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SHARING SUCCESS FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE Sarah Garrett MBE founded the Ethnicity Awards to amplify positive change for ethnic minority people in Britain
The Ethnicity Awards with Official Partner, HSBC UK, is an annual celebration that recognises and champions heroes from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds who are making change and progressing equality in their respective fields. The nominated ‘Top 10’ lists include leaders from the business, charity, community and celebrity worlds. Winners are decided by public vote for most categories with the exception of the business categories, which are evidence-based and judged by a panel of diversity experts. It’s been 18 months since the murder of George Floyd, during which time we’ve seen a global discourse around racial equality. These conversations have been difficult, but necessary; highlighting the many ways that the Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority community have been,
and continue to be, failed by a system that wasn’t designed for them. In addition to exposing healthcare inequalities, the pandemic also brought with it a worrying resurgence in anti-Asian racism. Attacks, assaults, and threats to both east Asian individuals and east Asian-owned businesses tripled. Meanwhile, in March 2021, the government released its highly controversial and widely criticised ‘Race Report’, which claimed that institutional and systemic racism no longer exist in the UK. UN officials branded the report as “an attempt to normalize white supremacy”, and at least 20 of the businesses who were thanked for their contribution to the report, including NHS Trusts, police forces, charities, academic institutions and private sector companies, have since distanced themselves from its findings. As an ethnic-minority-owned company that works to advocate for people of colour in the workplace, it’s been a bittersweet year. Despite the moments
of frustration felt by the ethnic minority community, we’ve been thankful for the organisations that have used this as an opportunity to hold themselves accountable and respond with increased transparency in their diversity and inclusion practices. Equally as important have been the celebrities and campaigners, who have used their platforms to publicly champion racial equality, often leaving them vulnerable to racist trolling. The Ethnicity Awards are so proud to spotlight the incredible individuals and organisations that have broken down barriers with their advocacy. There’s a wealth of both role models and best practice to be found in the Top 10 shortlist, listed on the following pages. In the business category, Top 10 Employer Lloyds Banking Group was the first major bank to voluntarily publish their Ethnicity Pay Gap - a trailblazing move that truly refocuses the bank’s aims to improve ethnic diversity in the workplace. Meanwhile HSBC UK’s internal ethnic minority network group, Embrace, has been working with senior leaders to
engage and influence HSBC UK’s policy and culture from the top-down. It is these kinds of initiatives that can help us to tackle the systematic racism which is still very much at play in many corporate environments. In the Top 10 Inspirational Personality category, model and actress Naomi Campbell has long been outspoken about her experience of racial bias in the fashion industry and has been both an activist, and inspiration for many Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority people. Role models such as Arlo Parks, Naga Munchetty, Alex Scott MBE and Sadiq Khan continue to push for better representation in the public eye. We’re proud to have them as our nominees. The Ethnicity Awards 2021 Top 10 shortlist represents such a range of ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse organisations and individuals. Celebrating these champions and allies allows us to raise awareness of the many issues that still face these communities today, whilst simultaneously highlighting the trailblazing work that they have done to promote the ethnicity agenda.
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INVESTING IN ETHNICTY AWARD WINNERS AND TOP 10s Moira Stewart
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT WINNER: MOIRA STUART Moira Stuart is the first Caribbean female newsreader to appear on British TV, beginning her career on BBC News in 1981. With four decades worth of work, Stuart has understandably received significant recognition, including an OBE in 2001 for her services to broadcasting. In 2007, Start presented In Search of Wilberforce, a documentary that looked at the abolitionist movements.
