STARS LEADING THE WAY INCLUDING NCUTI GATWA, CHARLI XCX, LEWIS HAMILTON, RINA SAWAYAMA, CLARA AMFO AND MO GILLIGAN
BUSINESSES MAKING MOVES INCLUDE CHANNEL 4, BENTLEY MOTORS, NATIONAL GRID, L&G AND WHITBREAD – ALL RECOGNISED FOR DRIVING INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE
The Ethnicity Awards is proud to reveal its 2025 shortlist, celebrating exceptional individuals and organisations who are driving progress in diversity, equity and inclusion across society. This year’s nominees represent everything from entertainment and journalism to sports, community activism and corporate leadership, each recognised for their contributions to creating a more inclusive world.
The Ethnicity Awards is a celebration of outstanding work in both corporate and community categories, with awards presented to those leading change in the areas of diversity, social impact and advocacy. Now in its seventh year, the Ethnicity Awards shines a light on those from Black, Asian and diverse ethnic communities who are working towards positive change and creating sustainable impact in the media, grassroots communities and the workplace. Winners will be selected through a both public vote and panel judging, and will be revealed at the London ceremony this Autumn.
Voting is now open for public categories at www.ethnicityawards.com.
BROADCASTER, JOURNALIST OR HOST
From trusted news reporters, to rising voices in entertainment and culture, this year’s shortlist honours the communicators who are shaping how stories are told. Nominees include Clara Amfo and Amol Rajan, who continue to lead with authenticity and insight, and presenters like AJ Odudu and Mo Gilligan, who bring vibrant representation to prime-time TV screens. Also recognised are journalists such as Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Zing Tsjeng, and Sharan Dhaliwal, whose work pushes the boundaries of storytelling and inclusion. Courtney Daniella Boateng and Renee Kapuku are celebrated for founding the To My Sisters community, while Romesh Ranganathan, Mishal Husain, Reggie Yates and Alice Bhandhukravi are honoured for their meaningful contributions to the world of broadcasting and media.
MUSIC ARTIST
This category celebrates artists across a multitude of genres, from hip hop to classical fusion, using their sound and lyricism to amplify underrepresented voices and inspire cultural pride. The 2025 shortlist includes chart-topping talents like Flo, Little Simz, and Charli XCX, alongside genre-defying acts like Anoushka Shankar and Nitin Sawhney. Rising stars like DJ AG and collectives like Girls Don’t Sync showcase a new generation of sound, while Rina Sawayama, Alesha Dixon and Ghetts continue to inspire. Also shortlisted are soulful storytellers like Celeste and Griff, who continue to use their music as a tool to blend emotional depth with cultural resonance.
SPORTS PERSONALITY
These athletes are dominating in their fields as well as using their platforms to drive change. From football stars Lauren James, Bukayo Saka and Son Heung-min, to F1 legend Lewis Hamilton, this category demonstrates the power of sport to break down barriers. Nominees such as Kadeena Cox, Anwar Uddin and Khadijah Mellah are all champions of representation, while trailblazers like Maro Itoje, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Azeem Rafiq are paving the way for future generations. Alex Scott MBE and Maia Bouchier receive nominations too, a nod to those sporting personalities who lead with excellence on and off the field, continually advocating for greater inclusion in sport.
ONLINE INFLUENCER
These digital voices are leading conversations and building communities online. This year’s shortlist includes medical expert Dr Karan Rajan, body positivity advocate Stephanie Yeboah and tech innovator Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE. Comedians like Munya Chawawa and Big Zuu use humour to highlight deeper social issues, while changemakers like Courtney Daniella Boateng, Kike Oniwinde and Zainab Alema are challenging norms and inspiring thousands across their platforms. Completing the shortlist in this category are creators like Nella Rose, Parle Patel, Anchal Seda and Marvyn Newland Harrison, who are using their reach to celebrate identity and empower their audiences.
INSPIRATIONAL PUBLIC FIGURE
The Inspiration Public Figure category shines a light on those who truly exemplify courage, talent and leadership. From the artistry of Simone Ashley, Riz Ahmed and Leomie Anderson, to the tireless activism of Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu and historian David Olusoga, the shortlist nominees reflect influence across multiple sectors. Icons like Meera Syal, Ashley Walters, Nadiya Hussain and Yotam Ottolenghi continue to shape British culture, while visionaries like Pat McGrath, Aaron Pierre and Oluwunmi Mosaku redefine excellence, on a global stage.
