FORTIS Living, Worcestershire's largest social housing provider, has been shortlisted for an industry award that celebrates diversity.

Fortis Living is in the running to win an accolade at the 24 Housing Diversity accolade in the Housing Awards 2018.

Shortlisted in The Best HR Policy category, the team will find out if they are the winners at the awards ceremony being held on Thursday, May 10, at Villa Park in Birmingham.

The awards are being organised by 24 Housing magazine and aim to promote and celebrate the positive work that is being done around diversity in the housing sector.

Fortis Living’s awards submission was based on its Diversity Champion initiative, which encourages colleagues to proactively embrace diversity and promote inclusion.

Currently, there are 14 Champions, each focussing on a different strand of diversity. They deliver a host of company-wide awareness campaigns and events in areas such as mental health, hate crime awareness and black history. They also partnered in the first-ever Worcestershire Pride in 2017, Holocaust Memorial Day, World Religions Day and also an autism event focussed specifically on autism and employment. The scheme has been so successful that it has recently been extended into local communities, with 18 tenants now signed up and playing a key role in promoting positive, inclusive and fair environments in Fortis Living communities.

Catherine Dass, Fortis Living’s director of people and performance, said : “We are justifiably proud of our work on recognising and respecting differences and are absolutely delighted that this has been recognised by one of the housing industry’s most respected awards. Our Champions place a positive value on diversity which allows us to truly respect our differences. It enables us to embrace and celebrate the rich dimensions that each individual brings and instils respect and appreciation across the business.”