BURBERRY - TOP 10 INSPIRATIONAL PERSONALITIES WINNER: NAOMI CAMPBELL Model, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist, Naomi Campbell has long been outspoken about her experience of racial bias in the fashion industry. In 2013, Campbell joined the advocacy group Diversity Coalition, which, in an open letter, publicly named designers who were failing to use ethnically diverse models. More recently,
Campbell utilised her platform to call out in support of Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho regarding the racism they faced in the UEFO Euro 2020 final. Campbell has long been both an activist, and inspiration for many Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority people. Naomi Campbell
TOP 10S: BEVERLEY KNIGHT Award winning recording artist and campaigner on equality, this charttopping songstress has worked consistently with the Terrence Higgins Trust. HENRY GOLDING Golding has used his stardom (from movies including Crazy Rich Asians) to support the Stop the Asian Hate initiative. JOHN BOYEGA Peckham-born actor, John Boyega has received the BAFTA Rising Star Award, and is a lifetime supporter of the Damilola Taylor Trust, in memory of his childhood friend. NADIYA HUSSAIN Chef, presenter and author, Nadiya Hussain MBE rose to fame from her Bake Off beginnings, releasing 7 cookbooks, and campaigning for mental health. REGE-JEAN PAGE Since his breakout role in Netflix’s Bridgerton, Page’s career continues to skyrocket, and this year he earned a spot on the Time100 Next list. RIO FERDINAND Since hanging up his football boots, Ferdinand has become a prime time TV presenter and a prominent campaigner in the fight against online racist abuse. RIZ AHMED Activist and Actor, Riz Ahmed recently starred in the Oscarworthy Sound of Metal, and uses his spare time to campaign for young refugees. SANDRA OH From Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve family, Oh is the first actress of Asian descent to be nominated for a Primetime EMMY. SOPHIE OKONEDO As one of Britain’s most accomplished actors, Sophie Okonedo was recognised for her work with an OBE in 2010, after three decades of work.
TOP 10 POLITICAL FIGURES WINNER: SADIQ KHAN Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has an extensive history of human rights advocacy, beginning with his career as a human rights solicitor. Throughout his tenure as Mayor, Khan has been outspoken
SARAH OWEN MP British-Chinese MP Sarah Owen is the first female MP of Chinese descent, and has worked as a political advisor for the GMB trade union. TAIWO OWATEMI MP Owantemi has been the Labour MP for Coventry North West since 2019, and is co-chair of the AAPG on knife crime.
TOP 10 MUSIC ARTISTS WINNER: ARLO PARKS
about his faith and background. He recently established the Commission for Diversity in Public Realm to evaluate statues, street names, and other landmarks across London in the wake of the George Floyd protests. TOP 10S: ANUM QAISAR-JAVED MSP Qaisar-Javed Is Scotland’s second female Muslim MP, and has been a prominent campaigner for diverse representation in Parliament. BELL RIBEIRO ADDY MP MP for Streatham, Bell Ribeiro Addy has previously worked as national coordinator of the Student Assembly Against Racism. DAVID LAMMY MP MP for Tottenham since 2000 has used his platform to advocate for Ethnic Minority people in the criminal justice system, and comments frequently on Britain’s history of slavery. KAUKAB STEWART MSP Steward made history in 2021 as one of the first women of colour elected to the Scottish Parliament. KIM JOHNSON MP Liverpool’s first Black MP, Kim Johnson has also recently become a patron of Mandela8, which works to preserve the legacy of Nelson Mandella. NADIA WHITTOME MP At 23, Nadia Whittome was elected the youngest MP in the House of Commons, and has been a high profile campaigner for a range of issues, including domestic violence. SAMUEL KASUMU Former advisor on civil societies, Kasumu was the only black special advisor in Downing Street. He is a prominent campaigner on social justice issues.
At just 21 years old, Arlo Parks has taken the UK by storm with her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams and has now been named Best New Artist at the BRIT Awards and the Mercury Prize. Parks’ music speaks frequently about mental illness and feelings of otherness, with Arlo using her platform to discuss these topics, alongside identity and sexuality. TOP 10S: CELESTE Soulful vocalist Celest has also delivered a heartfelt arrangement over the Trial of the Chicago 7. FKA TWIGS Singer, songwriter, producer, dancer and actress, FKA Twig’s emotional music has made waves in the industry. JOY CROOKES This 22-year old singersongwriter has voiced her anger at issues such as gentrification, racism, xenophobia, Brexit and feminism. JORJA SMITH R&B artist Jorja Smith has written and performed songs inspired by the Black Lives Matter protest as a call to social justice and unity. MABEL Mabel uses her platform to speak out about a range of issues, including discussions of
Arlo Parks
mental health for people of colour. MNEK In addition to achieving fantastic chart success, MNEK uses his voice to speak out for the intersectional communities. MS BANKS Beginning her music career at 11, Ms Banks is a poweful artist in her own right, proving that you don’t need to fit stereotypes to be counted. YOUNG T AND BUGSEY After meeting at 15, Young T and Bugsey speak out frequently about the importance of representation alongside their renowned music careers. ZAYN MALIK Zayn has launched into a stellar solo career since his time in One Direction.
