[5 January] National Grid employee group named Top Network Group at 2020 Ethnicity Awards

National Grid ERGs support the business commitment to create more awareness and education around inclusion, uniqueness, belonging and diversity. ONE specifically focuses on sharing insights into different faith groups and supporting ethnic minorities. The group aims to help National Grid in its efforts to be an employer of choice for ethnic minority talent, so that all levels of the business reflect the communities it serves.

The Top Network Group award recognises individuals who have gone above and beyond in helping to positively impact ethnic diversity within their workplace. As part of the award win, ONE was commended for a number of achievements, including:

• Supporting the roll out of education and training across the UK business, such as mandatory Unconscious Bias training and e-learning on Diversity & Inclusion;
• Organising several initiatives and events this year, including Black History Month, Diwali, and Gurpurab;
• Holding topical discussions throughout the year on race, allyship, and microaggressions in the workplace;
• Supporting initiatives such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach, including Your Future, Your Ambition (YFYA), and Blast Festival. These programmes help create connections with young people from different backgrounds and attract diverse talent to the business;
• Its response to Covid-19 as an ERG, and efforts to work with the equivalent ERG on the US side of the business through the use of virtual platforms and technologies, helping to bring people together from across National Grid and share different experiences during this challenging time;
• Growing the membership to over 500 members in a difficult year.

Latisha Mckenzie, Group STEM and Social Mobility Lead and co-Chair of ONE, said: “I want to sincerely thank all of the voluntary committee members that I work alongside for their time, dedication, willingness and perseverance. Their hard work has been so important in providing invaluable support, facilitating important conversations and driving action.”

Amardeep Malhi, Project Engineer and co-Chair of ONE, was also thrilled, saying, “Through the efforts of our volunteers, we’re able to better support our racially and ethnically diverse colleagues across the business. Receiving external recognition against some of the largest organisations in the country, during such uncertain times, reflects our commitment to continue taking steps in the right direction. We know the hard work is by no means complete but we remain focused on action that will help achieve meaningful change.”

The virtual ceremony and Latisha’s acceptance speech, can be found here: Ethnicity Awards video.

Lisa Waterhouse, UK Diversity and Inclusion Manager, says, “Our aim is to create a culture that celebrates the difference in our teams no matter what race, age, role, gender, gender identity, colour, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, marital status, dependents, disability, social class or political view, to make us a stronger, engaged and more productive workforce. The work all the ERGs do really does support this ambition.”

National Grid was also placed in the top 10 in the Outstanding Employer category, an award which recognises overall outstanding achievement and is the most distinguished of the corporate categories.

For press information contact:

Sonam Patel, Media relations manager 
07866 488894