The winners of last year's Diversity & Inclusion Awards
The Diversity & Inclusion Awards shortlist has been announced, featuring teams and individuals from 17 departments who have gone out of their way to “champion difference” in government.
The Ministry of Justice features heavily in the 2018 shortlist, with two of its projects receiving five nominations between them, alongside nominations for individual employees. Smaller and newer departments such as the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade are also represented with three nominations between them, while agencies Public Health England and the Health & Safety Executive have three nominations each.
Cross-government projects also feature, such as the volunteer team working on the Suffrage Centenary celebrations, and co-chairs of the Race to the Top network for BAME staff in Grade 6 and 7 roles.
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All nominations were asked to show measurable benefits and demonstrate the impact of their work. In the Home Office, one project aimed at improving mental health awareness has also helped to cut sick leave in the business area it targeted – saving £110,000 over 18 months as a result.
Another Home Office employee – who has now been seconded to work with the University of Cambridge on gender and workplace culture – used data-driven profiles of individual business areas to tackle micro-aggressions which were preventing women from progressing in the organization.
Launching the awards earlier this year, cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood said: “Being nominated for an award is recognition of the contribution and success of those colleagues who have gone out of their way to champion difference and to make the civil service a great place to work.
“It is our ambition to make the civil service the UK's most inclusive employer by 2020. This will only happen when differences of background and points of view are truly valued in a civil service that is diverse, inclusive and constantly challenging itself to do better.”
The winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony on 5 October.
For full details of the shortlist visit the Diversity & Inclusion Awards website.