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Diversity and Equality Awards 2008

Diversity and Equality Awards logo

Nominations now open for the Civil Service Diversity and Equality Awards 2008. Have your say and nominate now at: http://www.civilservicenetwork.com/index.php?id=289

The seven categories are open to any team or individual currently working for the civil service (nominations can involve partnerships with non civil service organisations).

Nominations close on Friday August 1st with a shortlist of nominees announced on Tuesday 21st October.

The Awards will then be announced at an evening reception on Tuesday 2nd December.

Categories and Criteria:

Improvement

An award for an individual or team who has demonstrated exemplary improvement across the board in equality and diversity:

This may include:

  • Driving tangible improvement in the recognition of diversity and equality as an important issue for the organisation or workforce generally
  • Developing and implementing new systems and procedures to improve understanding of diversity and equality issues

Innovation

An award for an individual or team who has adopted a creative approach in the field of diversity and equality.

This may include:

  • Implementing a new way of working to allow for flexible working patterns
  • Developing new policies to ensure diversity and equality in the work place
  • Developing new solutions to enhance accessibility and reduce barriers to enter the workforce

Inspiration

This award recognises an individual who has broken through barriers and changed perceptions.

Barriers may have included:

  • Own personal challenges. Organisational constraints
  • Cultural issues

Leadership

An award for any individual who has demonstrated outstanding inclusive leadership qualities.

They may have:

  • Achieved excellent results through strong inclusive leadership
  • Showed pace, pride, passion and professionalism in practice

Delivery of Customer Service

This award recognises an individual or team who has achieved excellence in diversity of delivering customer services.

This may include:

  • Understanding and responding to customers from a particularly diverse range of users
  • Changing methods of work to provide better more accessible services

Engagement and Involvement

An award to recognise effective partnership whether internal or external that has:

  • Led to improved knowledge, expertise or understanding of diversity and equality issues
  • Changed a team or group to respond more effectively to a diverse range of users
  • Improved the accessibility and delivery of a service

Cabinet Secretary's Award

The cabinet secretary will choose a team or individual who has made an outstanding contribution to diversity and equality within the civil service (corporate functions) or to the public.

The winner will have:

  • Shown pride in what they do and made others proud of their achievements
  • Been passionate about diversity and equality in the work they do and services they provide
  • Used pace in solving problems
  • Acted with professionalism and been an inspiration for others

Nomination details:

Nominations are open to any team or individual currently working for the civil service (nominations can involve partnerships with non civil service organisations)

All nominations must be made online at www.civilservicenetwork.com/diversity.html

Each nomination should be a maximum of 800 words (including testimonials) and should clearly illustrate why the entry is worthy of an award based on the specific award criteria and special judging criteria presented

You can self-nominate or nominate a colleague or team

You can make as many nominations in as many categories as you wish

Please ensure your entry follows the specific award criteria provided

Make sure you include what evidence you have to support your application. If you can, provide supporting testimonials

Nominations must be made by 1st August 2008

Each nomination MUST include the e-mail address of a senior civil servant who is supporting your entry

Judging:

The judging process is two-fold. The initial shortlisting stage will be carried out by teams of government experts. Once the shortlist is announced the main judging panel will choose winners in each category.

The Judging Panel

  • Bill Jeffrey, permanent secretary, Ministry of Defence and civil service diversity champion
  • Gill Rider, director general, leadership and people strategy and head of civil service capability group, Cabinet Office
  • Lin Homer, chief executive, UK Border Agency
  • Minouche Shafik, permanent secretary, Department for International Development
  • Ian Watmore, permanent secretary, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
  • Peter Housden, permanent secretary, Department for Communities and Local Government
  • Nicola Brewer, chief executive, Equality and Human Rights Commission

Overall Judging Criteria

As well as ensuring that each entry conforms to the corresponding award criteria, judges will be looking for the following elements where relevant within each category:

  • Promotion or demonstration of the core values and behaviours set out in the Civil Service Code
  • Measurable benefits, with potential to act as a benchmark across government
  • Evidence of best practice
  • Working in partnership
  • Innovation

For more information visit www.civilservicenetwork.com/diversity.html

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