CIPR and the Taylor Bennett Foundation’s Reverse Mentoring Scheme win gold at The Pros Awards 2024
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Taylor Bennett Foundation have won gold in the Not-for-Profit Campaign of the Year category at The Pros Awards 2024 for their joint BME Reverse Mentoring Scheme.
The initiative, pioneered by the CIPR’s Diversity and Inclusion Network, pairs senior agency and in-house leaders with public relations professionals from Black, Asian, or minority ethic (BAME) backgrounds and won for its work encouraging the PR industry to better reflect the diversity of society.
The awards also saw Cornelius Alexander Found.Chart.PR, FCIPR pick up the Industry Legend Award for his work campaigning for greater diversity in the PR industry. Cornelius sits on the CIPR's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, is a founding member and former Chair of the CIPR's Diversity and Inclusion Network, and has served on the CIPR Greater London Group, various CIPR committees, and the CIPR Council. CIPR Board member and Interim CEO of Arthritis Action, Noha Al Afifi, won Not-for-Profit Pro of the Year.
The Pros Awards, developed by BME PR Pros, is the industry's first award programme judged by BAME professionals. It celebrates talented and successful BAME-owned communications and PR agencies, their founders, and the work of BAME PR and communications professionals.
It’s a great achievement for the Reverse Mentoring Scheme to be recognised for its leading work to actively shape a more include and representative PR industry. I want to congratulate and thank our Diversity and Inclusion Network volunteers, particularly Avril Lee and Surinder Sian, as well as our friends at the Taylor Bennett Foundation for their hard work.
The scheme's success demonstrates how mutual learning and open dialogue can drive meaningful change. We're delighted by this recognition and will use it as inspiration to continue our work in creating a truly reflective PR landscape.
I would also like to congratulate Cornelius for his well-deserved award.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the world's only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners with over 11,000 members.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR)