Category: Latest Blog

Gateway Housing operates in the three most diverse and deprived boroughs in London, Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. They have a diverse and representative workforce that positively impacts the community they serve. At Gateway, diversity is not an initiative that they visit from time to time, it is part of their DNA. One of the key features highlighted by staff is that Gateway is the most diverse housing association they have worked for, and this starts from the top. The Board comprises nine people; Of these, 4 are female, 4 are from a BME background, and one person is disabled. The most significant contribution that Gateway makes to alleviate deprivation is providing good quality housing for the diverse communities they serve. Gateway understand their local demographic and run numerous initiatives including their innovative employment project STEP, enhancing the life work and skills of their local community, as well as a dedicated training centre ‘Zone’, and a regeneration programme to modernise their sheltered schemes.

Joan is a proud Nurse, NHS Change Day hubby and Care Maker coordinator for East Midlands. He is also a 6C! LIVE Champion, a Dignity Champion, a Dementia Friends and a certified Change Agent. Joan’s passion and dedication for providing excellent care is evident in the unsolicited praise from patients and staff alike. Within the last 12 months, Joan has helped to create and expand the BME Network Group to make racial equality part of DCHS’ custom and practice by raising awareness of workforce diversity. Joan is also working alongside Helen Sanderson promoting patient centered care introducing the One Page Profiles into East Midlands and with Andy Bradley embracing the Compassionate Circles. A perfect example of a nurse going above and beyond the expected, Joan also led the Rectory Road project and is heavily involved with the RCN actively organising events and raising awareness surrounding Nursing Matters. Joan is on a mission to turn the healthcare system upside down and empower frontline line staff & patients to lead together.

In 2011, Colin gave up his career at Durham University to develop a cutting edge app alongside his wife Beverley. Combining his previous experience in both education and IT, Colin co-founded Special iApps, an educational resource tailored specifically to disabled children. The idea for this groundbreaking app rose when Colin and Bev’s son William was awarded an iPad. They felt that the apps available were not accessible to children like their own son who has Down syndrome, complex needs and poor fine motor skills. This was the start of a pioneering journey which saw Colin write and design education apps for disabled children and adults. Special iApps launched with Special Words and Special Stories which proved to be extremely successful and popular amongst clients. Both apps provide a clear uncluttered user interface. There are no distractions, no advertising and no analytics. Today, Special iApps provide 11 exceptional apps tailored to a range of disabilities, helping to teach children in 22 languages over 100 countries.

For nearly 30 years, Julie Charles has been deeply involved with developing BME community driven strategies, and in 1996 founded Equalities National Council. Over the past 18 years, her energies have been focused on developing recognized, sustainable, local and national BME disabled people and carer’s driven strategies, all of which has been at an unpaid capacity. Julie advises on a variety of ministerial boards, all of which have of course benefited from her entrepreneurial style and wealth of grass roots knowledge. ENC is at the cutting edge of breaking into seams of a tough bureaucratic process and has truly emerged as the National Strategic Body. ENC is the only Advocacy and mentoring enterprise specifically targeting BME disabled people and carers, and those with mental health difficulties and long term impairments. Furthermore, it is actively engaged in making national representation on these issues. Julie has become an ambassador for change by implementing policies and practices. Her lifetime worth of work is truly astonishing.

Situated in the North West of England, Diversity and Inclusion is a strategic priority for Lancashire Constabulary who employ approximately 5600 staff. The constabulary is one of the top performing police forces in the country and leads the field in the approach to policing communities. Lancon are wholly committed to developing a diverse and inclusive workforce that not only reflects the varied communities that they are involved in, but also takes part in many activities and events that are dedicated to inclusion at the core. As well as Lancon’s established Independent Advisory Group and Key Individual Network, which allows community members to actively engage in partnership work with their organisation on an advisory level, Diversity Teams across the force continually develop bespoke initiatives that involve local communities such as Imams and Mosques Forum and Active LGBT liaison engagement. It is no exaggeration to say that Lancashire Constabulary are years ahead of their peers in the equality and diversity agenda.

