This company will have championed support for, and inclusion of, individuals with physical disabilities or learning difficulties. Their efforts may cover issues including accessibility and mobility in the office, emotional support in the workplace, awareness campaigns and creating a supportive office culture. 

This company will have championed the equal treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people at all levels of their organisation. Their efforts may span issues, such as recruitment processes, office culture, recognition and awareness, and creating networking groups. 

This company will have championed the promotion of mental health, wellbeing and resilience as a core part of their business practice.

This company will have championed inclusive workplaces for neurodivergent employees through tailored support, awareness initiatives, and inclusive career opportunities.

This company will have championed the equal treatment and inclusion of individuals from racial and ethnic minorities. This will include recruitment processes, internal policies and apprenticeship or internship opportunities, as well as forging a positive and collegiate working environment. 

This award acknowledges those workplaces that respect sincerely held beliefs by operating flexible working policies to support staff who are fasting or observing rites; promoting understanding of religious practices and celebrations; preventing micro-aggressions aimed at those staff adhering to belief-based dress codes or practicing a faith. It also recognises efforts to align services, products, or initiatives with clients' values, including investment solutions or support for financial advisers serving faith-based communities.

This company will have championed the equal treatment and inclusion of people across all socio-economic groups. Their efforts may span issues including recruitment processes and campaigns, partnerships, bursaries. 

This company will have championed the equal treatment and inclusion of trans and non-binary employees, at all levels of their organisation. Their efforts may span issues such as creating safe spaces, the recruitment processes, improvements to flexible working policies, as well as creating a positive working culture in the office.

This company will have championed the equal treatment and inclusion of women at all levels of their organisation. Their efforts may span issues such as working to reverse any gender-biased pay disparity, the recruitment processes, improvements to flexible working policies, especially for working mothers, as well as creating a positive culture in the office where women can succeed. 

This award is for those companies who have taken diversity, inclusion and engagement beyond their own offices and into the community around them. This will celebrate the campaign carried out over the past 12 months in the UK which, in the judges’ view has done the most to promote and support DE&I in the community. 

This accolade will be awarded to the company which has embarked on a specific activity within its workforce to promote and raise awareness of different cultures, beliefs and practices. 

This award is for the most successful programme, scheme or initiative introduced in the last year, which was engineered to improve and increase diversity and inclusion. 

This company will stand out for having a truly successful, diverse workforce, demonstrated through the development of inclusive policies, practices and initiatives which have delivered measurable results. Over the past year, this company will have gone above and beyond, recognising and publicising the importance of an inclusive workforce, taking practical steps to engage and impact staff at all levels. 

This award has been enhanced to incorporate improvements to service as well as product development. Companies will be assessed on how their new or enhanced services or products have helped drive diversity, equality and inclusion over the past 12 months. 

This award celebrates a company that has demonstrated innovative attempts to ensure that their workforce better reflects the makeup of today’s society, by developing inclusion policies for one or many underrepresented groups. This company will be taking demonstrable and practical steps to develop a company culture of inclusion, actively removing barriers through revised recruitment, retention and career progression practices. We will need to see evidence of positive progress and plans for next step. 

This company will have championed support for veterans in the workplace. Their effort may include initiatives that create inclusive environments, provide career opportunities, and help veterans successfully transition into civilian roles within the sector.

This candidate will be among the best and brightest in their field, and will have made significant professional advancements for diversity and inclusion in their workplace, regardless of how far up the career ladder they are. They should be a shining example of, and role model for, diversity and inclusion, demonstrating drive, ambition and dynamism within their working and even personal life. 

Entry Criteria 

This Award is open to an individual. Nominations can be written and submitted by colleagues or by entrants themselves*. 

Entries will be no more than 500 words and will detail candidates’ motivation/inspiration, the process to achieving change, and the results that were achieved. It will also include information about the profession and position of the individual candidate. 

Judges will review all submissions and will compile a shortlist for each category, which will be published online on the event website. Shortlisted candidates may then be contacted by judges if they require more information. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony. 

*Please do seek your company approval of your nomination before entering.

This award will celebrate those people who have just started on their career journey in regulated UK-based financial services, but who have made a difference over the past 12 months. They will be junior or starting-entry employees who have already made a positive impact when it comes to diversity, equality and inclusion.