The Diversity Group is a British organisation which promotes equality and diversity and which was set up by founder and CEO, Paul Sesay, in 2006.
History
Founded in 2006, The Diversity Group was set up with the aim of eliminating barriers within employment, education and training for diverse groups throughout the UK. Predominantly aimed at diverse groups across a number of strands including Age, Disability, Gender, LGBT, Race and Religion, The Diversity Group runs a series of initiatives which promote opportunities for people living in the United Kingdom. Such opportunities are mainly presented through The Diversity Group Directory and The Diversity Group Jobsite. In addition to this, The Diversity Group also celebrate the achievements of positive role models, entrepreneurs and community organisations across the equality and diversity sector through their annual awards ceremony, The National Diversity Awards. Since 2015, The Diversity Group have also added The Excellence in Diversity Awards to their list of initiatives. This particular awards ceremony celebrates Inclusive Employers & Diversity Champions within their incredible work for Diversity & Inclusion The Diversity Group are also involved with a number of other initiatives, including diversity e-training, school workshops and recruitment fairs.
The Diversity Group directory
The Diversity Group Directory is an annual publication which is sent out to schools, libraries, job centres, youth & community groups, city councils, race equality councils and citizens advice bureaus across the United Kingdom. The directory provides information about equal rights, legislation and helpful links for people who need advice on specific problems and issues which are often raised within the equality and diversity sector. The directory was initially published as Urban UK up until 2009 before switching to its current title of The Diversity Group Directory. Chevron served as a sponsor for The Diversity Group Directory for two years between 2011 and 2012. The Diversity Group 2014 Directory in association with the National Diversity Awards 2014 is sponsored by Farnell element14.
TDG jobsite
The official Diversity Group website contains a jobsite which typically promotes job opportunities from organisations who advertise through The Diversity Group Directory. Organisations to have been included on the TDG jobsite include Microsoft, Sky, Lloyds Banking Group, MI5, Financial Ombudsman Service, First Group Plc and Arts Council England to name a few. Other organisations to have advertised job opportunities through the TDG Jobsite include city councils, universities and housing associations amongst many other employers across the jobs sector.
Established in 2012, The National Diversity Awards in association with Microsoft is a British awards ceremony dedicated to celebrating positive role models, entrepreneurs and community organisations for their achievements within the equality and diversity sector. The Awards serve as an annual celebration held across multiple venues across the United Kingdom and honours are distributed through five different strands which include Age, Disability, Gender, LGBT and Race, Faith & Religion. The National Diversity Awards started life in 2012 and was held at The Midland Hotel in Manchester before moving to the Queens Hotel in Leeds in 2013. The National Diversity Awards 2014 was held at The Hurlingham Club in London on 26 September 2014. The fourth annual National Diversity Awards will be held at The Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool on 18 September 2015. Past award winners include inspirational figures such as Peter Tatchell and James Partridge OBE, who both won the Lifetime Achiever award in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The Awards also honour organisations, with The Co-operative Group and Farnell element14 being respective winners of the 2012 and 2013 Diverse Company awards. Since its launch, The National Diversity Awards has attracted the support of a number of celebrity patrons and endorsers. Celebrity patrons of the Awards have included Misha B and Cerrie Burnell, who now hosts the Awards along with Big Brother winner and television presenter, Brian Dowling. Celebrity endorsers include Stephen Fry, Beverley Knight, Trevor Nelson, Meera Syal, Brian Blessed, Gareth Thomas, Katie Piper and Ade Adepitan amongst others.
The Excellence in Diversity Awards
The Excellence in Diversity Awards is an awards ceremony which honours Inclusive Employers & Diversity Champions across all 5 different sectors. It is held annually in various venues across the United Kingdom. Founded by current CEO, Paul Sesay, who is also the founder and CEO of I Spoil U Media, The National Diversity Awards and The Diversity Group, The Excellence in Diversity Awards launched in 2015. The Excellence in Diversity Awards 2015 took place in The Midland Hotel in Manchester on 14 May.
