2022 Community Business Awards - Winners

To recognise a business leader/senior executive based in Asia who has demonstrated personal passion and used their influence to advance responsible and inclusive business practices in their organisation and beyond.

Winner:

Angel Ng

Angel Ng is the CEO for Citi Hong Kong and Macau. She was appointed in May 2018 to oversee all the businesses across the Citi franchise in the two markets. Prior to assuming this role, Angel was the Chief Executive and Consumer Business Manager for Citi’s consumer banking operations in Hong Kong. Angel joined Citi Hong Kong in 1998 and had previously served as the Head of Retail Banking, Head of Wealth Management, and Head of Cards. A strong advocate of diversity and inclusion, Angel is the Asia Pacific co-lead of the Citi Women Affinity Steering Committee.

To recognise an employee network that has played a strategic and proactive role in advancing responsible and inclusive business practices in Asia.

Winner: 

Citi
Citi Pride Affinity

Citi's Employee Network chapters serve as local branches of their Affinities and are initiated and led by employees. They offer professional development, mentoring, networking and community engagement opportunities to members and colleagues. Consistent with Citi's inclusive culture, Employee Network chapters are open to all Citi employees, whether they identify with a particular Affinity. Each Affinity is co-chaired by a member of Citi's CEO Jane Fraser's leadership team.

As part of Citi Pride Affinity's objectives, increasing leadership awareness and advocacy, ally engagements and education across the organisation remain a priority in their multi-year Pride inclusion strategy.

To recognise a specific corporate initiative that demonstrates a bold, new, different or creative approach to advancing responsible and inclusive business practices in Asia.

Winner: 

Allen & Overy 
Supporting Female Talent in Indonesia

Allen & Overy’s Jakarta office (Ginting & Reksodiputro in association with Allen & Overy) currently has five male partners and historically a third of graduate-level new joiners were female. In Indonesia, the legal profession remains a male-dominated industry and women face significant gender bias.

To address this, and in line with A&O’s global DE&I strategy, the Jakarta office undertook to improve gender balance in the office, tackle stereotypes and grow the partnership organically. The office implemented initiatives to support the wellbeing and development of talented female staff, increasing the proportion of females in the graduate intake and transforming the female talent pipeline.

To recognise a company that has adopted a holistic and intersectional approach to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace in Asia.

Winner: 

Linklaters 
D&I Intersectionality in Asia

Linklaters believes that, while they still have work to do to be truly diverse and inclusive, their focus on intersectionality is propelling them forward. Linklaters initially spoke about diversity in a way that highlighted differences, to aid people's understanding, however over the years they have progressed to approaching D&I in a way that focuses simply on authenticity and respect - ultimately a deeply intersectional approach. While they do keep our eye on those issues and challenges that specifically affect certain groups, Linklaters emphasises that people don't fit neatly into diversity boxes. This allows people to embrace their full selves.

To recognise a company that has adopted a holistic and intersectional approach to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace in Asia.

Winner: 

Google
DigiPivot

DigiPivot- an initiative by Google in association with Avtar and Centre for Executive Education at Indian School of Business, is a platform to build the digital marketing skill set for women professionals in India. The objective of this programme is to provide opportunities for women professionals to pivot their career in the digital marketing landscape and open a world of new career opportunities to grow and learn. DigiPivot encompasses a curated 22 week learning programme and engagement (both offline and online) to empower the participants with digital marketing knowledge and tools as well as mentorship on strategic leadership skills

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the work-life harmony* of its employees in Asia. *This relates to initiatives that companies have in place to empower and support employees to manage their personal and professional lives.

Winner: 

Talawakelle Tea Estates 
Strategic Key Drivers for the Development of Employees

Work-life harmony is about finding a way to weave together the different aspects of our lives. Doing this gives a greater sense of wellbeing and satisfaction than might be achieved through the work or non-work time alone. When employees work, Talawakelle make sure they are fully engaged with their tasks and put their work out of mind when they are off the clock. They establish goals and priorities for employees tohelp them focus on tasks that give them satisfaction, happiness and a sense of accomplishment. Achieving work-life harmony means re-evaluating how employees integrate their work-life into their personal life.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the physical wellbeing of employees in Asia, including creating the physical infrastructure and ecosystem to support a holistic and sustainable approach.

Winner: 

Marriott International
TakeCare: Opportunity, Community and Purpose

Marriott has a clear employer value proposition and a long-standing culture of "Take Care". They continually strive to provide experiences that their associates value most – 1) the Opportunity to learn, grow and be well, 2) being part of a Community of associates that work together as a team and are respectful and kind to all, 3) and having a strong sense of Purpose in knowing they make a difference in the world through the work they do and the role they play in society and for the environment. Opportunity, Community and Purpose, are the foundation of TakeCare.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the emotional wellbeing of employees in Asia. *This may include targeted initiatives that companies have in place to promote happiness, resilience, mental health and/or spiritual wellbeing in the workplace.

Winner: 

Booking.com
Beating Burnout

Beating Burnout is a systemic, data driven way of empowering employees, teams and the organisation to create work-life harmony. Booking.com define burnout in line with the WHO as emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation (mental detachment and negativity) and a reduced sense of self efficacy. Booking.com’s data showed that burnout and a lack of awareness around burnout triggers was the largest wellbeing issue across all 17 APAC markets. This preventative programme helps build awareness for the signs of stress and provides science-based ways to build resilience. Booking.com used a gamified approach to help employees turn insight into action. 

