KETTERING Conference Centre is to host a major regional awards ceremony celebrating workplace and diversity and inclusion across the Midlands and East of England.
Entries are coming in for the This Is Us Awards, backed by Prime Minister Liz Truss when she was Minister for Women and Equalities and which will be the climax of a special conference at the conference and exhibition centre in January.
The awards aim to raise awareness and celebrate diversity and inclusion in the workplace, highlighting the initiatives of businesses across the region and companies’ commitment to equality and their positive impact on the workplace experience.
A total 12 awards will be presented, in categories including Recruitment Policy and Implementation, Training and Development and Gender Empowerment.
Awards founder Meena Chander said: “Prioritising diversity and inclusion should be a genuine business basic and, while the energy for more noteworthy diversity and inclusion consideration is making headway, genuine advancement is still moderate for many companies.
“There has never been a more crucial time to bring these issues to the forefront for business owners throughout the UK, regardless of their sector. Overlooking diversity and inclusion can provoke reputational hurt for companies, while grasping it provides so many advantages.”
The awards form part of the wider This Is Us Conference, managed by events company Events Together. Now in its fourth year, the conference will bring together business leaders from across the East of England and Midlands and provide a full programme of resources, talks, panels and workshops, hosted by prominent organisations and thought leaders.
The event will showcase best practice, offer training materials, and address and facilitate important conversations around Diversity & Inclusion, enabling companies to support and improve corporate cohesion and productivity within their teams.
“The This Is Us Awards, part of the wider This Is Us Conference, are about championing businesses and individuals that are already getting it ‘right’ and recognising their achievements on a local level,” said Ms Chander. “I look forward to reviewing the entries and giving those leading the way in D & I the recognition they so truly deserve.”
Ms Truss pictured, speaking when she was Minister for Women and Equalities, added: “There are clear business indicators which outline that a strong diversity engagement policy within the workplace creates advantageous results. Now more than ever companies need to be looking at all sectors for their recruitment needs and a diversity and inclusion policy creates an excellent platform for success.”
Conference chair Jacqui Gavin, chief of culture at low carbon battery developer Britishvolt, said: “In today’s world it is not just about acknowledging the visible differences in our society. It is about actually listening and being willing to take on board the lived experience and embedding it at the heart of everything we do. Truly embedding inclusion for all is the ethos of the This Is Us Conference and Awards.”
To find out more visit www.thisisusconference.co.uk/conference-awards.
