The inclusion in Awards 2026 have recognised outstanding achievements in inclusive leadership, workplace culture, employee wellbeing and social mobility across hospitality, travel, leisure and retail, celebrating the people and initiatives helping to create more inclusive workplaces.
The inclusion in Awards 2026 have celebrated the leaders, teams and organisations turning workplace inclusion commitments into meaningful action across the hospitality, travel, leisure (HTL) and retail sectors. The winners were announced on Tuesday 3 November at the London Hilton on Park Lane at the official events ceremony. The awards recognise achievements in inclusive leadership, employee engagement, disability inclusion, social mobility, mentoring and workplace wellbeing.
Among the headline winners, David McDowall of Stonegate Group was named Most Inclusive Group Chief Executive Officer in HTL. Tim Stacey of DFS Group scooped the equivalent retail honour. Compass Group UK & Ireland was named Most Inclusive Organisation in HTL. And Sainsbury’s received the Most Inclusive Organisation award in retail.
Paul Flaum OBE, Chair of Haven and Warner Hotels, received the Inclusion Legacy Award, recognising his longstanding commitment to creating more inclusive workplace cultures. Other notable winners included Hilton’s Chefs Inclusion Programme, Matalan’s Unity Colleague Communities, JD Group’s JDUP social mobility initiative and The Very Group’s MIND employee resource group, demonstrating the breadth of approaches organisations are taking to tackle workplace barriers and create greater opportunities for employees.
Now in their third year, the awards, powered by WiHTL and Diversity in Retail, recognise achievements across leadership, organisational culture and initiatives designed to improve inclusion and belonging.
CELEBRATING THE POWER OF INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY
Reflecting on the event, Tea Colaianni MBE, founder of WiHTL and Diversity in Retail, highlighted the progress being made across the sectors and the importance of connecting inclusion with business performance. The fifth Inclusion Summit attracted 600 delegates to the London Hilton on Park Lane, bringing together business leaders and inclusion advocates for a day of discussion, shared learning and collaboration. “Purpose and performance are not competing priorities. They strengthen each other,” Colaianni reflected on LinkedIn.
The celebrations continued with 550 guests attending the third Inclusion Awards Gala Dinner, recognising achievements across hospitality, travel, leisure and retail. However, the occasion also demonstrated the wider impact of collective action. According to Colaianni, the community raised an impressive £300,000 in just 24 hours for charity partner Team Domenica, which supports young people with learning disabilities into employment. “This is Performance with Purpose in action. This is the power of Community,” she said.
Colaianni credited the achievement to individual contributions and corporate generosity, reflecting the strength of a community built on collaboration, trust and a shared commitment to helping others succeed.
INCLUSION IN AWARDS 2026 WINNERS
This year’s winners by category, include:
INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP AWARDS
- Most Inclusive Group Chief Executive Officer in HTL (sponsored by Redgrave): David McDowall, Stonegate Group.
- Most Inclusive Group Chief Executive Officer in Retail (sponsored by MBS): Tim Stacey, DFS Group.
- Most Inclusive Divisional/Regional CEO in HTL (sponsored by Bidfood): Helen Milligan-Smith, Aramark UK.
- Most Inclusive Divisional/Regional CEO in Retail (sponsored by Stream): Koreen Fader, QVC UK.
- Most Inclusive Chief Financial Officer in HTL (sponsored by Moto Hospitality): Leni Savva, Elior UK.
- Most Inclusive Chief Financial Officer in Retail (sponsored by JSS Search): Constantinos Mourouzides, IKEA UK.
- Most Inclusive Chief People Officer in HTL (sponsored by Irwin Mitchell): Matt Hudson, Popeyes UK.
- Most Inclusive Chief People Officer in Retail (sponsored by Q5): Estelle Hollingsworth, McArthurGlen.
INCLUSION CHAMPIONS AND INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT
- Outstanding Inclusion Professional in HTL (sponsored by Stonegate): Sarah Atta-Nugent, IHG.
