Equality and diversity celebrated at Noon Centre’s flagship conference
The University of East London (UEL) recognised the best and brightest examples of equality and diversity in the workplace at the annual Global Equality and Diversity (GED) conference 2017.
Held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at London’s Docklands, the conference included high-profile keynote presentations, seminars and an awards ceremony.
The annual event is the flagship conference of the Noon Centre for Equality and Diversity in Business at UEL, under the direction of Dr Jana Javornik and her team. It was established by the former Chancellor of UEL, Lord Gulam Noon.
Maria Miller MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, gave the morning keynote speech, discussing how transparency in business helps to drive positive change.
The afternoon keynote was delivered by Trevor Phillips, former Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who spoke on equality issues in the US and UK and the uses of big data to inform businesses.
The day began with a plenary session on growth, inclusion and diversity, with speakers including UEL’s Chair of the Board of Governors, Geoff Thompson MBE, and UEL Chancellor Shabir Randeree CBE.
Delegates participated in an range of seminars throughout the day, looking at topics such as: the effect of facial disfigurement and personal characteristics when it comes recruitment; the uses of data in offering insight into employee and customer behaviours; disability; and homelessness.
The conference also drew the support of a number of sponsors who helped make the day possible, including the Chartered Management Institute, the National Equality Standard, Employers Network for equality and Inclusion, WEConnect Internatioanl, Vercida, HFW, and Community Business.
A number of UEL students were also sponsored to attend the day thanks to Holman Fenwick Willan LLP law firm.
Award winners
- Noon Award (outstanding efforts by an individual) Mr Raj Tulsiani, Chief Executive Officer, Green Park
- GED Impact Award (best use of data): Diversity and Inclusion at AIG
- GED Research Award (best research into diversity): Intellectual Property Office
- GED Transparency Award: (for published data and transparent information): Transparency at the Bank of England
- UEL Chancellor’s Award (behest of the Chancellor): Community Cohesion Team at Bedfordshire Police