Why did you enter the Investors in People 2023 Awards?

We entered the Investors in People 2023 awards for a variety of reasons. In 2022, HomeStart made a strategic commitment to advancing inclusion and formed an Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Champions group to develop a plan to progress. A remarkable amount of work has been carried out by the EEDI champions and wider organisation and we
wanted to recognise the efforts of the team and acknowledge how far we have come.

Secondly, we entered this to mark our progress against others because it can be hard to know how far you have travelled. This award gave us an opportunity to reflect on our diversity and inclusion journey and to hear from other organisations and learn from them, as we know we still have a lot of work to do.

What has it meant to you, your team and your organisation to be shortlisted for an Investors in People 2023 Award?

Being shortlisted for a diversity and inclusion award is a significant achievement. The team have felt truly honoured. It has given us:

• Recognition: It shows that our organisational efforts on our Diversity and Inclusion journey have been recognised externally.
• Validation: Being shortlisting encourages us that our diversity and inclusion journey is heading in the right direction.
• Visibility: Demonstrates to our wider Home – Start federation and others in the charity sector, Home – Start UK are being brave and empowers them to do the same.
• Motivation: it has boosted our team, as their contributions to creating an inclusive workplace are showing a positive impact.
• Networking: It provides us an opportunity to network with other organisations, who are also shortlisted, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

What would it mean to your organisation to win an Investors in People 2023 Award?

Being shortlisted is an accomplishment in itself and has already inspired us, but to win the award would have a significant positive impact. It would help build a platform for us to share good practice with our wider federation, with the recognition of IIP behind us. We believe that this could make a significant impact as we seek to support our wider federation to progress on diversity and inclusion.

How important is it for your organisation to be a part of the Investors in People community and engaged in awards and events like this one?

It’s incredibly important for Home-Start UK to be part of the awards community and engaged with the events. It enables us to learn from others’ experiences and share best practice. Involvement in awards events and initiatives can generate positive environment and enhances an organisation’s reputation. As a charity it confirms to our supporters and funders that we take our EEDI commitments seriously.

Being part of the community is great encouragement and helps to guide us on our continuing journey. It can help to highlight areas for improvement and inspire ongoing growth and innovation.

Awards events provide excellent networking opportunities. Connecting with peers and industry leaders sharing valuable insights, recognising there are other organisations on the same journey, doing great work, that we can celebrate with and learn with.