Micah Richards
CAMPAIGNER WINNER: MICAH RICHARDS Former footballer Micah Richards has long been outspoken about both his personal experiences of racial prejudice and within the wider sport. Richards has not only spoken out about the Black Lives Matter movement but has also recently released a Sky Original documentary, Tackling Racism in which Richards addresses the severe problem of racism in football. Most recently, he utilised his following to speak out in support of the English football team in the wake of the racism surrounding the Euro 2020 final.
TOP 10 MEDIA PROGRESS MOMENT WINNER: LEIGH-ANNE PINNOCK: RACE, POP, AND POWER Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Race, Pop, and Power was a powerful BBC documentary that followed the pop singer as she confronted her experience as the only Black
member of Little Mix, and as a Black woman in the music industry. The star won plaudits for the program and said he made it to “stand up for my black and brown community”. TOP 10S: THANDIWE NEWTON RECLAIMING HER NAME The actor formerly known as
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock
Thandie has said she was reclaining her Zulu-derived spelling, declaring ‘I’m taking back what’s mine.’ SHONDA RHIMES’ BRIDGERTON The hit Netflix drama won international praise for reimagining 18th century England as a place where people of colour are front and center. THE ENGLAND TEAM TAKE A KNEE AGAINST RACISM Boos were drowned out by applause as England took the knee before their opening Euro 2020 match against Croatia as a signal of their solidarity against racism and discrimination. LOOSE WOMEN’S FIRST ALL-BLACK PANEL ITV newsreader Charlene White was joined by Kelle Bryan, Judi Love and Brenda Edwards in Loose Women’s First All-Black Panel. HIMESH PATEL IN YESTERDAY Himesh Patel stars in Danny Boyle’s musical Romanic comedy about a world without the Beatles. CHANNEL 5’S ANNE BOLELYN Channel 5’s retelling of Anne Bolelyn saw the first woman of colour to play the ill-fated second wife of Henry VIII. NIDA MANZOOR’S WE ARE LADYPARTS Channel 4’s sitcom follows a British punk rock band which consists entirely of Muslim women. ALEX BERESFORD STANDS UP FOR MEGHAN MARKLE This TV Weatherman spoke out in emphathy of Meghan Markle’s experience of racist during a heartfelt outburst on Good Morning Britain earlier this year. STEVE MCQUEEN’S SMALL AXE Steve Mcquen’s film series has provided us with a unique insight into the experiences of West Indian
immigrants to London from the 1960s to the 1980s.
TOP 10 SPORTS PERSONALITIES WINNER: ALEX SCOTT Alex Scott MBE first rose to fame as a professional footballer, scoring the winning goal for Arsenal in the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup Final. After much success in both the UK and the US, Scott was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Scott has also received much acclaim in her career as a presenter for BBC Sport and Sky Sports, while also covering the English Premier League. Most recently, Scott partook in the show Who Do You Think You Are to learn more about her heritage. TOP 10S: AMAR VIRDI Cricketer Amar Virdi made his first-class debut for Surry at the 2017
Alex Scott
County Championship, and quickly proved his merit on the pitch. Despite struggling with an injury in 2019, Virdi returned to the sport with much success. Amar’s own family has a long history of sportsmanship, with his father representing Kenya in junior tennis previously. ANTHONY JOSHUA Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is not only a global sporting icon, but also spoke out alongside his Watford community in Black Lives Matter protests. BUKAYO SAKA World-class footballer Bukayo Saka is a shining example for being proud of who you are, and is destined for great things both as a footballer, and as an activist. DINA ASHER-SMITH As the fasted woman in British history, Dina Asher-Smith was the poster girl for Team GB in 2020 Tokyo, supporting athletes for taking the knee. EMMA RADUCANU With her first (of many) grant slam wins at the US Open this year, Emma Raducanu as taken the tennis world by storm after her first professional tournament at Wimbledon. JADON SANCHO At only 21, Sancho refused to stay silent on BLM movement, participates in grassroots initiatives in his home community and has recently signed for Manchester United. JOFRA ARCHER This cricketer has represented England all over the world, and speaks out in support of BLM, advocating for all Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority people to be proud of their heritage. MOEEN MUNIR ALI The Worcestershire player uses his platform to highlight issues of racism, alongside his highly successful career in cricket. SKY BROWN At just 13, Sky is Team GB’s youngest ever Olympic athlete, and competed in skateboarding at Tokyo 2020.
