awards.
The awards celebrate leading diversity and inclusion champions, recognising achievements over the past year across ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and religious beliefs.
The awards ceremony, headline sponsored by Burberry, took place at the iconic Great Room at the five-star Grosvenor House Hotel and was hosted by Sky News presenter, Gillian Joseph and NHS doctor and award-winning television presenter, Dr Ranj Singh.
Heathrow Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team were crowned Haleon Diversity Team of Year, while elsewhere it was a big night for Financial companies at the star-studded ceremony which saw the likes of television personality Christine McGuiness and Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes attending.
In a momentous evening for HSBC, their Global Digital Accessibility Programme took home the BT Group sponsored Diversity in Technology specific to Disability award. HSBC Innovation Banking also saw off stiff competition, from the likes of Mace and Moneypenny, to take home the coveted National Grid Company of the Year crown.
EMCOR UK’s Identity Group was awarded the Financial Times partnered Outstanding LGBTQIA Network of the Year, and Deon Fang from Clifford Chance won the Leathwaite backed Diversity Champion of the Year accolade.
Meanwhile, Jason Lee won the Greene King sponsored Media Champion in the Public Eye for his commitment to addressing racism and discrimination in football.
Elsewhere at the BDAs it was a big night for community projects and charities. The Kindness Postbox won the Centrica sponsored Community Project of the Year whilst charity Be Kind Movement were awarded the prestigious Burberry Charity of the Year prize. The charity works to build future generations of emotionally intelligent children, who can lead and influence their workplaces, family lives and communities with compassion, equality, inclusion, respect and diversity. As the winning charity they also took home a generous donation from Burberry.
Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer at Paramount won the Attest sponsored Outstanding Commitment to Global Diversity award for his work promoting Diversity and Inclusion across all strands of Paramount globally, from the content on our screens to his advocacy within the 24,500 strong workforce.
Linda Riley, British Diversity Awards founder, said: “These awards are all about celebrating those who've put in the hard work to support Diversity and Inclusion, inspiring others to become involved. I really hope we saw that reflected tonight.
The companies and business leaders who received awards are a testament to the tremendous efforts being made in the corporate world to promote Diversity and Inclusion.”
Alexandra McCauley, Chief People Officer at Burberry said: “We are delighted to support the British Diversity Awards again this year, and to celebrate the individuals and organisations driving progress towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
We all have an important role to play in reaching this shared vision, and this year’s recipients are testament to what can be achieved with passion and commitment. Congratulations to all of the winners for their outstanding contribution to furthering this mission.”
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Community Project of the Year sponsored by Centrica
Winner: The Kindness Postbox
Highly Commended: SEN Parents in Swale
Highly Commended: Windrush Memories of Arrival, CIRCA
Head of Diversity of the Year sponsored by Sedulo
Winner: Chanelle Gray, Savills UK
Highly Commended: Oliver Holmes, Browne Jacobson
Hero of the Year sponsored by Boots
Winner: Emma Riley, RX
Highly Commended: Ambily Banerjee, Johnson & Johnson
Diversity in Technology (Disability) sponsored by BT Group
Winner: Global Digital Accessibility Programme, HSBC
Highly Commended: Signapse
Diversity Team of the Year sponsored by Haleon
Winner: Heathrow Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team, Heathrow Airport Ltd
Highly Commended: EMEA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team, JPMorgan Chase
Charity or Not-For-Profit of the Year sponsored by Burberry
Winner: Be Kind Movement
Inspirational Role Model of the Year sponsored by Lockton
Winner: Victoria Monk, CSM Sport & Entertainment
Highly Commended: Rakesh Thakrar, Phoenix Group
Outstanding Employee Network of the Year sponsored by Atlanta
Winner: Forces Community Network, Centrica
Highly Commended: Mental Wellbeing ERG, OLIVER
Outstanding Women's Network of the Year sponsored by Financial Times
Winner: Win UK, Barclays
Highly Commended: Women in Aerospace UK ERG, Actuation Systems | Collins Aerospace
Outstanding Ability Network of the Year sponsored by Allianz Commercial
Winner: Neurodiversity Network, Legal & General Group
Highly Commended: ABLE, AXA UK
Outstanding LGBTQIA Network of the Year sponsored by HSBC Innovation Banking
Winner: Identity Group, EMCOR UK
Pride Matters, Colt Technology Services
Outstanding Ethnicity Network of the Year sponsored by Paramount
Winner: Black Affinity Group, Latham & Watkins LLP
Highly Commended: Culture and Ethnicity Network, NTT DATA UK&I
HR Champion of the Year sponsored by Ruebik
Winner: Zoe Brunswick, RSK Group
Highly Commended: Janeace Thompson, PRS for Music
Social Mobility Initiative of the Year sponsored by AMS
Winner: PA in the Community, PA Consulting
Highly Commended: Bank of America x upReach
Diversity Champion of the Year sponsored by Leathwaite
Winner: Deon Fang, Clifford Chance
Highly Commended: Akua Opong, LSEG
Global Diversity Initiative of the Year sponsored by LSEG
Winner: Teens in AI
Highly Commended: In Their Shoes, VIVIDA working together with HSBC
Company of the Year sponsored by National Grid
Winner: HSBC Innovation Banking UK
Highly Commended: Mace
Media Champion in the Public Eye sponsored by Greene King
Winner: Jason Lee
Outstanding Commitment to Diversity sponsored by Attest
Winner: Bob Bakish, Paramount.
