Member Article

Ardonagh Retail CEO Ian Donaldson shortlisted for prestigious British Diversity Award for work to champion equality and social mobility

Ian Donaldson launched the Football For Change initiative with Premier League footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Coady last year to change the lives of disadvantaged young people in the North West

The Manchester-based insurance boss leads Ardonagh’s LGBT+ network and has been an active supporter of Manchester Pride and British LGBT Awards

The shortlist for the inaugural Burberry sponsored British Diversity Awards has been announced today (Monday 17 January).

The prestigious awards feature an array of inspirational celebrities and public figures alike. The ceremony will recognise individuals with a track record of working to advance equality and opportunity for traditionally marginalised sections of society.

Ian Donaldson, who is the CEO of Manchester-based Ardonagh Retail - part of the £4billion Ardonagh Group, has been shortlisted for a Diversity Champion of the Year Award.

The insurance chief leads Ardonagh’s LGBT+ network and has been a major supporter of initiatives like Manchester Pride and the British LGBT Awards while also launching an initiative called Football For Change, which aims to give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities in education and sport.

Big names including Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock have also been shortlisted for accolades. Pinnock is nominated for her powerful BBC documentary, Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Race, Pop and Power, which followed the pop singer as she confronted her experience as the only Black member of Little Mix, and as a Black woman in the music industry.

Meanwhile, after showing the world acceptance and how to be their true selves following his gold medal success in Tokyo, Tom Daley is nominated alongside comedian John Bishop for his work to support and advocate on behalf of the LGBT+ community.

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, for his tireless and well-documented campaigning, plus Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose-Ayling Ellis are also listed for awards. Football legend Jamie Carragher is also recognised for his work with Football For Change and the Oliver King Foundation, having helped the social mobility enterprise to raise £250,000 on their inaugural dinner launch night while also respectively driving forward the campaign to make it mandatory for all schools to have a defibrillator on site.

Neurodiversity advocate and inspirational teenager Siena Castellon is also nominated for the Hero of the Year category sponsored by Boots, while Church of England, gay equality campaigner Jayne Ozanne is listed in the Campaigner of the Year category, sponsored by DAM Health.

Brands and community groups advocating for greater diversity including National Grid and The Prince’s Trust respectively are among those in the running, while social mobility initiatives like Off The Agenda Podcast are also shortlisted.

Organisations including Stonewall Housing Association, Galop, and Black Minds Matter have been nominated for the Charity of the Year accolade.

The awards will celebrate the individuals and organisations working to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, acknowledging milestones in business, media, politics and grassroots activism.

British Diversity Awards founder, Linda Riley, said: “We are incredibly excited to be announcing the shortlist of the inaugural Burberry sponsored British Diversity Awards.

“These awards will shine a light on the individuals, organisations, charities and unsung heroes who help to make the world and workplaces a better place for others across all strands of diversity.

“We believe that by continuing to celebrate Equality, Diversity and Inclusion that we can help make the UK a better place to live and work for everyone.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Miller .