The importance of celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy through awards 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI or EDI or D&I) has probably never been so much at the forefront of business priorities. Through the inward lens of diversity, be it race, faith, gender, sexuality, gender identity, socio-economic background, disability or age, there are many facets to the creation of a diverse workplace. What can sometimes be harder, is then making that workplace equitable and inclusive.

When equality, diversity and inclusion are present, businesses can reap the rewards:

• The business will become more successful.
• Employees will be invested, motivated and engaged.
• Bullying, harassment and discrimination will be eliminated.
• Customers will receive a diverse service – enhancing reputation and brand.
• The company’s reputation and brand will be enhanced.
• Staff retention and attraction will improve.
• The organisation will become an employer of choice.

This highlights the increasing importance of a continuous effort by companies to continue to plan, evaluate and improve strategies and objectives on an ongoing basis.

While the state of DEI efforts varies by company, industry and geography, a growing number of management teams have recognised the importance and urgency of taking action to drive progress on DEI. For example, McKinsey & Company’s (2023) latest DEI report shows that;

• In 2020, the global market for DEI (dollars spent by companies on DEI-related efforts) was estimated at $7.5bn and is projected to more than double to $15.4bn by 2026.
• Inequality movements globally (Black Lives Matter, the global campaign for LGBTQ+ rights etc.) have galvanised public action and increased awareness.
• Evolving consumer expectation – 58% of consumers advocate for brands based on their values and actions.
• Social media proliferation.
• Investor attention to ESG (environmental, social and governance) metrics (Read our guide to ESG Awards).
• Competition for talent – young millennials and members of GenZ list “diverse and inclusive organisation” in their top three things they look for in an employer.
• Impact on performance – ethnically diverse companies and gender diverse companies are 36% and 25% more likely, respectively, to financially outperform companies that are of average diversity in their industry.

Understanding DEI

Diversity, Equity and inclusion all go hand in hand, but although members of the same family they are most definitely different from one another. This means that organisations need to consider all of them in their people practices and strategies.

• Diversity – the range of people in the workforce will be diverse. There will be a good mix of genders, ages, religions, sexual preferences, cultures and disabilities. These differences will be valued, not discriminated against.
• Equality/Equity – all people will be treated fairly, irrespective of differences.
• Inclusion – everyone feels valued. They will feel free to express personal opinions and ideas, discussing any problem areas with management and removing the presence of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

“You have fantastic internal DEI initiatives, great communications, senior buy-in and measurable impacts within the business and beyond. Why not celebrate your initiatives with your colleagues and grow your reputation?”

Which DEI awards should I enter?

Why should you enter DEI awards? The answer is quite simply, why wouldn’t you? You are proud of what you do. You have fantastic internal (and possibly external) DEI initiatives, great communications, senior buy-in and measurable impacts within the business and beyond. Why not celebrate your initiatives with your colleagues and grow your reputation?

But what are the best DEI awards to enter, well that is where we are here to help. We can help match your objectives and initiatives to the best awards for you. Below I will outline some of the key schemes for you to consider…

Inclusive Companies Top 50 Employers and Awards (UK focus)

This league table of the most inclusive employers in the UK shines a light on best practice across all strands of diversity – age, disability, gender, LGBTQ+, race, faith and religion. It focusses on representation at management, senior, executive and board level, as well as inclusive cultures at work and within communities.

The unveiling of the list will take place at the Inclusive Companies Awards ceremony. The Inclusive Companies Awards rewards organisations for harnessing a truly diverse workforce, thus recognising the significant efforts of organisations nationwide that excel in their commitment to equality and inclusion across all strands of diversity. Focussing on leading diversity champions, significant role models and extraordinary employees that have displayed motivation, innovation and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

To enter the list, you will need to become an Inclusive Companies member – this gives you access to exclusive DEI events, networking and the survey for benchmarking (Autumn deadline). The awards are open and free to enter with the same deadline as the Inclusive Companies Top 50 (although you do not need to be a member to enter the awards).

Eligible Region: UK

Link: https://inclusiveawards.com/

Many of the broader “best places to work” Indices and Rankings include sections that examine your Inclusion and Diversity through staff surveys and benchmarking questions. (see below).

“By feeling included, employees feel less stressed and are less likely to have negative emotions towards their employer. A greater diversity of voices are heard throughout an organisation encouraging a melting pot of free thinking that breeds blue-sky ideas.”

The OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Model Lists are a powerful reflection of the incredible achievements of LGBTQ+ people and allies in the business community.

EMpower deadline is usually March, HERoes in May and OUTstanding in July.

The UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMO’s) are about making the advancement of social mobility a key part of how organisations are run in this country.

The SOMOs themselves are a unique set of awards that have been specifically established to recognise and encourage action that will promote and increase social mobility within Britain’s companies and institutions. These awards elevate social mobility as a cause equal to the level of other diversity issues.

