Using badges to recognise Diversity, Equity & Inclusion champions in the workplace

I have been a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) representative at Save the Children UK (SCUK) for 3 years. The purpose of this role is ​​​​to encourage and promote an inclusive workplace culture across all protected characteristics. All DEI reps have 10% of their time set aside for this work. The idea of introducing DEI representatives was initiated by members of SCUK’s BAME staff network, and feeds into the implementation of our Free to Be Me strategy, which seeks to build a more equitable workplace by tackling underrepresentation and decolonising our approaches to development work.  

Within Save the Children UK, I am also in the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s digital platforms team, which is how I came across HPass. Across many sectors, digital badges are increasingly being used to acknowledge and reward employees, and HPass serves this purpose for humanitarians.  

The system of awarding badges for specific achievements and skills allows organisations to recognise the hard work and commitment of their employees in a meaningful and engaging way. 

We decided to use HPass to recognise those staff members who go above and beyond to promote DEI in their work. Through this, we aim to champion some of the unsung heroes of our organisation, helping to create a culture of inclusivity and respect, where DEI is prioritised and all employees feel valued and supported. We also want to attract and retain employees who are passionate about these issues and are seeking employers that share their values. 

I hope to see HPass used to recognise a wide variety of positive workplace contributions across its network– for example why not recognise those who are championing LGBTQ+ rights or climate action? The people who speak out on important issues or go above and beyond to promote the causes they are passionate about are our most valuable assets in the sector, and this is a great way to celebrate their achievements, hold them up as role models, and give them the recognition they are due.