London South East Colleges Wins Outstanding Employer Award for Inclusion
The college was recognised for its significant investment and commitment to diversity and inclusion practices.
By Priya Shah
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a diversity and inclusion award certificate.
London South East Colleges has received the prestigious Outstanding Employer award at the Ethnicity Awards, recognising its significant efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion.
The college was lauded for its investment in the ethnicity agenda, successfully implementing initiatives across seven key categories outlined in the Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix. This achievement places them among other notable organisations such as Ashurst Perkins Coie, Experian, and Vodafone, who were also shortlisted.
Janet Curtis-Broni, Group Chief People Officer for the Elevare Civic Education Group, under which London South East College operates, stated, “It’s a great achievement to have received this award. It’s an accolade to the hard work of our team to take a proactive approach to diversity and inclusion and the impact this has made. It isn’t necessarily easy, but it is important to us and reflects our values.”
Asfa Sohail, Deputy CEO and Principal of London South East Colleges, expressed immense pride, saying, “I am incredibly proud that this recognition reflects the work of our staff and students across LSEC. Every day, I see the commitment of colleagues to creating an inclusive community where our students feel valued, respected and able to achieve their ambitions. This award is a testament to our collective commitment to celebrating diversity, creating opportunity and ensuring that everyone has a strong sense of belonging.”
The judging panel evaluated the college on its capture of diversity data, implementation of an action plan, and efforts in building understanding and supporting the representation of diverse ethnic groups. London South East Colleges demonstrated high levels of ethnicity data disclosure and made clear progress in ethnic representation within middle management. Furthermore, its ethnicity inclusion training has reached most staff, and its supplier code of conduct extends equity standards to partners, amplifying its impact.
“
"The Outstanding Employer accolade is one of our most competitive awards due to the robust criteria and evidence needed through the Matrix. I’m so proud to see London South East Colleges is leading the way and creating such an inclusive environment for ethnic diverse colleagues and publics. The education establishment is now in its fifth year of completing the benchmark, and this is the first time this coveted title has gone to the education sector. It is fantastic to see a college, which shapes the lives of thousands of young people, putting in the work to be truly inclusive and building on where we are now to where we might be in the future."
“
"This is a significant achievement. To be the first education establishment to win the Outstanding Employer award at the Ethnicity Awards demonstrates our investment and commitment to the communities we serve. It is vital that we are representative of our communities; that our learners see people in roles of leadership and responsibility who look like them; and that we build aspiration and opportunity for all. I couldn't be prouder of our teams for the hard work they have put in to make sure that barriers are removed so people can meet their potential."
