Employee Networks and Inclusion Leaders Celebrated at the

Employee Network Awards 2026

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The Employee Network Awards 2026, headline sponsored by Haleon, took place on Friday 25 September at the InterContinental London Park Lane, celebrating the outstanding work of employee networks and the individuals driving diversity, equity and inclusion across UK workplaces.

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Hosted by Dawn Butler MP, with a special live performance from Leee John, the unmistakable voice of Imagination, the evening recognised the networks, leaders and organisations making a meaningful difference to workplace culture and belonging.

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Kat Parsons, CEO of the Employee Network Awards, said: “Behind every employee network are people giving their time and energy to make workplaces better for others. These awards are our opportunity to say: we see you, and we celebrate the incredible work you do.”

Balfour Beatty’s Right to Respect won Best Network Initiative 2026 for its work transforming workplace culture and championing respectful behaviour, while Phil Whaite from A&O Shearman was named Network Inspirational Role Model 2026 for his commitment to disability inclusion and accessibility.

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Other winners included SGN’s Ability@SGN, BDO UK’s Bridge, Winston Taylor LLP’s Family Matters, Close Brothers’ Unity, Moneybox’s Black Employee Network, Holland and Barrett’s Better Together Network, Entain’s Wellbeing@Entain and ScottishPower’s Connected Women.

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Individual leadership was also celebrated, with Tony Fagelman from Xerox winning Outstanding Network Lead, Rebecca Short from Deutsche Bank named Outstanding Executive Sponsor and Georgie Willis from Eurostar receiving the Head of Belonging, Culture or Diversity award.

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A special Outstanding Leadership in Inclusion award was presented to Jon Tilli, Deutsche Bank, recognising his exceptional commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion, championing employee networks and driving meaningful change through his leadership of dbPride.

The highlight of the evening was the Network of Networks award, sponsored by HSBC Innovation Banking, which brings together the winning networks to compete for the ultimate accolade.

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The award went to Ability@SGN, SGN, recognising its outstanding contribution to disability inclusion, championing accessibility, amplifying colleague voices and turning lived experiences into meaningful action.

The Employee Network Awards 2026 celebrated the dedication, innovation and collective impact of employee networks and inclusion leaders, highlighting their vital role in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive.

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