Robert is Executive Director of Finance at Circle Housing Group, the UK’s 3rd largest provider of affordable housing. He has established himself as an LGBT role model across the sector and within Circle Housing, providing sponsorship to the Head of Diversity. However, Robert’s commitment to diversity goes far beyond his role at Circle Housing. Described as an ‘inspirational leader’, Robert engages with a wide range of diversity channels and initiatives, including a diversity champion’s programme, a social networking group and mentoring. In all of his roles Robert has championed inclusion to be brought up the agenda, playing an active role in LGBT customer groups and working tirelessly to break down barriers. Robert has made an outstanding contribution to organisations and has set the tone across the housing sector, leading in a confident, open and approachable way. Robert is synonymous with organisation transformation and driving cultural change, and his strong track record is a testament to the high impact goals that he sets.

The University of Sunderland recognises that learning does not just take place in the classroom or at training events; it comes from bringing people together to share and value experiences, cultures and behaviours. The University’s Single Equality Scheme which has been endorsed by the Board of Governors, is underpinned by a Single Equality Action Plan which has several key strategic aims. One of the strategic aims is to Promote Equality and Diversity Values and to continue to be recognised as an inclusive University. The University’s Equality and Diversity Group, identifies and prioritises actions on an annual basis. One of the actions that was identified was to hold an annual month long University Celebration of Diversity Events which underpins a whole series of diversity activities that takes place throughout the year. This extraordinary celebration raised awareness of equality, diversity and inclusivity of the University Community. The University of Sheffield’s pioneering work surrounding inclusion deserves to be commended.

BAE Systems is a global defence, aerospace and security company employing around 88,200 people worldwide. At BAE Systems, it is evident that diversity is important for business growth. They have shown transparent results that a workforce with employees drawn from different backgrounds encourages innovation, improves productivity and brings them closer to their customers. Their exemplary diversity strategy has produced a number of groundbreaking initiatives for the organisation to fulfil their vision of being fully inclusive. They have rolled out “Unconscious Bias” training to a population of 6,200 leaders and last year developed fundamental Engaging Men sessions to help men understand how they can be powerful change agents to achieving better gender balance. In addition, the diversity of their internship programme has increased significantly and over 213,000 young people have engaged with their Education Roadshow. Quality nominations and stunning evidence showcase why BAE systems are a truly diverse employer.

Jeanette has served as a prison officer in the prison service for 27 years, and has demonstrated an increasing passion for fairness, respect and equality throughout her role. She became an Equality Officer in 2008, and with the difficult task of undertaking a diverse prison and workforce, worked tirelessly to embed inclusion into the organisation at every level. Jeanette has delivered a phenomenal sustainable strategy and has given staff a greater awareness around the protected characteristics, which has enhanced their performance; this was reflected in an HMCIP Inspection and equality audit, achieving over 95% good practice. In addition, Jeanette has developed a new staff equality and diversity induction programme including an e-learning resource, and she personally inducts all newly employed staff. Jeanette’s own life experiences have provided her with core values to tackle the challenges faced within the prison service; an outstanding amount of progress has been made through positive action and this deserves to be applauded.

Michael has had a remarkable life – his story is one of consistently overcoming incredible odds. At 18yrs, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a deteriorative muscle wasting disease that remains the single biggest genetic killer of children in our world. Nearly 30 years on, Michael is in demand around the world as a sought after inspirational business speaker – he provokes, stimulates and inspires change. When not speaking or consulting, Michael is raising funds and awareness for his charity The Muscle Help Foundation, that delivers transformational experiences in the UK called Muscle Dreams for children and young people afflicted by muscular dystrophy. In January 2004, Michael returned from Antarctica, having successfully led his team to the South Pole. In doing so, he made history by becoming the first disabled person in the world to have successfully led expeditions to both the North and South Poles. Michael is the driving force behind MHF and is a nationwide role model to beneficiaries and young disabled people.