TOP 10 PRESENTERS, JOURNALISTS OR HOSTS
Naga Munchetty
WINNER: NAGA MUNCHETTY Arguably one of Britain’s most recognisable faces, Naga Munchetty has worked as a BBC News presenter for over a decade. In September 2019, Munchetty publicly criticised Donald Trump for racism, which breached the BBC’s guidelines at the time. Munchetty stated ‘Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.’ The BBC was heavily criticised for its decision to uphold complaints about Munchetty’s statements, with public figures such as Lenny Henry signing an open letter in support of her statement. TOP 10S: ALISON HAMMOND Alison Hammond is undoubtably one. Of Britain’s best-loved TV personalities, and has won plaudits for the documentary ‘Alison Hammond: Back to School’ which was broadcast for Black History Month. DANE BAPTISTE London-born Dane is the first Black British act to be nominated for a comedy award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for his show, Citizen Dane. EDWARD ENNINFUL Enninful has used his position as the first Black male editor of British Vogue to spotlight diversity, and led Italian Vogue’s first issue of only Black models. GOK WAN After a television breakthrough in 2006, Gok dominated our TVs with his How to Look Good Naked series, and succession of highly successful books. JUNE SARPONG Sarpong is the BBC’s first Director of Creative Diversity, and is known for her work on social justice issues, receiving an OBE in 2020. MARVIN HUMES As one of the most in demand broadcasters in the UK, Humes has a successful career in TV and radio, and over a decde of history in philanthropy, beginning with his previous band, JLS. NISH KUMAR Standup comedian, Kimar has hosted BBC Two’s The Mash Report and the Comedy Central series Joel & Nish vs The World. ROMESH RANGANATHAN Ex mathematics teacher Ranganathan is known for his deadpan and often self-depricating comedy. His flagship show The Ranganation launched in 2019.
ZING TSJENG Journalist, and author of the Forgotten Women book series, Tsjeng is the executive editor of VICE UK, and has freelanced for a wide range of publications.
BP - TOP 10 OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES WINNER: MARISSA BEGONIA Founding member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, Marissa Begonia has dedicated herself to campaigning for the rights of Britain’s 16,000 overseas domestic workers. The charity provides education and community support for domestic workers, including those in
abusive workplaces. Through her own experiences as a domestic worker in Singapore, Hong Kong and London, Marissa has gained the courage to fight on behalf of domestic workers in the UK, helping them to find safety in the community she has helped create. TOP 10S: DR GEE WALKER Walker is founder and Vice Chair of the Anthony Walker Foundation, a charity which tackles racism, hate crime and discrimination in all its forms. DAME ELIZABETH ANIONWU At 74, Elizabeth Anionwy is known for her work on tackling racism in the NHS. She is also a patron of the Sickle Cell Society, and dean of the nursing school at the University of West London.
GUS JOHN Grenadian-born education campaigner, John was the first Director of Education and Leisure Services in Britain, and has dedicated his life to human rights. HASSAN AKKAD Marissa is founding member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, which helps campaign and build awareness for Britain’s overseas domestic workers, after experiencing abuse in the workplace. KATIE HUI Founder of Hackney Laces, Hui works through her football club in East London to help empower teenage girls by giving them the opportunity to learn how to play football. MARCUS RYDER MBE Campaigner for better diversity, Ryder is chair of RADA, Head of External Consultancies at The Lenny Henry Centre, and has previously held positions at the BBC. PETER HERBER OBE OBE and current Chair of the Society for Black Lawyers, Herbert works through the judiciary system to champion for racial equality. STEPHEN BUSH Bush is Chair of the Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community, looking into intersectionality. The journalist is also Political Editor for the New Statesman. DR SUNITA TOOR Toor’s work has helped build awareness and transform the support needed for women in India, and set up Justice for Her in 2016.
TOP 10 ONLINE INLFUENCERS WINNER: MUNYA CHAWAWA Munya Chawawa is known for his development and portrayal of various characters, his popularity spiking during the coronavirus pandemic as he kept fans entertained throughout lockdown online. He speaks about issues affecting society and actually created a character called Unknown P “as a nod towards the appropriation and false ownership of black culture that often happens in western societies”.
