The very best of the UK’s top equality, diversity & inclusion champions celebrated at the NCFD Grand Awards 2020 last night.
Held at Earls Court, London, this year’s event highlighted the excellent work organisations and those that work for them do; to promote Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement (FREDIE) at the highest level in workplaces across the UK.
The event showcases, celebrates and honours companies as exemplars in promoting excellent EDI policies, and individuals who have been recognised for their contributions and commitment to improving practices and making working environments more inclusive.
There were prizes for businesses and organisations from both the private and public sectors with categories recognising innovative initiatives and leadership to student unions and engineering companies.
Solat Chaudhry, NCFD Chief Executive, said: “Well done to everyone. It is so important to demonstrate the excellent work that all our winners tonight achieve in building positive communities to improve cultures and attitudes, ensuring fairness for all.
“I am particularly proud that we celebrate excellent work across all sectors as these organisations are the future of the workplace in the UK.
“We celebrate the exceptional work of people and organisations who have EDI running through their DNA. Let’s rejoice at this and build a better society.
“The outstanding companies that won tonight bring a sense of decency, stability, certainty, well-being, hope, optimism and resilience in a world where mainstream political rhetoric has hardened.”
As always, one of the highly anticipated awards of the evening, Most Inspiring Individual of the Year, this year went to Steve Whitmore, who volunteers as a Special Constable with the Metropolitan Police Service.
The announcement of the number one position in the much coveted NCFD Top 100 Index was awarded to Huddersfield New College, for an impressive fourth year in a row.
Jim Aleander, Independent Consultant to the FE Sector and member of the NCFD’s independent panel of judges, said: “The NCFD Grand Awards are a landmark opportunity to celebrate the value of promoting diversity in the leadership of outstanding organisations. These are people who realise that drawing on all the talents in their workplaces makes excellent business sense as well as being the right thing to do. High achievers in diversity are high achieving organisations – look at these award contenders to see that.”
“Candidates for these awards were diverse in themselves and it was often difficult to say that one form of outstanding service was ahead of another. An example is for Employee of the Year, where as many as thirteen nominations came in for remarkable people doing extraordinary things as part of their everyday work. Hard to judge but easy to celebrate!”
Fellow judge, Khalida Hussain, Impact Funding Partners, added: “It has been a privilege to be involved in judging for the NCFD Grand Awards. I believe the event is a great way to shine a light on some of the fantastic work taking place across UK to move forward Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Only through recognition of efforts can the change we want be an example for others to follow. As a judge I always look forward to the unique opportunity the award event provides, not only for the recipient of the awards but everyone in attendance to enjoy a magical evening of entertainment, networking, sharing and learning.”
“I have been impressed with the calibre of nominations received for all the categories, however I found selecting EDI lead of the year quite challenging with some excellent candidates nominated, working extremely tirelessly to make improvements within their organisations. It is always difficult to make a choice amongst a number of possible worthy winners.”
The prestigious event was hosted by Dr Hanif Malik OBE, and speakers included James Walsh, Head of Legacy & Engagement at Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games; Becky Hewitt, HR Director at Leeds Building Society and 2019’s winner of the Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the Year Mike Regnier, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society who graciously handed over his title for 2020 to Duncan Elliott, Managing Director at GallifordTry Highways.