MEDIA PROGRESS MOMENT
This category recognises the most unforgettable moments of visibility and cultural shift in mainstream media in the past 12 months. Highlights include Dev Patel’s Monkey Man, Netflix’s Supacell and Ncuti Gatwa’s groundbreaking role as Doctor Who. From EastEnders’ tackling of Islamophobia to the Netflix’s Grenfell: Uncovered and Channel 4’s “Sorry, Not Sorry” campaign – these moments spotlight resilience and representation. Other moments include Judi Love and Richard Ayoade in Prime’s hilarious Last One Laughing, Netflix’s portrayal of an interracial romance in Nobody Wants This, Amrou Al-Kadhi’s trailblazing visibility and Cynthia Erivo’s lead role in Wicked. Doechii’s powerful Grammy acceptance speech and the London Mayor’s move to block contracts with companies lacking DEI policies also marked significant steps forward in cultural accountability and inclusion.
CHARITY OR COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
These shortlisted organisations are the heartbeat of local and national change. Nominees include anti-racism champions Kick It Out, mental health advocates Taraki, and female-led groups like IMKAAN and Black Women Rising. Projects like Kanlungan Filipino Consortium, Voice ESEA and World Afro Day celebrate community identity, while Art Against Knives, Platform Southall and Black Thrive are tackling inequality with creativity and purpose. Further recognition goes to SEEWA, supporting South Asian women through empowerment and advocacy, and Tell MAMA, which works to combat anti-Muslim hate across the UK.
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES
This category honours individuals driving grassroots change, often unsung but still deeply impactful. From youth advocates like Ebinehita Iyere and Kwajo Tweneboa, to culinary community-builder Natty Can Cook, each nominee is creating real change. Social reformers like Dr Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, Sabah Choudrey and Nazim Ali are making a real and tangible difference, while campaigners like Amika George, Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell and Anna Chan continue to uplift marginalised voices across the UK. A place on the shortlist also goes out to Kevin Osei, founder of Bridging Barriers, whose work empowers young people through mentorship, Shazia Ali, a tireless community advocate and Talisha Johnson aka Tee Cee, who uses storytelling to amplify Black British experiences.
New for 2025! The Innovation Award celebrates organisations leading the way with bold and creative approaches to inclusion. Determined via the Investing In Ethnicity Maturity Matrix* this award recognises initiatives that go beyond the conventional to drive meaningful impact and cultural change. This year’s shortlist includes standout efforts from ATOS, Bentley Motors, Channel 4, Croud, L&G, National Grid, Newcastle Building Society, OVO, Stonewater and Whitbread.
Across the corporate categories, the awards celebrate individuals and groups who are driving real change within their organisations. From the Champion Ally category which includes nominees like Lynn Jonas, Mike James and Charlotte Bailey, who use their positions to uplift others, to Exceptional Inclusion nominees such as Irene Adeyinka and Camila Martinez, whose daily work embeds equity at every level – these are the leaders creating fairer and more inclusive workplaces. Rising stars in the Future Leader category, including Promise Eseoghene Ahante and Nikhil Patel, show that impact has no age, while Innovation Award nominees like Emma Humphries, Kirsty Walker and Ellis Cook are proving that creative thinking can spark long-lasting change.
Inspirational Leader nominees such as Reuel Abhams, Nicola Dormer and Gautam Bhattacharyya are guiding progress with empathy and conviction. Meanwhile, Network Groups like Race for Change, and dedicated advocates including Ama O’Cansey and Florence Henderson are fostering community and building lasting equity. And in Outstanding Employer, companies like Ashurst, BP and KPMG are showing what it looks like to put inclusion at the heart of any business strategy.
The full list of shortlisted nominees and awards categories can be found below.
The Ethnicity Awards proudly platforms the stories and work of changemakers who often go unrecognised. Each shortlisted nominee embodies the spirit of activism and cultural influence, helping to foster a more equal and equitable society for all.
Sarah Garrett MBE, Founder of the Ethnicity Awards said, “We are so delighted to share this year’s Ethnicity Awards shortlist, which represents the very best of what our communities have to offer – excellence, resilience, impact and so much more. The world needs more changemakers just like these brilliant people and organisations – each nominee reflects the true power of representation, and we’re proud to celebrate their work. We look forward to celebrating these achievements at the ceremony later this year.”