Marissa Begonia
TOP 10S: AMBER ROSE-GILL Love Island winner and now successful influencer, Amber used her platform to help distribute care packages to protestors at a Black Lives Matter rally.
BO ZENG/SUM TING WONG Sum Ting Wong rose to fame through Ru Paul’s Drag Race inspiring British Asians up and down the country. DIIPA BULLER-KHOSLA Fashion and beauty influencer Diipa has long made her activism a top priority. She recently created Post for Change, a foundation which uses social media to deal with social and global issues. DINA TORKIA Dina has been blogging about family, lifestyle and fashion for over a decade, providing fantastic visibility for Muslim women. EHIZ UFUAH With 10million fans on TikTok, Ehiz is the UK’s biggest Black TikToker to date! MUNROE BERGDORF Model and activist Munroe Bergdorf consistently uses her platform to inspire and discuss intersectional issues. PAIGEY CAKEY East London-based rapper Paigey isn’t just an incredible musician, but is also a strong advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. SHANNON WILLIAMS British-South Korean Shannon Williams is a twitch phenomenon, ex-kpop artist, and even a voice actress!
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LGIM - TOP 10 CHARITY OR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES WINNER: END VIOLENCE AND RACISM AGAINST ESEA COMMUNITIES
Promotional feature 7 policing through education and raising awareness. ESA SCOTLAND Scotland’s first non-profit is dedicated to mobilising meaningful participation of Each and Southeast Asian people in the UK through social inclusion advocacy.
TOP 10 OUTSTANDING EMPLOYERS WINNER: NATIONAL GRID This intersectional campaign has worked tirelessly to campaign against structural racism and inequalities against East and Southeast Asian communities. It is the UK’s first nonprofit dedicated to addressing this form of systemic racism, organizing an open letter to Priti Patel and accountability meetings with the Home Office. Alongside their political activism, This organisation also has created widespread grassroots movements to address nationwide issues through media, education and activism. TOP 10S: BLACK GIRLS HIKE Challenging the status quo, Black Girls Hike encourages Black women to reconnect with nature through group hikes and outdoor activity days. BLACK THRIVE Black Thrive works to address the inequalities that negatively impact the mental health and wellbeing of Black people in Lambeth. MUSLIM YOUTH HELPLINE Muslim Youth Helpline is a national charity providing free and confidential faith support for vulnerable young people. BAATN This therapy network is comprised of counsellors and psychotherapists who help to ensure people are afforded proper care through training and resources. BESEA.N BESEA.N was founded with the aim to stamp out discrimination and promote positive representation through grassroots initiatives. KICK IT OUT Kick It Out works with English football clubs to promote equality within the sport through education. UK MUSLIM FILM Since its launch this year, Muslim Film UK has been set out to quash stereotypes and ensure that Muslims are correctly represented on screen. STOPWATCH StopWatch tackles issues in fair
National Grid is one of the world’s largest investor-owned energy companies, committed to delivering electricity and gas safely, reliably and efficiently to the customers and communities they serve. They play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use. Their ambition is to operate and develop their business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. They are committed to building a workforce that represents the communities they serve. TOP 10S: ALLEN & OVERY This international law firm works hard to build a balanced workforce where people from all backgrounds are supported ARCADIS Arcadis is the world’s leading company in delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets as part of their dedication to improving the quality of life for the communities they serve. FRESHFIELDS Freshfields is a global law firm that utilises initiatives such as the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme to advocate for representation in law. HSBC UK HSBC UK has an extensive range of commitments to inclusion, including at least doubling the number of Black employees in senior leadership by 2025. LLOYDS BANKING GROUP In February 2018, Lloyds set a public goal to increase Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation at senior levels as part of their Helping Britain Prosper Plan MACFARLANES Through Macfarlane’s REACH network, they have significantly increased cultural and religious awareness.
MACQUARIE GROUP Macquarie Group is a diversified financial services group that focuses on innovation, equity and empowerment in order to drive inclusion. MOODY’S CORPORATION With over 11,000 employees globally, Moody’s strives for employee contribution to encourage better inclusion. NATIONAL GRID National Grid is committed to building a workforce that represents the communities they serve. NATWEST GROUP Creating a healthy, inclusive nd diverse workforce is the key to NatWest’s aims, one where everyone can bring the best of themselves to work. VIACOMCBS This organisation works on an ongoing basis with Caerus Executive to support Black, Asian and minority ethnic talent, and have implemented a ‘no diversity, no commission’ policy across all of their UK channels.
