Nomination: Diversity Team of the Year
To understand why giffgaff’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) collective deserves to be recognised as Diversity Team of the Year, you have to understand the fire that fuels our culture. As a challenger brand in the telco space, we are defined by a spirit of disruption. Over the last 18 months, our DEI team turned that lens inward. We realised that being a “friendly” place to work wasn’t enough. To build a true sanctuary for all intersectional identities, this team had to dismantle legacy thinking and build a movement.
Our DEI team wasn’t born in a sterile boardroom; it was sparked by lived realities. When we appointed our Head of Diversity, Ian Tomney-Bell (ITB), we didn’t ask for an administrator; we asked for a disruptor. Fuelled by his lived experience as a gay father navigating systemic biases, he brought a challenge to our doorstep: Human Rights are Equal Rights. But a leader is only as strong as their team. Together, ITB and our newly formed collective of Affinity Group Leads embraced this challenge wholeheartedly, proving that a corporate team can possess the soul of an activist.
Building a Movement on Core Values
The team didn’t start by printing a generic handbook. They looked at our four core values—Collaboration, Positivity, Grit, and Curiousness—and weaponised them for inclusion. The first major structural change was transforming the DEI function from a siloed office into a cohesive “team of teams”. They created eight distinct Affinity Groups: LGBTQIA+, Global Majority, Gender, Accessibility and Neurodiversity, Environmental, Social, Mental Health with Carers and Veterans, and Career Progression.
These leads don’t run passive social clubs; they act as strategic “listening circles” to identify the raw, unfiltered needs of our communities. By listening to the struggles across all demographics, the DEI team enacted quick, direct changes. A prime example is the creation of our neuroinclusive meeting guidance. Driven by the team, this wasn’t just policy; it was a practical toolkit that fundamentally changed how we communicate, ensuring our meetings are psychologically safe and productive for every single brain type.
Empowering the Team: Time and Tangible Resource
Many companies talk about valuing Employee Resource Groups, but giffgaff put tangible resource behind this team. The Executive Committee made a landmark decision to ensure that every Affinity Group Lead across all eight networks has 20% of their working time officially allotted for DEI activities.
This is a game-changer. It signals that our DEI team’s work is a business-critical function, not a “side-of-desk” hobby. Furthermore, the business committed to developing these team members by sponsoring a comprehensive ERG course. To ensure unparalleled team cohesion, they established bi-weekly catch-ups, monthly remote get-togethers, and quarterly development days to share best practices and keep the energy high.
The Courage to be Uncomfortable
True disruption requires courage. The DEI team highlighted our “quiet” issues: pockets of toxic culture, systemic barriers to progression, and the unintentional dismissal of neurodivergent talent. They didn’t shy away from data, proving that marginalised tech talent is less likely to leave if we communicate in a style they respect. They showed that through DEI-led marketing, we could champion real representation and introduce the brand to a completely new demographic.
The Impact: Data and Human Experience
The proof is in the data. Under this team’s stewardship, giffgaff’s eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) grew by a massive 5 points. The team ensured commitment started at the top, successfully getting every Leadership Team member to sign an inclusive decision-making pledge and personally sponsor an affinity group. They took DEI from a “nice to have” and made it an essential engine of our business.
Educating for Action
The team invested heavily in education, facilitating two flagship courses: “Inclusive Leadership” for managers and “Active Allyship” for all staff. They pushed people to challenge biases and make daily differences.
They also platformed powerful intersectional voices. During Transgender Visibility Week, the team brought Ella Morgan into the “gaff”—the first trans person to speak to all staff about her reality. For National Inclusion Week, they welcomed Jodie Ounsley (Fury from Gladiators) to discuss active allyship as a deaf, mainstream lesbian athlete.
This team takes their advocacy to the streets, creating a supportive, memorable stall at UK Black Pride and representing inclusive efforts in Parliament.
Looking to 2026
Our DEI team is not resting on its laurels. They have already crystallised a 2026 strategy focused on “Committing, Striving, and Thriving,” and are currently building a fully inclusive hiring platform. They are the disruptors the industry didn’t know it needed, proving that a dedicated diversity team can be a family, a mov