Rachel Montgomerie, Head of People for HSBC UK said, “Inclusion is key to opening up a world of opportunity, and HSBC UK is proud to be a long-time partner of the Ethnicity Awards. Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees – your work continues to inspire.”
The Ethnicity Awards have previously honoured some remarkable individuals and organisations, such as Mat Moakes of OVO, winner of the Champion Ally award for his advocacy for inclusion, and Jacquline Alcindor from LGIM, whose exceptional work in diversity and inclusion earned her the Exceptional Inclusion award. Rita Ora and Emeli Sandé have been celebrated for their commitment to social justice in the Music Artist category, while Geoffrey Williams of Burberry was recognised for his leadership in advancing ethnic diversity in the workplace. These past winners exemplify the powerful impact that one individual or organisation can have in creating meaningful change.
Join us in honouring those who are shaping a more inclusive future and vote now www.ethnicityawards.com.
ABOUT THE 2025 ETHNICITY AWARDS
The Ethnicity Awards celebrates individuals and organisations that support Black, Asian and diverse Ethnic communities. We recognise those who work tirelessly –within the public eye, in politics and in the workplace – to make a positive impact on diversity, equity and inclusion. Since the Ethnicity Awards began in 2018, we have been working with organisations and individuals to drive ethnic inclusion.
While the discourse around racial equality in the workplace has increased, these figures show that there is still much work to be done. All our winners have made fantastic strides towards progress in these areas. In 2021, we have recorded over 50,000 votes across all categories, showing that more than ever that our community wishes to celebrate the work done by our nominees to progress the ethnicity agenda. We hope our nominees and winners inspire and motivate everyone to progress the cause even further.
* About Investing in Ethnicity (IIE)
Investing in Ethnicity as part of the GAIL APPG; which is an annual membership for businesses helping employers to excel in the racial equity movement. We work with businesses interested in progressing the Ethnicity Agenda within their workforce and beyond.
The Maturity Matrix benchmarking Scheme is a free tool that asks a series of questions about the organisation’s business practices. The Matrix uses the answers to these questions to score and rate the organisation’s current standing. By completing the checklist, organisations are also given bespoke, practical, and easy to follow suggestions on how to improve the organisation’s inclusion efforts. This is done through a points scoring system based on a checklist you fill out about your organisation’s current ethnicity work. Please note that organisations don’t need to complete every point to receive a high level of accreditation. The Maturity Matrix also gives us insight into how different industries are performing in DEI. It is a tool to also gather best practice and data on where organisations are focusing their DEI strategies.
www.investinginethnicity.org
ETHNICITY AWARDS 2025 – COMPLETE SHORTLIST
Broadcaster, Journalist or Host
AJ Odudu
Alice Bhandhukravi
Amol Rajan
Clara Amfo
Courtney Daniella Boateng & Renee Kapuku
Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Mishal Husain
Mo Gilligan
Reggie Yates
Romesh Ranganathan
Sharan Dhaliwal
Zing Tsjeng
Champion Ally
Brian Forbes – BAE Systems
Charlotte Bailey – HSBC UK
Emma Bacon – Computacenter
Emma Humphries – Bentley Motors
Jayne Opperman – LLoyds Banking Group
Lynn Jonas – Ashurst
Matt Elliott – Bank of Ireland
Mike James – National Grid Ventures
Sarah Aitken – L&G
Sarah Campbell-Hill – Takeda UK
Thomas Lemon – Protiviti
Charity or Community Initiative
Art Against Knives
Black Thrive
Black Women Rising
IMKAAN
Kanlungan Filipino Consortium
Kick It Out
Platform Southall
SEEAWA ( Southeast and East Asian Women’s Association)
Taraki Wellbeing
Tell MAMA
Voice ESEA
World Afro Day
Exceptional Inclusion
