Welcome to VERCIDA website.

Skip to main content
Enable Recite to make this website accessible

European Diversity Awards Winners

European Diversity Awards Winners

This week saw the announcement of the winners of this year’s European Diversity Awards. Now in its sixth year, the awards have become Europe’s most prestigious and widely respected diversity event. Sponsored by Heathrow Ltd, the awards recognise the individuals and organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion across Europe.

Run by the Global Diversity Company, which promotes diversity and equality across the UK, Europe and beyond, the European Diversity Awards bring together leading professionals to showcase their fantastic work to dispel discrimination against all diversity areas: race, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity and belief. It has been consistently shown that organisations which implement this strategy perform better in their market, demonstrate improved staff retention and engagement, and hold greater appeal to millennial and Generation Y jobseekers.

This year’s panel of judges consisted of Baroness Doreen Lawrence, equalities campaigner Linda Riley and former Member of the European Parliament, Lord Michael Cashman.

A notable winner was Phillip Bourchier O’Ferrall, Senior Vice President of Viacom, who took home the award for Diversity Champion of the Year for his work towards making equality and diversity a part of mainstream media. Bourchier O’Ferrall is one of the most senior gay executives in broadcasting and works across Channel 5, MTV and Nickelodeon at Viacom. 

Another win to note was that of Pamela Hutchinson, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Bloomberg. She was awarded Head of Diversity of the Year for her implementation of the firm’s diversity agenda throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Mermaids UK also found success as they were named Charity of the Year. After a difficult year due to being criticised on the front page of the Daily Mail, the charity achieved recognition for the work they are doing to support children with gender identity issues, and their families. To find out more about Mermaids UK, please click here.

Tribute was also paid to Paul Cottingham. The late humanitarian activist who sadly lost his battle with cancer in 2014 was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award. Cottingham, who was also an actor, supported causes such as the Kaleidoscope Trust throughout his lifetime and was noted for entering a civil partnership with former Labour MEP Michael Chapman in 2006. He stood for equality and inclusion, therefore was deserving of a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Linda Riley, founder of the European Diversity Awards, commented at the event: “All of the European Diversity Award winners should rightly feel proud because in their own way they have contributed to making Europe a more tolerant, diverse and just society. And in the year of Brexit, with all the uncertainty about the future that brings, these awards are more important than ever.”

The full list of Winners is as follows:

EUROPEAN DIVERSITY AWARDS 2016

COCA-COLA EUROPEAN PARTNERS – HERO OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Dr. Helena Dalli
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Mohammed Zafran BEM

SOCIETE GENERALE – CHARITY OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Mermaids UK

HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS – JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Nikki Fox
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Rokhaya Diallo

OUTNEWS GLOBAL – INSPIRATIONAL ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Vicky Beeching
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Sophie Walker

BLOOMBERG – OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE NETWORK GROUP OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Deloitte – Multicultural Network
HIGHLY COMMENDED – University of Bradford – n-able, Disabled Staff Network

HEATHROW – COMMUNITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Refugee Community Kitchen
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Liverpool Signing Choir

WECONNECT INTERNATIONAL – SUPPLIER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Intel
HIGHLY COMMENDED – IBM Switzerland

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP – DIVERSITY TEAM OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Royal Air Force Diversity Team
HIGHLY COMMENDED – BNP Paribas – P&C Network

TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP – MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Tastes of the World by PHD UK and OMG Ethnic for Sainsbury’s
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Pride in London – #nofilter

VODAFONE – CAMPAIGNER OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Jonathan Andrews BCA
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Bisi Alimi


NEUROLEADERSHIP INSTITUTE – HEAD OF DIVERSITY OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Pamela Hutchinson
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Stephanie Oueda Cruz

ROYAL AIR FORCE – COMPANY OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Accenture
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Manchester City Football Club


ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH – DIVERSITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

WINNER – Philip Bourchier O’Ferrall
HIGHLY COMMENDED – Daisy Reeves 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Paul Cottingham – 18th of May 1964 to 24 October 2014

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information.

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.

Vercida logo

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please email [email protected] for more information.

Business Management Consulting

Thank you for registering on VERCIDA - the leading job site for companies that are passionate about diversity and inclusion.

  • Check out our client profiles to get the latest on their DE&I credentials
  • Look out for client benefits next to all our job specs
  • Sign up for job alerts to keep up to date on new roles as they come in
  • Search 1000s of roles from the biggest brands

Please proceed to the next step. If you are unable to complete the next stage of application please use the contact form HERE.

You will receive an email with link to reset your password.

Enter your new password