The achievements of ordinary civil servants at the forefront of the drive for greater diversity and equality in the Civil Service were recognised at a ceremony in central London last week.
The 2014 Civil Service Diversity & Equality Awards attracted over 150 nominations in six categories from across the Civil Service and all parts of the country – an increase of 74 per cent over last year.
The awards reflect the Civil Service’s aspiration to mirror the society it serves, and to remove the barriers to progress still faced by some because of their gender, ethnicity, disability or sexuality, particularly in senior roles.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that more than one in ten civil servants are from minority ethnic backgrounds (10.1 per cent, compared with 9.6 per cent in 2013). At the same time, the proportion of civil servants who declare a disability has risen to 8.8 per cent, up from 8.6% last year. Women currently account for 53 per cent of the Civil Service.
All the shortlisted entries for the Diversity & Equality Awards were examples of outstanding teams or individuals who have been innovative, have made an impact, have inspired others, and ultimately have made a real difference to equality and diversity in their area over the past 12 months.
The award winners in each category were:
Excellence in Service or Business Delivery – Disability Confident Campaign Team, Department for Work and Pensions
Employee Network – Environment Agency’s Women’s Network
Leading, Championing and Role Modelling – Sharon Drewell, Isle of Wight HM Prison Service, Ministry of Justice
Champion of Disability Issues – James Saville, Director of Human Resources, Department for International Development
Understanding and Engaging with Communities – Senior Citizen Liaison Team, Home Office
Inclusive Employment – Nita Gajiparia, Ministry of Justice
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said:
“To deliver excellent public services for hardworking families we need the best civil servants. I want to congratulate every one of today’s award winners and nominees. Their dedication is helping to ensure that you can succeed in the Civil Service whoever you are. Our new Talent Action plan is designed to remove the barriers which stop the best from reaching the most senior positions – there’s more to do and we are determined to do it.”
Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service Sir Jeremy Heywood said:
“The leadership of the Civil Service is committed to creating a truly diverse workforce that is representative of the society we serve and delivers the best for Britain. Turning that commitment into reality depends on the participation of every civil servant. So, it is a particular pleasure to celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams of civil servants who are helping to embed inclusivity and equality across the service.
“The Civil Service is already more diverse than many employers – but we can do even better, particularly at the higher levels. Our recent Talent Action Plan sets out how we will ensure that the most talented civil servants, regardless of their background, can progress quickly and fulfil their potential.”
Civil Service Diversity Champion Sir Simon Fraser said:
“At the awards ceremony today we’ve seen how across the whole Civil Service our people are removing barriers and ensuring that their workplaces are inclusive for everyone. We have seen teams and individuals drawing on the strength that difference and diversity bring to our work. And we have seen examples of how Government departments are making sure the services they provide to the public recognise that people have different needs and preferences.
“There is a strong business, as well as moral, case for having the right policies in place to promote diversity and inclusion. It means we can attract the best staff and provide the best service to the British public. Today’s winners, and other nominees show what can be achieved.”
The Civil Service Diversity & Equality Awards were co-hosted by BBC News presenter Sian Williams and Sir Simon Fraser.
Presenters of awards included Sir Jeremy Heywood, HMRC Permanent Secretary Lin Homer, and Dr Nasser Siabi, CEO and co-founder of Microlink.
The award winners are automatically shortlisted for a special diversity and equality award to be presented at the overall Civil Service Awards in November.
