A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of SPM Group who take sole responsibility for its contents. OUR NATION IS DIVIDED: IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER Sarah Garrett MBE founded the Ethnicity Awards to amplify positive change for BAME people in Britain companies like HSBC UK, positive change in the workplace would be a lot harder to Recent reports I anticipate that people will often make component of why progress often falters. achieve. paint a bleak mistakes when faced with them. It was Other barriers include unconscious bias; This year the nominees across the picture of what The Good Place actor Jameela Jamil who micro-aggressions, a lack of senior role Ethnicity Awards’ categories show how it means to be recently commented that “progress is more models; broken recruitment processes and progress can be achieved. From Future a black, Asian, important than perfection” when it comes a lack of leadership buy-in. Each of these Leaders to Diversity Champions and our or minority to approaching the intricacies of identity points is addressed in the Maturity Matrix new Entrepreneur category, we look at the ethnic (BAME) like race, class, gender, ability, religion, body – a simple toolkit we created to progress BAME people furthering opportunity in employee in the UK. Despite nearly 100 type and age. This attitude is particularly equality in the workplace which is endorsed business. Our public categories celebrate per cent of British employers enforcing a important in the midst of ‘cancel culture’, by the All Party Parliamentary Group for stars like Raheem Sterling, Moira Stewart zero-tolerance policy against racist bullying (a boycott of a person, brand or company, Governance and Inclusive Leadership. It and Stormzy, who have each made stands or harassment, one in four BAME people either socially or financially, that has made outlines an easy-to-use checklist to start against racism. are still subject to it in the workplace.1 This a moral or cultural mistake). While it’s conversations, move the dial, measure What unites our winners and shortlisted can materialise in many forms, from being important to call out racist behaviour, it’s success and above all, keep things simple. Top 10 nominees is a set of stories that asked ignorant or tactless cultural questions also important to understand the intention When the Government’s response to deserve to be recognised, publicised and like “Is that your natural hair?”, to being of the person making assumptions and to the Ethnicity Pay Reporting consultation is documented in the fight for equality. continuously passed over for a promotion; share insight and knowledge. We all make published, it will aid the work we’ve already At a time when our nation is so divided, hearing racist jokes; receiving verbal abuse, mistakes during the process of learning, but started and help to create real change. In it’s important to bring people together to or even physical violence.2 For BAME when those mistakes aren’t addressed, they the meantime, Investing in Ethnicity will celebrate a more inclusive future. On the people who move up the ladder of seniority become barriers to success. Identifying continue to engage with organisations following pages, you’ll find the full list of it doesn’t get much better: disappointing when a person or an organisation is making and people in the public eye who are winners of the Ethnicity Awards 2019. figures from executive search company progress is incredibly important if we are committed to improving the BAME agenda; Green Park show that the number of ethnic to become a truly inclusive society that and the Ethnicity Awards will continue To find out more, visit ethnicityawards.com. minority appointments to company boards celebrates its multiculturalness. to shine a light on the progress that has To learn more about progressing has increased by a total of only one in the Having worked with hundreds of been inspirational in addressing inequality. equality in the workplace, please visit last three years.3 organisations through the initiative We’ve seen real improvements from the investinginethnicity.com. As an Asian woman who is also part Investing in Ethnicity and the Ethnicity employers engaged with us on this journey, 1 2019 Race at Work Report, BITC of the LGBT community, I understand Awards, our research has shown that a fear and our Official Partner, HSBC UK, have 2 Survey, 2016-2017 Trade Union Congress Racism that assumptions will automatically be of honest conversation about ethnicity been integral to advancing the work we do. at Work made about my identity and culture, and and race in the workplace is a crucial Without the full support of the UK’s biggest 3 BAME 100 Business Leaders index 2 Promotional feature INVESTING IN ETHNICTY AWARD WINNERS AND TOP 10s Lord Mayor Cllr Anna Rothery Marsha De Cordova MP a stronger and more secure space for As Labour MP for Battersea and Shadow BAME LGBTQ people throughout the UK. Minister