Abigail Westfield – VML
Alexis Curtis-Harris – Penna
Camila Martinez – Criteo
Danny Silcock – Bentley Motors
Irene Adeyinka
Lavinia Parker – Royal Borough of Greenwich
Mabinty Esho – Comic Relief
Matt Foster – Ogilvy UK
Melania Santoro – Arcadis
Rachel Rose – Ofcom
Raveena Dhadwal – KPMG UK
Rimi Bassi – National Grid
Shabrina Khan – Munich Re
Future Leader
Asher Prower – Gatwick Airport
Dina Baiche – Moody’s
Hajrah Ahmad – Nationwide Building Society
Junior Beaman -NatWest Group
Kam Shergill – Stonewater
Mariashelle Jeyaventhan – Computacenter
Mohammed Ayaz – AtkinsRéalis
Nikhil Patel – Takeda UK
Plaxedes Makura – Ashurst
Promise Eseoghene Ahante – BP
Santina Bunting – Arup
Taniqua Wint – Experian
Innovation Award
ATOS
Bentley Motors
Channel 4
Croud
L&G
National Grid
Newcastle Building Society
OVO
Stonewater
Whitbread
Inspirational Leader
Anoushka Lilley – Nationwide Building Society
Chrissie Antoniou – Motability Operations
Faisal Javaid – Man Group
Gautam Bhattacharyya – Reed Smith
Karima Khandker – Thames Water
Lucinda Batchelor – Warner Bros. Discovery
Mandisa Gordon – JLR
Mohammed Ahmed – Merlin Entertainments
Nicola Dormer – E.ON UK
Prakash Radhakrishnan – Ceva
Reuel Abhams – Arcadis
Ripesh Patel – Network Rail
Inspirational Public Figure
Aaron Pierre
Ashley Walters
David Olusoga
Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu
Leomie Anderson
Meera Syal
Nadyia Hussain
Oluwunmi Mosaku
Pat McGrath
Riz Ahmed
Simone Ashley
Yottam Ottolenghi
Media Progress Moment
Amrou Al-Kadhi
Channel 4’s “Sorry, not sorry” media campaign
Cynthia Erivo in Wicked
Dev Patel produces Monkey Man
Doechii Grammy Acceptance speech
Eastender’s Islamophobia storyline with the Khan family
Grenfell: Uncovered
Judi Love in Laugh Out Loud
London Mayor blocks contracts for non-DEI companies
Ncuti Gatwa as Doctor Who
Netflix’s “Supacell” depicting Sickle Cell
Nobody Wants This
Music Artist
Alesha Dixon
Anoushka Shankar
Celeste
Charli XCX
DJ AG
Dr Nitin Sawhney CBE
Flo
Ghetts
Girls Dont Sync
Griff
Little Simz
Rina Sawayama
Network Group
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Technology – BNP Paribas
Embrace Network – Virgin Money
Empower Race Network – Siemens
Moody’s UK Multicultural BRG – Moody’s
MOSAIC-UK – UBS
Multicultural Inclusion Network – Vodafone UK & Vodafone Group UK
Ofcom
Origins – Sodexo
Race For Change – JLL
Race Network – Newcastle Building Society
Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) – Whitbread
Rail Unites for Inclusion – Rail Industry
REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) Whitbread
REACH Inclusion Network – Rolls Royce SMR
UN-diluted Network – IKEA
UNITY – John Lewis Partnership
Online Influencer
Anchal Seda
Courtney Daniella Boateng
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon
Dr Karan Rajan
Kike Oniwinde
Marvyn New Harrison
Munya Chawawa
Nella Rose
Parle Patel
Stephanie Yeboah
Zainab Alema
Zuhair Huusain (Big Zuu)
Outstanding Contribution to Communities
Amika George
Anna Chan
Dame Jasvinder Sanghera
Ebinehita Iyere
Kevin Osei BEM
Kwajo Tweneboa
Nathaniel Mortley
Nazim Ali
Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell
Sabah Choudrey
Shazia Ali
Talisha ‘Tee Cee’ Cree
Outstanding Employer
Ashurst
Bank of Ireland
BP
HSBC UK
KPMG LLP
L&G
Lloyds Banking Group
London South East Colleges
Macfarlanes LLP
OVO
University of Huddersfield
Vodafone UK and Vodafone Group UK – (Vodafone UK is now VodafoneThree, and that the matrix was submitted before the merge)
Sports Personality
Alex Scott MBE
Anwar Uddin
Azeem Rafiq
Bukayo Saka
Kadeena Cox
Khadijah Mellah
Lauren James
Lewis Hamilton
Maia Bouchier
Maro Itoje
Perri Shakes-Drayton
Son Heung-min
Workplace Hero
Daniel Carter – Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Ehi Okorocha – Rabobank
Kim Moore – UBS
Mandy Mayers – Channel 4 Television
Nana Agyemang – Barclays
Natalie Rose – High Speed Two (HS2)
Ramesh Pani – Ashurst
Sachin Patel – Boots UK
Sharniya Ferdinand – NatWest Group
Taylor Watson – CGI
Victoria Chan – Santander UK
Yvonne Alozie – Standard Chartered Bank