The SOMO’s usually open in April and close end of June.

The National Diversity Awards celebrate the excellent achievements of grass- root communities that tackle the issues in today’s society, giving them recognition for their dedication and hard work.

Charities, role models and community heroes will be honoured, showcasing their outstanding devotion to enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion; thus, embracing the excellence of all our citizens irrespective of race, faith, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and culture.

The National Diversity Awards usually close in May with the event held in September.

DEI impacts across your business

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategies and initiatives impact across the business and there are plenty of awards categories that look at these, for example:

• The PPMA Excellence in People Management Awards have categories that look at;
  • Inclusion and Diversity Programmes.
  • Health & Wellbeing.
  • Organisation Development Initiatives.
• Inspiring Workplaces believe in recognising and shaping businesses that want to inspire positive change in the world. These awards are split by EMEA, North America and Australasia editions, and include categories such as;
  • Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion.
  • Inspiring Culture.
  • Inspiring Experience.
• The Personnel Today Awards is incredibly competitive and celebrate excellence in HR and Learning and Development. The categories include;
  • Diversity & Inclusion.
  • Family Friendly Employer.
  • Health & Wellbeing.

Great places to work

There are also indices that evaluate your whole business. These can be very competitive and can range from a simple online survey of employees (Sunday Times Top 100 powered by WorkL) to an in depth dive into business policies and practices (Great Places to Work).
The Sunday Times have relaunched their prestigious awards with a new partnership, the employee engagement platform, WorkL. The winners lists will be selected solely from the results of an employee survey, with 26 questions on topics ranging from reward and recognition to empowerment and wellbeing.
Whereas, Great Place to Work UK is part of a global organisation which surveys approximately 10,000 organisations around the world each year and is the company behind the Best Workplaces™ Awards. The award is based upon its Trust Index© Employee Survey and its Culture Audit©, which is a document about your organisations workplace culture (this is where Boost can help). The Culture Audit© is only relevant for companies over 1,000 employees, and is solely focused on your company’s culture, the programmes and the practices that have been put in place.

Read more in our comprehensive guide to entering great employer and best places to work schemes.  

There are of course even more diversity and inclusion awards to consider, these include but are not limited to:

• British LGBT Awards
• European Diversity Awards
• British Diversity Awards
• Disability Matters Awards
• Investing in Ethnicity Awards
• National Centre for Diversity NCFD FREDIE Awards
• Global Equality and Diversity Awards

Industry-specific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion awards 

Alongside the broader cross-industry DEI awards we’ve spoken about already, there are of course sector and industry specific awards that you can enter. There are more than I can list, but here are some of the most well-known;

• The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Awards
• The UK Diversity Legal Awards
• Diversity in Advertising
• FTAdviser Diversity in Finance
• Diversity Champion Award and International Inclusion Award
• SEED Awards for Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Design
• BEDSA British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards
• European HR Diversity Awards
• Diversity and Inclusion Heroes Awards (education)

Help entering diversity, equity and inclusion awards

Entering any awards can be a time-consuming and daunting task, especially when some of the key index’s entries are over 10,000 words.

We’ve been helping businesses enter and climb through the DEI rankings since 2006 – some up more than 50 places in a year into the top ten – and helping our clients to win sector and industry-wide DEI awards. Not only can we do all the work on the entries, but we also continue on the journey with you, suggesting changes to implement either for the entry or after for the following year – helping continuous improvement in your DEI strategy and initiatives. We are more experienced than any other agency in the world when it comes to these awards and rankings.

We can also help you gather the necessary data and measurable impacts to ensure your entry stands above the crowd. Through our award-winning sister company Boost Evaluation we can offer a range of services, including employee engagement surveys, research and a real-time DEI tool. Visit https://boost-evaluation.co.uk/  

I have personally helped companies enter and win many of the awards outlined above and would be happy to give you a call to help you double check your chances of success and explain our pricing options. You can email me directly at emma.turnbull@boost-awards.co.uk 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Emma

The importance of celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy through awards 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI or EDI or D&I) has probably never been so much at the forefront of business priorities. Through the inward lens of diversity, be it race, faith, gender, sexuality, gender identity, socio-economic background, disability or age, there are many facets to the creation of a diverse workplace. What can sometimes be harder, is then making that workplace equitable and inclusive.

When equality, diversity and inclusion are present, businesses can reap the rewards:

• The business will become more successful.
• Employees will be invested, motivated and engaged.
• Bullying, harassment and discrimination will be eliminated.
• Customers will receive a diverse service – enhancing reputation and brand.
• The company’s reputation and brand will be enhanced.
• Staff retention and attraction will improve.
• The organisation will become an employer of choice.

