Some of Gloucestershire's most inclusive employers came together yesterday (October 17) for the third Inclusivity Works Awards event.

A brewery, a bakery and university were among the latest 18 organisations to receive the 'Gloucestershire Inclusive Employer Award' at the celebration of inclusivity and diversity at Stroud Brewery.

Each employer was recognised for embracing and creating a culture where diverse groups of people feel valued, confident and able to be themselves, and have seen incredible benefits as individuals contribute their very best to the organisation.

The awards hosted by Inclusivity Works, launched by the GEM Project, aim to inspire more employers to work in partnership with the campaign and through the support on offer, take advantage of fantastic, talented and motivated potential employees who may not have previously been considered.

Jason Dunsford, GEM project manager and head of employment and skills at Gloucestershire Gateway Trust, said: "It should go without saying that inclusion is the right thing to do. Every resident of Gloucestershire should be able to be part of the economy and join in and make the best of their lives.

"Our work is not about a group of charities with bleeding hearts, nor helping employers to tick a CSR or ESG policy box and get a nice bit of PR. Our team developed Inclusivity Works from employers telling us how great for business this was, not just a nice extra.

"We heard from employers that working with GEM helped them to realise value, inspire loyalty, enable access to talent and skills who they otherwise could not access, improve morale amongst their teams and helped them to understand their customers."

The 18 latest Gloucestershire Inclusive Employers

• Hobbs House Bakery

• Prosperity Care and Wellbeing

• Kingfisher Treasure Seekers

• Commercial

• Young Gloucestershire

• Cirencester Town Council

• Creative Sustainability CIC

• Gloucestershire Constabulary

• Royal Agricultural University

• Gloucester City Homes

• ExtraCare Charitable Trust

• Gloucestershire Youth Support Team

• Forest Voluntary Action Forum

• Stroud District Council

• Create Gloucestershire.

• Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

• G4S

• Stroud Brewery

The event also saw a panel discussion hosted by GEM participant Karen Bucknall, a cancer survivor with a brain tumour, who campaigns for greater awareness around hidden disabilities.

Karen Bucknall said: "I wish there were more like me who are post-cancer and living with benign brain tumours and people from the colostomy community who would take all the wonderful opportunities that come their way with charities such as GEM and the Gloucestershire Gateway."

Karen interviewed representatives from Gloucestershire employers, GFirst LEP and Gloucestershire County Council, as well as another previous participant James, who found employment at Specsavers through the project five years ago and said employment had changed his life.

Emma Willis, Gloucester-based bespoke shirtmaker, said: "We have an 18-year-old from Ukraine, who has fitted in so well. She doesn't speak good English at the moment, but she works with a Polish lady, communicating in a mixture of Polish and Ukrainian, and gradually learning more English and it's wonderful to see.

"Ibrahim is a Syrian refugee who's been here for about five years. He's the only English speaker in his family. He works from home and works around the hours to suit his daughter and always makes up for any hours lost.

"We really enjoy employing so many different nationalities. Everyone loves to learn about other people's culture and the world while they're at work."

Jason Dunsford said: "The business imperative for inclusive employment is even more stark in today's labour market. There are over one million fewer people in the UK's labour market today than there were pre-pandemic.

"There are a lot of things that can be done to improve productivity in the country, but one thing which is essential is including our whole community in the economy, breaking down barriers to employment and utilising those strengths and skills. So if the altruistic argument doesn't win you over, the pragmatic argument must!"