Nomination Process

Corporate Categories – Winner chosen by judges scoring submissions

Where stated, 12 months indicates from March 2024 to February 2025

Champion Ally 

This award recognises allies that are passionately committed to promoting inclusion, diversity and belonging for diverse ethnic groups, both within and outside the workplace. The individual should not identify as being from an ethnic minority background, and should have used their position to support and actively participate or initiate activities that progress this agenda, both in their own company and the wider world, with a focus on work carried out within the last 12 months.

Past winners: Mat Moakes – OVO, Honey Kirtley – BNY Mellon, Paul Plewman – Macquarie

Exceptional Inclusion  

This award recognises a person who works within the diversity, inclusion, and/or HR sector. The winner of this award should be able to demonstrate that they regularly go above and beyond their day job to ensure that initiatives they implement are innovative and create lasting change within inclusion, diversity and belonging for diverse ethnic groups. Nominees should be able to provide examples within the last 12 months, and should identify as being from any ethnic minority background.

Past winners: Jacquline Alcindor – LGIM, Nicole Williams – Ashurst, Ade Rawcliffe – ITV

Future Leader  

This award recognises a future leader who has shown great future potential within their career and field of work. The future leader will be between the beginning to middle of their career, and will be able to show that they are keen to role model leadership qualities. Additionally, the nominee will be able to demonstrate that they have contributed to furthering inclusion, diversity and belonging for diverse ethnic groups. This individual must be able to show evidence of raising the profile or pushing the boundaries of this agenda within the last 12 months. Nominees for this award should identify as being from any ethnic minority background.

Past winners: Olivia Grant – Reed Smith LLP, Cecilia Adjei-Sarpong – Essence Mediacom, Rachel Henry – Boots

Inspirational Leader  

This award recognises a business leader (specifically someone in a Senior Management role), who has used their influence to effect positive change within inclusion, diversity and belonging for diverse ethnic groups. The nominee should be able to demonstrate they have been a positive role model and has had a strong influence within and outside of their workplace within the last 12 months.

Nominees for this award should identify as being from any ethnic minority background.

Past winners: Geoffrey Williams – Burberry, Oli O’Donoghue – HSBC, Leon Donald – Tesco

Network Group   

This award recognises a network group that can demonstrate that they are active, innovative, and supportive of their diverse ethnic staff. The group must demonstrate that they have gone above and beyond in helping to positively impact inclusion, diversity and belonging for diverse ethnic groups over the last 12 months. Judges will be measuring the value of the network group’s initiatives and engagement relative to their maturity and network size.

Past winners: Black Employee Network – Amazon, BT Ethnic Diversity Network – BT Group, Race Together – Nationwide Building Society

Social Impact

This award recognises where businesses have helped make an impact within ethnic minority communities in Britain. The campaign, purpose-led initiative or pro bono work doesn’t have to be solely based on ethnic minority communities, however it must demonstrate that it has helped improve the lives of people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and has created and embedded sustainable change in an area which is needed. The initiative can be a partnership with another purpose-led organisation or solely led by the business, and can be ongoing or stand alone, however the impact must be demonstrated within the past 12 months.

Past winners: HSBC UK supports Merky Books and Creative Access, Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers

Workplace Hero

This award recognises a diversity champion who has pushed the boundaries when it comes to ethnicity, inclusion within their company and beyond.

The nominee can be at any stage of their career, and must have ethnic inclusion and wider diversity initiatives at the core of everything they do: they should be able to provide examples from within the last 12 months. Nominees for this award should identify as being from any diverse ethnic background.

(The nominee should not be working in a DEI role, please nominate in the Exceptional Inclusion category).

Past winners: Annmarie Holligan – BT Group, Seleeta Watson – Computacenter, Tolu Falade – BP

Business Categories – winner chosen by highest score on Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix

Outstanding Employer  

This award recognises a business which is Investing in the ethnicity agenda across various criteria. This company will be able to demonstrate, through the Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix, that they are creating change by implementing initiatives through the seven categories and recommendations. These include capturing diversity data, implementing an action plan, building understanding and supporting development and representation of diverse ethnic groups.

Past winners: HSBC UK, KPMG UK, Lloyds Banking Group

Community Categories – winner chosen by public vote

Charity or community initiative

This award recognises a community initiative, campaign, non-profit business or charity that actively supports the improvement of the lives of an under-represented or diverse ethnic group or community, fostering positive community engagement and development.

Past Winners: End Violence and Racism Against ESEA Communities (EVR), Muslim Council of Britain

Outstanding contribution To Communities

This award recognises an individual who has gone above and beyond to support a diverse community or communities through advocacy, campaigning or grass roots support. This can either be through work with a charity or founding their own campaign or initiative, but they must be able to demonstrate how they have improved the lives of people from an ethnic group or groups.

Past winners:  Halima Begum – Oxfam, Heela Yoon, Hau-Yu Tam

Public Categories – Winner chosen by public vote

Broadcaster, Journalist Or Host

This award recognises a media personalities who use their platforms to bring attention to issues of diversity, equality, and social justice.
Past winners: Nadia Ali, AJ Odudu, Alison Hammond

Music Artist

This award recognises a musicians who, through their music or personal profile, advance the conversation around equality and inspire positive change in society.
Past winners: Saloni, Rita Ora, Emeli Sandé

Sports Personality

This award recognises an athlete who are not only champions in their sports but also advocates for diversity and inclusion within and beyond their athletic careers.
Past winners: Alice Dearing, Eniola Aluko, Dina Asher-Smith

Online Influencer

This award recognises an influencer those who leverage their online platforms to inspire, educate, and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the digital space.
Past winners: Mason Blake, Miah Carter, Everyday Racism

Inspirational Public Figure

This award recognises a celebrity who have shown outstanding support and advocacy for ethnic diversity and inclusion.
Past winners: Beverley Knight, Steven Bartlett, Naomi Campbell

Media Progress Moment

Past winners:
Netflix’s “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story“, Azeem Rafiq and The Yorkshire County Cricket Club (2022)