This highlights the increasing importance of a continuous effort by companies to continue to plan, evaluate and improve strategies and objectives on an ongoing basis.

While the state of DEI efforts varies by company, industry and geography, a growing number of management teams have recognised the importance and urgency of taking action to drive progress on DEI. For example, McKinsey & Company’s (2023) latest DEI report shows that;

• In 2020, the global market for DEI (dollars spent by companies on DEI-related efforts) was estimated at $7.5bn and is projected to more than double to $15.4bn by 2026.
• Inequality movements globally (Black Lives Matter, the global campaign for LGBTQ+ rights etc.) have galvanised public action and increased awareness.
• Evolving consumer expectation – 58% of consumers advocate for brands based on their values and actions.
• Social media proliferation.
• Investor attention to ESG (environmental, social and governance) metrics (Read our guide to ESG Awards).
• Competition for talent – young millennials and members of GenZ list “diverse and inclusive organisation” in their top three things they look for in an employer.
• Impact on performance – ethnically diverse companies and gender diverse companies are 36% and 25% more likely, respectively, to financially outperform companies that are of average diversity in their industry.

Understanding DEI

Diversity, Equity and inclusion all go hand in hand, but although members of the same family they are most definitely different from one another. This means that organisations need to consider all of them in their people practices and strategies.

• Diversity – the range of people in the workforce will be diverse. There will be a good mix of genders, ages, religions, sexual preferences, cultures and disabilities. These differences will be valued, not discriminated against.
• Equality/Equity – all people will be treated fairly, irrespective of differences.
• Inclusion – everyone feels valued. They will feel free to express personal opinions and ideas, discussing any problem areas with management and removing the presence of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

“You have fantastic internal DEI initiatives, great communications, senior buy-in and measurable impacts within the business and beyond. Why not celebrate your DEI initiatives with your colleagues and grow your reputation?”

What’s particularly important to consider is the concept of intersectionality – people may be part of more than one group that is subject to discrimination: minority race and LGBTQ+; older and caregiver; younger and trans; female and disabled, for example. The compounding effect of intersectionality means that people may be discriminated against in multiple ways and for multiple reasons.

Good DEI decisions benefit workers, wider society, and organisations. Any business case for diversity must consider the potential positive outcomes for individuals, such as impact on well-being, and balance them with business outcomes.

By feeling included, employees feel less stressed and are less likely to have negative emotions towards their employer. A greater diversity of voices are heard throughout an organisation encouraging a melting pot of free thinking that breeds blue-sky ideas.

These benefits can be further enhanced through the application for and winning of awards to celebrate your DEI progress and successes. But which awards?

Which DEI awards should I enter?

Why should you enter DEI awards? The answer is quite simply, why wouldn’t you? You are proud of what you do. You have fantastic internal (and possibly external) DEI initiatives, great communications, senior buy-in and measurable impacts within the business and beyond. Why not celebrate your initiatives with your colleagues and grow your reputation?

But what are the best DEI awards to enter, well that is where we are here to help. We can help match your objectives and initiatives to the best awards for you. Below I will outline some of the key schemes for you to consider…

The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality (UK)

Organisations listed in The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality are committed to gender equality in the workplace and have each taken action to make this happen. The list, (previously known as The Times Top 50 Employers for Women), celebrates outstanding progress and examples of best practice, impact, innovation, and individual achievement.

The comprehensive entry consists of two parts:

• Organisational Data (a series of questions gathering gender metrics/policy provision etc.).
• Question set (the 5,000-word main written entry).

Although these awards are free to enter, please be aware that following assessment and once the Top 50 list has been identified, there will be a promotion fee of £2500 + VAT in order to be included in the list.

Entries open on 8th January 2024 with a 16th February deadline.

Eligible Region: UK

Link: https://www.bitc.org.uk/the-times-top-50-employers-for-gender-equality/

Inclusive Companies Top 50 Employers and Awards (UK focus)

This league table of the most inclusive employers in the UK shines a light on best practice across all strands of diversity – age, disability, gender, LGBTQ+, race, faith and religion. It focusses on representation at management, senior, executive and board level, as well as inclusive cultures at work and within communities.

The unveiling of the list will take place at the Inclusive Companies Awards ceremony. The Inclusive Companies Awards rewards organisations for harnessing a truly diverse workforce, thus recognising the significant efforts of organisations nationwide that excel in their commitment to equality and inclusion across all strands of diversity. Focussing on leading diversity champions, significant role models and extraordinary employees that have displayed motivation, innovation and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

To enter the list, you will need to become an Inclusive Companies member – this gives you access to exclusive DEI events, networking and the survey for benchmarking (Autumn deadline). The awards are open and free to enter with the same deadline as the Inclusive Companies Top 50 (although you do not need to be a member to enter the awards).