To recognise an LGBT+ employee who has taken proactive and effective steps to promote an LGBT+ inclusive culture in the workplace and beyond in Asia.

Winner: 

Ada Ho, Equinix (She/Her)

Ada has 19+ years in B2B marketing and communications working in businesses across North America and Asia. She has an entrepreneurial “roll-up-the-sleeves” mindset and fully embraces diverse cultures and people. Ada splits her time focusing on customer experience and storytelling and as an active advocate and member of the D&I community.

Ada co-founded the APAC chapter of Equinix Women Leaders Network (EWLN) in 2016. In 2019 she became a Global Steering Committee member for Equinix LGBTQ+ network, PrideConnect and was instrumental in the launch of its APAC chapter. Ada happily resides in Hong Kong with her partner of nine years.

To recognise a non-LGBT+ employee who has demonstrated personal passion and commitment to promoting LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace and beyond in Asia and been an active ally.

Winner: 

Odile Thiang, Mind HK (She/Her)

Odile is a Paediatric Nurse Practitioner, having started her career at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada. Her commitment to serving marginalised communities led her to work on the improvement of mental health care, as well as working with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and vulnerable LGBT+ youth. In Hong Kong Odile has focused on mental health and education. At Mind HK Odile is a clinical advisor and trainer focusing on anti-stigma efforts. Odile is also a teaching fellow at the HK PolyU, School of Nursing and an Honorary Nurse Consultant at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital. 

To recognise a company that has recently started on its LGBT+ inclusion journey in Asia (within the last 2 years) and has made significant progress.

Winner: 

Standard Chartered Bank (Taiwan) Limited 
 

Standard Chartered Taiwan established SC Pride Taiwan in 2020 to lead and drive initiatives which creates a LGBT+ inclusive culture and workplace. SC Pride Taiwan also collaborates closely with key players in the local market and actively participates in local events such as PRIDE Taiwan. Over the past two years, SC Pride has hosted and participated in countless events joined by more than 700+ colleagues, families and friends. SC Taiwan continues to champion and embrace diversity and inclusion. It is in their DNA as it embodies the Standard Chartered brand promise of “here for Good”.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to advancing transgender inclusion in the workplace in Asia.

Winner: 

Thoughtworks Technologies India Private Limited 
Interning with pride

Interning with Pride (IWP) is a Thoughtworks initiative. This certified technical internship and hiring programming is aimed at graduate technologists from the LGBT+ community, providing them with a safe space to pursue their technical ambitions. The programme offers the attendees the opportunity to sharpen their technical skills through hands-on sessions. It includes both technical training as well as project experience.The programme is part of Thoughtworks’ efforts to make the company and the tech industry more inclusive and reflective of the society. It stands for fighting against gender discrimination and help imbibe non-heteronormative thinking in the society.

To recognise a specific corporate initiative that has had a positive and measurable impact on supporting and promoting the advancement of women in the workplace in India.

Winner: 

Infosys Limited
Creating a gender-diverse workforce at Infosys with 45% women by 2030

Infosys recently launched their ambitious ESG Vision 2030. As a part of this vision, they are committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion in the corporation and achieving 45% women in the workforce by 2030. 
A signatory to UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP), their efforts on gender diversity emphasise the participation of women in technology, management and leadership. Their policies and investments focus on learning and development and interventions for women to navigate their professional careers and personal life including health, family and wellness. Thus far their efforts have resulted in 39.5% women in the workforce and 22% women on the Non-Executive Board.

To recognise an organisation that has demonstrated a strategic and proactive approach to building disability confidence and creating an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities in India.

Winner: 

Wipro Limited  
Digital Accessibility Initiatives

Digital Accessibility has always been a key ingredient of Wipro’s disability inclusion strategy. Last year, Wipro re-strategised with leadership’s involvement and rolled out unique initiatives which included creating accessible home offices during the pandemic, accessibility being given the same attention as privacy and other compliances, helplines for technology support, so on. These initiatives have not only improved accessibility quotient but have become part of the organisation’s core. This has resulted in employees with disabilities effectively participating in virtual connects and enjoying the complete range of apps and training courses that others have access to as well as leveraging accessible helpline services.

To recognise an organisation that has demonstrated a strategic and proactive approach to creating an inclusive workplace for LGBT+ employees in India.

Winner: 

Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse India Pride Charter

The CS India Pride Charter started in mid 2021 in India with an aim of creating a psychologically safe and beneficial work environment for LGBT+ talent. Their focus areas include: 1) Advancing LGBT+ inclusion education through Employee Network engagements; 2) Broadening the scope of policies and equal benefits for the wellbeing of LGBT+ talent; 3) Activating visible allies to advocate for equality and fair treatment; 4) Increasing representation of LGBT+ talent through external hiring.

To recognise a corporate professional who has been a visible and committed champion of change in advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace and beyond in India.

Winner: 

Aditya Batavia, formerly of Thoughtworks 
 

Aditya Batavia is a Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Thoughtworks India. He is passionate about working for the elevation of underrepresented minority communities including the LGBT+ community, persons with disabilities and is working closely for the empowerment, mental health and skill development of the transgender community. He holds a Master degree in Psychology and is a certified mental health professional.