A NEW award has been introduced to recognise how businesses are ensuring their culture is inclusive.

The Inspire Business Awards has this year launched the Diversity and Inclusion Champion award.

It is a chance for businesses to demonstrate exemplar practices and the development of policies and strategies.

Each year the accolades reviews the categories to reflect the current business environment. This new category is an exciting development, that helps to ensure that the awards stay relevant and alongside many other more established categories will mean that there is a category suitable for any local business, regardless of size or sector, to enter.

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The award has been sponsored by housing association Sovereign.

Andrew Cooper, head of business development and fundraising, said: “Equality, diversity and inclusion is a fundamental part of Sovereign’s culture so we’re very pleased to be supporting the new Diversity and Inclusion Champion category at this year’s Inspire Business Awards. This category encourages businesses to show how they’re tackling the challenges in the workplace to ensure that its business takes strength from all sectors of the community.”

Criteria:

  • What steps has your company taken to empower people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin?
  • Tell us about examples of specific practices that ensure all voices are heard, whether as direct/indirect employees of your organisation, or as clients/suppliers of your business?
  • How do you meet individual needs and what procedures are in place for people to provide feedback?

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The awards have been organised by Destination Basingstoke and are funded entirely from sponsorship including headline sponsorship from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Entry is free to business of any size or type that is based in Basingstoke and Deane, Rushmoor, Hart, or Test Valley local authority areas.

The closing date is October 31 with the awards evening to be held in February 2023.

For more information visit: inspirebusinessawards.co.uk.