Awards 2010

Strictly embargoed until 8.30pm Wednesday 28 April 2010

Please do not contact any of the winning organisations until this time

as winners are not aware of their success until the evening.

This information must not be put on wider distribution until after 8.30pm.

Employers winning for women in the workplace

UK employers, that have demonstrated the most commitment to and innovation in creating workplaces where women can succeed, were announced at an awards dinner on Wednesday 28 April 2010.  Women still experience huge inequality in the workplace and these awards recognise employers from the private and public sectors that have made addressing inequality a business imperative. More than 500 business and public sector leaders gathered at The Brewery in the City of London for the awards ceremony.  The 15^th annual Opportunity Now Awards are generously sponsored by Santander UK plc.

The guests were addressed by James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK Limited. Smith argued: “Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is not a matter of political correctness – it is an essential part of modern business.  The competitiveness of the UK depends on us having the most capable and talented people in our workplaces – we are only going to achieve this if we broaden our definition of talent and strive to create workplaces that work for all. Change needs to come from the top and it is pale, males in leadership positions such as myself who have a responsibility to champion this change.”

Listed below are the awards and winners:

The Agile Organisation Award

This award recognises an employer who has demonstrated an agile or flexible approach to job design and its work environment. It was awarded to Sysdoc Ltd, a management consultancy which has positioned flexibility as a key organisational value. 50% of its consultants and 60% of its board are women with caring responsibilities.

The Champion Award

This award for a senior level individual who has made a significant contribution to advancing, promoting and embedding a diversity culture within the workplace goes to Police Sergeant Isabella Janice McManus of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency. It recognises the work she did with women within the Afghan National Police. Margaret Tovey, OBE, Customer Service Director at the Jobcentre Plus was highly commended.

The Directing Diverse Talent Award in association with the CIPD

This was given to Jane James, Employment Regeneration Director at MITIE for her commitment to inclusive management of talent.  She was responsible for setting up an apprentice employability scheme within her organisation which has resulted in 81 people gaining full time employment.

The Female FTSE 100 Award

This award was given to the FTSE 100 organisation with the most women on its board overall. It was awarded jointly to Alliance Trust and Burberry who both have boards which are made up of 43% women.*

The FTSE Executive Women Award

This award was given to the FTSE 100 organisation with the most women on its executive committee  It was awarded jointly to Burberry and Pearson who both have two women in executive board positions.*

Advancing Women in the Workplace Award

This award recognises work that has aided the recruitment, retention and development of women in the workplace.  It was given to HM Revenue & Customs to recognise its Senior Women’s Network, which has helped to increase the number of women in senior civil service grades to 32%.

The Global Award

This award is for a gender initiative which extends across at least three countries.  It was given to IBM for its ‘Building Relationships and Influence Programme for Women’.  The company has seen a 25% increase in the number of women in executive positions between 2007 and 2009, 75% of female executives promoted in this time-frame had attended the course.

The Inclusive Culture Award

This award recognises work which is creating equality at an organisational or cultural level. It was given to National Grid for the work it has done to embed values of diversity and inclusion into its business.

The Innovation Award

This award recognises an organisation that has started to tackle gender issues in a cutting edge or different way.  It was given to The Olympic Delivery Authority for the work it is doing to increase the number of women in construction.  There are more than twice as many women working within the manual trades on the Olympic park than the national average.

The Santander Award: Inspiring the Workforce of the Future

This award is for an organisation that has helped young women to broaden their career aspirations.  It was given to The Royal Air Force for the work it has done encouraging girls to consider a career in engineering. 15,000 children have participated in its primary school road show and it has developed a week long residential course for 14-15 year old girls to engage them in science, engineering and technology.

Alison Platt, Divisional Managing Director, Europe for Bupa and Chair of Opportunity Now, the not for profit organisation that promotes the positive business benefits of gender equality said: “Gender equality in the workplace is not a women’s issue, it is a business necessity. As the economy gathers strength, I believe the post-recession recovery relies on organisations prioritising their people, tapping into new talent and ensuring everyone is engaged, productive and motivated. In fact, I think the recent recession gives us the perfect opportunity to put our current workplace practices under the microscope and challenge the status quo for the better. The organisations that have won an Opportunity Now award have all clearly put gender issues on their business agenda.”

Karen M. Fortunato Company Secretary and Head of Corporate Services & HR at Santander UK plc, and Opportunity Now board member, says, “We know that women contribute significantly to the economy, which makes gender diversity a business issue.  Indeed it is a business imperative which will make organisations more competitive, more dynamic and better able to innovate.  Businesses need to encourage gender diversity to attract and retain all talent, to make strong connections with their customers and make the most of difference. The Opportunity Now award winners are all doing this, creating positive environments and work cultures which support their organisations, the economy and society as a whole.”

For interviews with the winners, case studies, photographs of the evening or

more information please contact:

 Helen Wells, Opportunity Now 0207 566 8713 or helen.wells@bitc.org.uk

Please do not contact the winners as they are not announced until the evening of Wednesday 28 April 2010. This information must not be put on wider distribution until after 8.30pm.

Editors Notes

*The FTSE awards follow on from the publication of The Female FTSE Report 2009 published by the International Centre for Women Leaders, Cranfield School of Management. All statistics regarding FTSE listings were taken on the 30^th September 2009.

The Judging Process

The 27 independent judges were looking for innovative and sustainable initiatives or programmes of work.  A short listing panel selected finalists from anonymous entrants. The finalists then had to present to an award specific judging panel.

About Opportunity Now

www.opportunitynow.org.uk

Opportunity Now empowers employers to accelerate change for women in the workplace because it makes good business sense. It works with its membership of 350 employers, from the private, public and education sectors to offer tailored, practical and pragmatic advice on workplace issues.  Opportunity Now is part of Business in the Community, a charity which mobilises business for good.