for Disabled People, De Cordova, who is registered blind herself, has put Top 10S: inclusivity at the heart of her politics. Anthony Walker Foundation Marvin Rees Founded as a legacy to Anthony Bristol’s Mayor and founder of The Bristol Walker, created by his family after his Leadership Programme, Rees is the first racially motivated murder in 2005. The mixed-race mayor in Europe. foundation works to encourage racial Cllr Muhammed Butt harmony and celebrate diversity. A member of the Labour Party and the Creative Access leader of Brent Council since 2012 he has A social enterprise that finds creative acted in the role ever since. roles and opportunities for young people Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP from BAME and other underrepresented A registered NHS GP and MP for Tooting, backgrounds. Khan also works as Shadow Minister for Girl Dreamer Political Figures community issues. In her first speech Sport, she regularly speaks out about An online platform that aims to educate, as Lord Mayor she reinforced her discriminations in all forms. elevate and empower the next generation WINNER motivations to “continue to fight Sadiq Khan of women of colour through leadership Lord Mayor Cllr Anna Rothery for others; for race equality, gender Mayor of London since 2016 and formally programmes, community initiatives and equality, social mobility and much a human rights lawyer, Khan’s politics are online resources. In 2006, Anna Rothery was elected more.” often described as ‘famously inclusive’. Mandela 8 Councillor for Liverpool, becoming the Tariq Mahmood Ahmad This Liverpool-based initiative aims to city’s first ever black female Councillor. Top 10S: The Baron of Wimbledon and the son of construct an art installation and memorial This September, she made history David Lammy MP Pakistani immigrants is a Conservative site to commemorate Nelson Mandela. once more becoming Liverpool’s Labour MP for Tottenham since 2000 Peer and a member of the House of Lords. ReachOut first black Lord Mayor. In her role as and outspoken campaigner, frequently Baroness Valerie Amos ReachOut is a youth mentoring charity councillor, she has sought to demystify using his platform on social media to Born in Georgetown, Guyana,Baroness working with young people from politics (particularly for women and speak out on issues like Windrush and Amos is a Labour Life Peer, Leader of disadvantaged communities. It is the BAME people) and highlight minority Grenfell Tower. the House of Lords and first black female largest mentoring charity in the UK. member of UK Cabinet. Refugee Action Lord Waheed Ali An initiative that works throughout the Labour Life Peer and media executive, he UK offering advice services, tackling regularly uses his platform to campaign poverty and resettling refugees. for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. Runnymede Trust A charity dedicated to ending racial and LGIM Charity or classist institutional justice and acting Community Initiative as the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. WINNER Chineke! Foundation UK Black Pride The foundation aims to provide career opportunities to young BAME classical musicians in the UK and Europe. The Other Box An organisation dedicated to celebrating people of colour and underrepresented backgrounds in the creative industry. Lloyds Banking Group Inspirational Leader WINNER Chief Inspector Karen Geddes UK Black Pride’s mission statement is ‘Strength through unity’. This group Born in Wolverhampton, Karen moved represents Europe’s largest celebration to Jamaica at the age of 4 and returned for LGBTQ people who are also BAME. to the UK at the age of 11. She joined Their main focus is a Black Pride annual WMP in 1992 and was quickly promoted celebration during pride month, but UK to Sergeant and then Inspector in 2009. Black Pride also put on other activities In 2019, she became the first black and events to continuously advocate for female to become a Chief Inspector in the wellbeing of the communities they WMP – One of the proudest moments of represent. The latter is tackled through her life’. Karen experienced challenges social media, community outreach, but the support she received from the advocacy and growth in order to create Black and Asian Police Association a sense of safety for BAME LGBTQ inspired her to help others and change people. They are well known for their the culture within policing. In 2013, she #stoprainbowracism campaign that became BAPA Chair, working to raise encouraged the white LGBTQ community its profile, improve the environment to show solidarity, as well as forging of BAME staff and enhance the Promotional feature 3 quality of service delivered to the BAME Stormzy Olisa, Karen Blackett MBE, Vanessa community. Karen is a registered coach, Grime artist Stormzy consistently Kingori, Dr Sandie Okoro, June Sarpong, mentor, federation representative, school champions the BAME community, most Carla Harris, Sir Damon Buffini and more.