Sofia Haq, Immigration Liaison Officer, Cairo

Ms Sofia Haq has worked in the British Embassy Cairo for over three years. As well as her full-time job as an Immigration Liaison Officer she has proactively sought out opportunities above and beyond her core role with UKBA. She has actively championed the civil service’s diversity message in all of her dealings with staff, both UK-based and locally employed. Thanks to her, where before there was no diversity committee, the embassy now has a functioning committee committed to ensuring that diversity is embedded throughout all embassy functions.

Sofia was interviewed by a magazine Nisf-Eddonia about being a female veiled Muslim UK diplomat and gave a hugely positive appraisal of her experiences in the UK and Egypt, particularly during Ramadan and in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings. This led to a similar interview with the Al Azhar Association of Graduates. First Secretary Political commented that both interviews and follow-ups significantly contributed to the FCO PREVENT Agenda.

Sofia also organised an embassy-wide Iftar, an event previously criticised for its organisation. By changing the format and championing inclusion, including negotiating use of the ambassadorial residence, she delivered an exceptional team-building event.

She contributed to FCO’s News and Views, on changing the Middle Eastern perception about Muslim life in Britain. And in Frontier World she wrote about her role as a Immigration Liaison Officer and the success she has had implementing intelligence principles within a predominantly Arab/Muslim region.

Sofia directly addressed over 100 staff about the importance of working together as team, embracing differences to enrich the embassy and observing tolerance. She gave personal examples and reinforced her message that a perceived religious divide would damage relations and the embassy’s ability to succeed. Her account was personal, direct and honest and put a stop to malicious rumours and destructive talk about religious divisions in the embassy.

Ms Haq has shown evidence of all four P's: Pride, Passion, Pace and Professionalism in her dedicated approach to diversity in all its forms. Ms Haq leaves Cairo this summer and leaves behind a diversity legacy based on civil service core values that will endure.

Parveen Hassan, Equality Diversity and Community Engagement Manager, Crown Prosecution Service

Parveen joined the Crown Prosecution Service in 2002. As group equality, diversity and community engagement manager, she won Best Female Employee at the British Asian Hafta Awards 2009 for her leadership and delivery on community engagement.

Despite being in middle management, Parveen steered chief crown prosecutors and violence against women prosecutors to understand the need to engage with different communities for effective consultation from traditional engagement models. Parveen led the project with South Asian communities on honour-based violence, forced marriages and domestic violence.

Parveen has championed community ambassadors, delivering a two-day Community Engagement Staff Training programme. She monitors their work in the community and evaluates methods of delivery to ensure actions are taken forward. Parveen has also been nominated by the service provider Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid on her work with Somalian women.

Parveen has gone the extra mile with victims and witnesses, ensuring national policies are driven locally with staff and community involvement. She is currently working with young people in schools as a mentor for Mosaic, the Muslim-led Network in her additional personal time; mentoring young people together with Mosaic; and working on the CPS Community Involvement Panel.

Through her transformational leadership, Parveen has initiated a programme of community engagements which have assisted staff to raise their awareness of the diverse communities that the area serves – and in turn, for the community to increase its knowledge of the role of the CPS, the prosecution process and the support that is available to victims of all crimes. This is illustrative of her determination to improve public confidence in the criminal justice system. Across the joint agencies in the West Midlands, she is now seen as a pioneer in the field of community engagement.

Tracy Bridgett, Head of Learning, Development and Diversity, UK Border Agency

In the face of significant budget reductions in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber region (NEYH) of the UK Borders Agency (UKBA), the equality and diversity team led by Tracy Bridgett achieved commendable results, ultimately strengthening the impact of leadership in E&D throughout the region.

Tracy and her team demonstrated inclusive leadership by instigating a review of informal staff groups, ultimately streamlining activity without adversely impacting on regional commitment to E&D. Tracy’s inclusive and consensual methods involved consulting with myriad staff representatives, enabling her to measure impact as well as formulate alternative, more cost-effective mechanisms to promote E&D issues.

Tracy demonstrated great professionalism in reaching the most rational decision for the regional disbandment of the network if staff were unable to continue it in their personal time. Whilst this decision could have been perceived as negative, Tracy secured a range of measures to improve, rather than reduce, staff access to support and advice. Through careful negotiation, she secured champions at senior level to promote and represent diversity strands. The champions have subsequently promoted and driven forward diversity initiatives, demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to diversity more visibly.

Tracy’s passionate advocacy of E&D ensured high levels of activity continue despite reducing resources. Staff feel empowered to set up their own initiatives, with oversight and support from Tracy’s team. One example is the Break the Stigma group, supporting and advising staff on wellbeing and mental health issues. The group garners exceptional feedback and has run two large region-wide events.

Tracy has remained steadfast in her commitment to ensuring her team excels in service delivery to internal customers. Through ongoing collaboration with Home Office IT, the region has achieved the highly commendable result of currently having no members of staff within the region (who number 2,000) with outstanding IT particular requirements. This is the first time in several years that the region has had no staff on the Outstanding Particular Requirements list, and it is testament to Tracy’s perseverance and collaboration with an external team that this result has been achieved.