MACQUARIE - TOP 10 NETWORK GROUPS OR ERG WINNER: EMBRACE
to recruitment, empowerment and the advancement of Black employees by fostering allyship to maintain a diverse culture at Moody’s. MOSAIC-UK Mosaic UK is an employee network that promotes, supports and celebrates the rich ethnic diversity across UBS. ORIGINS Origins strives for open and honest discussions, hosting regular coffee mornings and interactive webinars in order to start the sometimes uncomfortable, but always rewarding conversation. PWC JEWISH NETWORK This network group aims to educate and ensure a diverse and inclusive work environment, to create an ‘extended family’ environment. REPRESENT Represent is an employee resource group that aims to create a rich calendar of events to celebrate cultural moments, raise awareness, and advocate for charitable causes. THE COLLECTIVE Since its beginning in 2017, the Collective has been lobbying to advance the employee life cycle of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff within the organisation.
VIACOMCBS - TOP 10 INSPIRATIONAL LEADERS WINNER: SEGUN OSUNTOKUN
HSBC UK’s EMBRACE aims to inspire and support their minority ethnic colleagues and their allies to the best of their abilities in an open, inclusive and supportive environment. They work together with senior leaders to engage and influence HSBC policy and culture from the top down, offering guidance and education to address different ethnic biases that affect our colleagues. Through activities and events, Embrace also supports the professional development of their members, providing them with mentoring and career development opportunities. TOP 10S: BT ETHNIC DIVERSITY NETWORK Influenced BT’s ExCo to develop BT’S Ethnicity Rapid Actional Plan, which fast tracks diverse talent. I AM ME NETWORK I AM ME plays a pivotal internal role in driving impactful change through senior leadership training whilst working with a range of charities. MOODY’S POWER TO ACT POWER TO ACT contributes
Segun is Partner in Charge, UK, BCLP and founding member of BCLP’s Global Inclusion & Diversity Action Board. He was appointed co-chair of the firm’s global diversity initiative in May 2020, shortly before the death of George Floyd which of course saw this role take on a profound level of urgency. Segun has championed the introduction of firmwide Aspirational Diversity Goals and has led and informed the introduction of an I&D Cultural Foundation. TOP 10S: DEBBIE ELLISON Debbie sits on her company’s global growth committee, leveraging her extensive experience to pioneer change. As a champion of diversity, Debbie sits on several inclusion councils. GAUTAM BHATTACHARYYA Gautam has been a partner at Reed Smith LLP since 2000, where he specializes in international commercial arbitration. IMRAN YOUSEF As a leader, Imran casts a clear and concise vision by inspiring innovation and building a collaborative approach.
Segun Osuntokun
JAHANARA RAJKOOMAR Making a difference to social disadvantaged people is Jahanara’s primary motivator, and has defined her 20 year social welfare career to date. KARAN DINAMANI Karan is a Partner in Alle & Overy, were he is also co-chair and cofounder of the firm’s London Race & Ethnicity Committee, where he uses his influene to drive engagement with the race agenda. MICHELLE DELICES Michelle recently spearheaded Sodexo’s UK response to the death of George Floyd, initiating listening groups and influencing change at a global level. OM DHUMATKAR Om is a strategy and transformation leader at Lloyds Banking Group, where he is passionate about race issues in the workplace, training 50+ senior executives on inclusive career development and hiring. RUPAL KANTARIA Rupal is a Partner at global management consultancy, Oliver Wyman, where she works in The Forum, a diverse community of influencers that tests solutions to shard global challenges. TOSIN AKINLUYI Managing Director Tosin Akinluyi is the first Black person (and Black woman) to serve on EMEA’s Operating Committee. She has active roles in many diversity and inclusion initiatives.
seeing police officers and avoided eye contact in order to not draw attention to himself. Yet, due to this fear he was intrigued and wanted to understand the police better. Having joined the force, he made it his mission to ensure the police are sensitive to Black, Asian and Minority Ethninc needs, have a nuanced approach and police by consent when it comes to minority ethnic communities. TOP 10S: ALAN LEUNG Alan is an experienced business leader who is passionate about driving workplace inclusion through Fusion, Macquarie’s ethnic diversity employee network group. IFRAH SAMANTER During her time at Openreach, Ifrah has created an internal newspaper to amplify the voice of her diverse colleagues.
