What an amazing night for organisations right across the country!
The National Centre for Diversity held its prestigious Annual Grand Awards event on Thursday 16th March 2017 at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.
It was a glittering and emotional night of celebration, of the sheer hard work of people that work in the country’s best companies in relation to Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement (FREDIE).
There were individual and organisational awards to mark the contributions of some of the most inspiring, passionate and brilliant individuals who work tirelessly every day, to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for all within their organisations– whatever your background.
During the evening the National Centre for Diversity announced its UK Top 100 Index 2017, highlighting 100 of the UK’s best organisations.
Huddersfield New College came in at Number 1 having jumped a massive 54 places, from where they featured in the 2016 Top 100 Index.
Victim Support won Charity of the Year, they also jumped a massive 57 places, climbing from Number 68 in 2016 to Number 9 this year.
The much coveted Chief Executive of the Year title went to Pat Edwards, from London based organisation, NEWTEC.
Construction Company of the Year went to the construction giants, Interserve Construction.
Engineering heavyweights NG Bailey won this year’s UK Engineering Company of the Year. NG Bailey came in at a very creditworthy Number 71 in the 2017 Top 100 Index, and also narrowly missed out on the UK Large Business of the Year award, which went to the huge success story that is Prospects Services.
Arriva Rail North won the prestigious UK Transportation Company of the Year award, having been the first transport company ever to achieve the highly-desired Leaders in Diversity accreditation. They also reached Number 91 in last night’s Top 100 Index.
Huddersfield New College’s Principal and CEO, Angela Williams was awarded the UK College Principal of the Year title; whilst her colleague Erika Montgomery won the UK EDI Lead of the Year award. Huddersfield New College also celebrated as they received the award for the UK’s Organisation of the Year 2017.
Yorkshire Building Society’s Nicola Hosty won ‘Special Achievement of the Year’ Award.
Solat Chaudhry, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Diversity said “Tonight’s Grand Awards has been phenomenal. I’d like to offer huge congratulations to not only the award winners, but those who were also shortlisted and nominated for one of our awards.
Beyond this year’s Awards evening, we at the National Centre for Diversity know that there are fantastic people right across the country; working hard to make their organisations, wider communities and the UK, in general, a better and more equitable place for us all. We commend you all for your hard work, we know this is a journey that never stops, and we’re here to support you all in that journey.”
The Top 100 Index is dictated by the results of the diagnostic surveys completed by those who have embarked on an accreditation journey with the National Centre for Diversity. The Top 100 Index is also used to determine the winners of the organisational awards presented during the Grand Awards evening, such as UK Transportation Organisation of the Year and UK Organisation of the Year.
The winners of the individual awards, such as UK Employee of the Year and UK College Principal of the Year, are decided by an independent panel of judges, selected from the nominations received by the National Centre of Diversity.
The Top 100 Index 2017 and full list of 2017 winners is available on the National Centre for Diversity website.
The National Centre for Diversity’s next event will be the FE Sector Diversity Awards 2017, which will be held in Birmingham in November.