- Outstanding Inclusion Professional in Retail (sponsored by Global Payments): Miriam Earley, Sainsbury’s.
- Most Impactful Mentor in HTL & Retail (sponsored by Elior): Arslan Sharif, Moto Hospitality.
- Inclusion Hero in HTL (sponsored by Screwfix): Ellie Lloyd, Warner Hotels.
- Inclusion Hero in Retail (sponsored by Connells): Sarah Malik, QVC UK.
- The Inspirational Young Person Award (sponsored by JD Group): Nadine Greenhough, McDonald’s UK & Ireland.
EMPLOYEE NETWORKS, COLLABORATION AND SOCIAL MOBILITY
- Most Impactful Employee Resource Group in HTL (sponsored by Greene King): Disability and Inclusion ERG, The Gym Group.
- Most Impactful Employee Resource Group in Retail (sponsored by QVC): MIND (Mental Health & Wellbeing @ Very), The Very Group.
- Most Impactful Collaboration Project in HTL (sponsored by IHG): Releasing Potential, Greene King.
- Most Impactful Collaboration Project in Retail (sponsored by Currys): Baby and Beyond: FAVE & WAVE Parental Support Project, The Very Group.
- Most Impactful Social Mobility Initiative in HTL and Retail (sponsored by DFS): JDUP, JD Group.
TRANSFORMATIVE INCLUSION INITIATIVES
- Most Transformative Inclusion Initiative in HTL (sponsored by SSP): Hilton Chefs Inclusion Programme, Hilton.
- Most Transformative Inclusion Initiative in Retail (sponsored by Q5): Unity Colleague Communities, Matalan.
MOST INCLUSIVE ORGANISATIONS AND LEGACY AWARD
- Most Inclusive Organisation in HTL (sponsored by Bond): Compass Group UK & Ireland.
- Most Inclusive Organisation in Retail (sponsored by B&Q): Sainsbury’s.
- Inclusion Legacy Award (sponsored by Sainsbury’s): Paul Flaum OBE, Chair, Haven and Warner Hotels.
INCLUSION MATURITY CURVE AWARDS 2026
The Inclusion Maturity Curve awards recognise organisations demonstrating achievements and progress across key areas of workplace inclusion, including leadership, employee experience and stakeholder engagement. This year’s winners were:
- Employee Journey (sponsored by AlixPartners): Haven.
- Leadership (sponsored by AlixPartners): Wickes.
- Stakeholders (sponsored by AlixPartners): TUI.
- Most Progress 2024–2025: HTL (sponsored by AlixPartners): SSP.
- Most Progress 2025–2026: Retail (sponsored by AlixPartners): IKEA.
TURNING WORKPLACE INCLUSION INTO MEANINGFUL ACTION
This year’s winners highlight the different approaches employers are taking to build more inclusive workplaces, from strengthening leadership accountability and supporting employee networks to expanding career opportunities and addressing barriers to participation. The recognition of chief executives, finance leaders and people professionals also underlines the importance of embedding inclusion across senior leadership rather than treating it as the responsibility of HR or diversity teams alone.
Meanwhile, the winning initiatives focused on disability inclusion, mental health, parental support, social mobility and employee belonging demonstrate how workplace programmes can respond to the diverse needs of employees at different stages of their careers. The substantial fundraising achievement for Team Domenica further illustrates how collaboration between employers can extend beyond workplace initiatives to create opportunities for people who continue to face barriers to employment.
Together, this year’s winners demonstrate that workplace inclusion is about more than policies or commitments. From inclusive leadership and employee wellbeing to social mobility and disability employment, they highlight how organisations can combine business performance with meaningful social impact. They also reinforce the message that purpose and performance can, and should, go hand in hand. For further information, visit the official inclusion in Awards 2026 winners page here.
Check out the full list of inclusion in Awards 2026 finalists here.
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