NATIONAL GRID- TOP 10 WORKPLACE HEROES WINNER: SAMI HALEPOTA As a Muslim in a post 9/11 world, Sami grew up scared of the police. He used to stiffen in fear upon
Sami Halepota
JAMES DOHERTY James has been instrumental in challenging and embracing the need for change through the UNITY steering group at Smith and Nephew. JED KHAN Jed is an active member of the Wellbeing team at Avanade, and acts as the Executive Partner for the UK BAME Employee Network. KASSIE SIWO-GASA Kassie is head of Digital Marketing at LGIM, and co-chair of LGIM Culture Club. SHABRINA KHAN A vocal supporter of all D&I issues, Shabrina champions the lived experiences of ethnic minority candidates at EY. SHAHAZAD KHALID Whilst working at J&J Shahazad found his passion in DEI, and has been an instrumental driving force behind J&J’s Ethnic inclusion agenda. SHAMRAZ BEGUM In response to the death of George Floyd, Shamraz was appointed to co-lead NatWest’s Racial Equality Taskforce to examine the key issues facing Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues. SONIA HAZEL Sonia is a long-term advocate for diversity and inclusion even before her career as an Assurance and Controls Manager.
LLOYDS BANKING GROUP TOP 10 CHAMPIONS (ALLIES) WINNER: JAMES CLARRY James is the Chief Operating Officer for the Wealth Business of NatWest Group, which includes the marketleading brands of Coutts & Co and NatWest Premier. He took on this role in July 2017, having joined NatWest in 2004 after several years as a derivatives lawyer in a leading law firm, Allen & Overy. James is a proud executive co-sponsor of Diversity and Inclusion within NatWest Wealth and co-founder of the Ethnicity Allies of the NatWest Multicultural Network. TOP 10S: ANNE SHEEHAN Anne Sheehan has been Director of Vodafone Business UK since December 2017, where her duties including running Vodafone Business, having previously worked for a number of years at IBM. ANTHONY BURNETT-SCOTT Anthony leads the Commercial
Real Estate Group, and is co-chair of Macfarlanes’ Race Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage staff network, where he advocates for Ethnic Minority inclusion. BENJAMIN STORY Strategic Marketing Director of Rolls-Royce, Ben has over 25 years industry experience, working with clients on a global scale. CATRIONA SIMONS CEO of The Guinness Partnership, Catriona is a visible and active champion of inclusivity at Guinness, introducing their awardwinning D&I strategy in 2018. DARREN KETTERINGHAM Partner at PwC, Darren chairs their Financial Services Consulting BAME Inclusion Team, advocating for education, awareness and inclusivity. JAMIE PRATT Jamie is Co-Chair of IMPACT EMEA, BNY Mellon’s Multicultural Business Resource Group, having had his own journey of awareness and education accelerated since the global events of 2020. MARIA KYRIACOU Maria Kyriacou is President of ViacomCBS Networks UK and Australia, and has full oversight of all ViacomCBS’ operations in its international markets. SIMON OLENKA Regional Head of UK and Middle East, Simon Olenka has also been appointed UK Executive Sponsor for Race and Ethnicity across the Corporate and Institutional Banking Division. STACEY YOUELL Stacey Youell has organised multiple open conversations to raise awareness on difficult topics like Black Lives Matter at James Clarry
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TESCO - TOP 10 FUTURE LEADERS WINNER: KEMI FAJOYE Kemi Fajoye is the co-founder and co-chair of P.R.I.M.E. Under Kemi’s inspirational leadership, P.R.I.M.E was nominated in the 2020 Ethnicity Awards in the category of top 10 ERGs/Networks. Passionate about DEI and a founding member of Pearson’s Global DEI Taskforce, Kemi was selected as one of four secondees at the end of 2020, managing and leading the review of companywide policies and practices with a DEI lens. Her leadership and commitment to workforce equality and inclusion led to Kemi changing roles from Senior Investigator, to Human Resources Advisor for Pearson in January
Kemi Fajoye
2021, further leveraging her DEI experience and knowledge. TOP 10S: AMBILY BANERJEE Ambily has been co-leading EMBRACE ERG at GSK since 2019, where she has influenced senior leaders to implement strategies such as sponsorship programmes for ethnic minorities.