Eligible Region: UK

Link: https://inclusiveawards.com/

Many of the broader “best places to work” Indices and Rankings include sections that examine your Inclusion and Diversity through staff surveys and benchmarking questions. (see below).

“By feeling included, employees feel less stressed and are less likely to have negative emotions towards their employer. A greater diversity of voices are heard throughout an organisation encouraging a melting pot of free thinking that breeds blue-sky ideas.”

The OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Model Lists are a powerful reflection of the incredible achievements of LGBTQ+ people and allies in the business community.

EMpower deadline is usually March, HERoes in May and OUTstanding in July.

The UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMO’s) are about making the advancement of social mobility a key part of how organisations are run in this country.

The SOMOs themselves are a unique set of awards that have been specifically established to recognise and encourage action that will promote and increase social mobility within Britain’s companies and institutions. These awards elevate social mobility as a cause equal to the level of other diversity issues.

The SOMO’s usually open in April and close end of June.

The National Diversity Awards celebrate the excellent achievements of grass- root communities that tackle the issues in today’s society, giving them recognition for their dedication and hard work.

Charities, role models and community heroes will be honoured, showcasing their outstanding devotion to enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion; thus, embracing the excellence of all our citizens irrespective of race, faith, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and culture.

The National Diversity Awards usually close in May with the event held in September.

DEI impacts across your business

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategies and initiatives impact across the business and there are plenty of awards categories that look at these, for example:

• The PPMA Excellence in People Management Awards have categories that look at;
  • Inclusion and Diversity Programmes.
  • Health & Wellbeing.
  • Organisation Development Initiatives.
• Inspiring Workplaces believe in recognising and shaping businesses that want to inspire positive change in the world. These awards are split by EMEA, North America and Australasia editions, and include categories such as;
  • Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion.
  • Inspiring Culture.
  • Inspiring Experience.
• The Personnel Today Awards is incredibly competitive and celebrate excellence in HR and Learning and Development. The categories include;
  • Diversity & Inclusion.
  • Family Friendly Employer.
  • Health & Wellbeing.

Great places to work

There are also indices that evaluate your whole business. These can be very competitive and can range from a simple online survey of employees (Sunday Times Top 100 powered by WorkL) to an in depth dive into business policies and practices (Great Places to Work).
The Sunday Times have relaunched their prestigious awards with a new partnership, the employee engagement platform, WorkL. The winners lists will be selected solely from the results of an employee survey, with 26 questions on topics ranging from reward and recognition to empowerment and wellbeing.
Whereas, Great Place to Work UK is part of a global organisation which surveys approximately 10,000 organisations around the world each year and is the company behind the Best Workplaces™ Awards. The award is based upon its Trust Index© Employee Survey and its Culture Audit©, which is a document about your organisations workplace culture (this is where Boost can help). The Culture Audit© is only relevant for companies over 1,000 employees, and is solely focused on your company’s culture, the programmes and the practices that have been put in place.

Read more in our comprehensive guide to entering great employer and best places to work schemes.  

There are of course even more diversity and inclusion awards to consider, these include but are not limited to:

• British LGBT Awards
• European Diversity Awards
• British Diversity Awards
• Disability Matters Awards
• Investing in Ethnicity Awards
• National Centre for Diversity NCFD FREDIE Awards
• Global Equality and Diversity Awards

Industry-specific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion awards 

Alongside the broader cross-industry DEI awards we’ve spoken about already, there are of course sector and industry specific awards that you can enter. There are more than I can list, but here are some of the most well-known;

• The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Awards
• The UK Diversity Legal Awards
• Diversity in Advertising
• FTAdviser Diversity in Finance
• Diversity Champion Award and International Inclusion Award
• SEED Awards for Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Design
• BEDSA British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards
• European HR Diversity Awards
• Diversity and Inclusion Heroes Awards (education)

Help entering diversity, equity and inclusion awards

Entering any awards can be a time-consuming and daunting task, especially when some of the key index’s entries are over 10,000 words.

We’ve been helping businesses enter and climb through the DEI rankings since 2006 – some up more than 50 places in a year into the top ten – and helping our clients to win sector and industry-wide DEI awards. Not only can we do all the work on the entries, but we also continue on the journey with you, suggesting changes to implement either for the entry or after for the following year – helping continuous improvement in your DEI strategy and initiatives. We are more experienced than any other agency in the world when it comes to these awards and rankings.

We can also help you gather the necessary data and measurable impacts to ensure your entry stands above the crowd. Through our award-winning sister company Boost Evaluation we can offer a range of services, including employee engagement surveys, research and a real-time DEI tool. Visit https://boost-evaluation.co.uk/  

I have personally helped companies enter and win many of the awards outlined above and would be happy to give you a call to help you double check your chances of success and explain our pricing options. You can email me directly at emma.turnbull@boost-awards.co.uk 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Emma