AYOOLUWA OGUNBAMBI-ALAO MIET AyoOluwa has worked at Balfour Beatty for 4 years, where she has been highly activity within D&I, reverse mentoring the group CEO, and consulting the group CEO. EUNICE ZHU Eunice is an award-winning derivatives specialist and trader, and a passionate advocate for gender and racial diversity. JEREMY ITOJE Chief of Staff to Global Head of FS&I, Jeremy is dedicated to putting the Black, Asian and minority ethnic agenda at the forefront of Atos’ priorities. KENJI KING Kenji is committee member of REACH at Co-operative Bank, which aims to take action to support Ethnic Minority career progression. LATISHA MCKENZIE Latisha is the Procurement and Finance Officer at National Grid, as well as being Chair of National Grid’s multicultural network, where
she leads 500+ members. NAYEEM SYED Nayeem is a Senior Legal Director at LSEG, where he co-chairs the Asian Inclusion Network. SIMONE ROBINSON Senior Talent Consultant and chair of R.E.A.C.H., Simone is dedicated to creating a more inclusive culture at Jaguar Land Rover. VINCENT EGUNLAE Vincent is a qualified accountant, and co-founder of The Open Private School charity. Vincent is also a One Young World Ambassador. Produced by
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Group ETHNICITY AWARDS LYNTON HOUSE, 7-12 TAVISTOCK SQUARE LONDON WC1H 9BQ ethnicityawards.com
HSBC’S PURPOSE IS TO OPEN A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, COLLEAGUES AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE HSBC’s purpose is to open a world of opportunities for our customers, colleagues and the communities we serve. With the launch this year of our new purpose and values, I was delighted to see that one of the values is “We Value Difference”. We were founded on the strength of different experiences, attributes and voices; they are integral to who we are and how we work. As a long-time partner of the Investing in Ethnicity Programme and a founding member of the UK’s Race at Work Charter, we have been working for some time on making HSBC UK a place where everyone is valued, respected and supported to fulfil their potential. True inclusion will only happen however if we make significant, measurable changes. Last July, HSBC set out a series of global ethnicity commitments to improve opportunities for Black, Asian and ethnic minority employees and boost the diversity of our senior leadership. My focus these past few years has been to lead from the front, alongside fellow leaders and colleagues, to amplify understanding of the inequalities
faced and to deliver on our ethnicity commitments. As leaders we must encourage conversations that while at times can be challenging, create space for deeper awareness and understanding, and most importantly, meaningful action. We’re working to accelerate development and increase progression into more senior roles for ethnically diverse employees. This includes proactively encouraging inclusivity at all levels – to me, the core components of an inclusive culture are equality, openness, and belonging. Of note: • Within HSBC UK, we’ve established an ethnicity framework to help determine what racial equality in our business should look like, where the gaps are and where we need to take more action. • We were one of the first financial services companies to publish ethnicity pay gap data in the UK (February 2021), four months after publishing our UK ethnicity representation data for the first time. • We launched our new development programme for Black and ethnic minority colleagues, and our Embrace employee network membership
has grown to over 2,490. • In recruitment, we’ve introduced mandatory diversity and inclusion training for hiring managers and appointed recruiters to proactively approach ethnically diverse candidates. • We have signed up to the 10,000 Black Interns initiative, pledging to hire 30 interns –one of the largest number of places amongst Financial Services organisations participating, and joined forces with The Taylor Bennett Foundation to become their first corporate partner to support ethnically diverse graduates to pursue a career in Communications. • Education is a great equalizer and a powerful force for change. We’re supporting the growth of the Stormzy Scholarships at the University of Cambridge, helping remove barriers to higher education. We understand the important role we play in the UK’s efforts to tackle racial inequality, and that lasting systemic change will take commitment, perseverance and time. The development and recruitment programmes we now have in place are designed to have a
Oliemata O’Donoughue Regional Director, Network – Inner and Outer London and Former Chair of the HSBC UK Embrace Network lasting impact. However, while our progress is encouraging, we recognise that we still have a lot of work to do. The greater our empathy and diversity, the better we reflect the worlds of our customers and communities – and the better we can serve them. So we will champion inclusivity. We will listen. We will remove barriers and seek out views different from our own. This is central to the work we are doing around driving inclusion.