Left, Fiona Bartels-Ellis of The British Council with ORC's Deirdre Golden. Right, Bari Evans of Wells Fargo with Acting Vice Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Christine Griffin
ORC Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions
Furthering its commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in today’s global workforce, ORC Worldwide is pleased to announce the recipients of its second annual Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions. Fiona Bartels-Ellis OBE of The British Council and Bari Evans of Wells Fargo & Company will be honored for their significant contributions in the areas of diversity and inclusion at a special reception on May 5 in Washington, D.C. and at a celebration on June 24 in London.
The ORC Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions, named for a pioneer in equality and diversity work, recognizes exceptional individuals from ORC’s Global Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Networks who exhibit the qualities and accomplishments that ORC and its member companies strive to develop in their organizations and which serve as a model for all employers. The award program is the first of its kind to officially recognize the significant contributions of individuals, rather than an entire organization or its leadership.
“ORC’s Peter Robertson Award strives to recognize those ‘unsung heroes’ who demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to the value that diversity and equality bring to their organizations and communities,” said Patrice Hall, vice president, Global Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practice of ORC Worldwide. “Fiona and Bari are true role models and we are privileged to honor them as the champions of diversity and equality that they clearly are.”
Driving Diversity
Fiona Bartels-Ellis OBE is head of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at the British Council, the UK’s principle cultural relations organization where, for more than a decade, she influences workforce and operational practices in the 111 countries in which the company operates. Managing a dedicated team—the Diversity Unit—she sets the strategic direction of the organization around equal opportunities and diversity, and leads the development and strengthening of its Equal Opportunity Policy and Diversity Strategy.
“To be respected in this way by a global organization like ORC that I hold in such high-esteem is both humbling and gratifying,” said Bartels-Ellis.
Bari Evans is vice president and company-wide manager of Affirmative Action and EEO Compliance for Wells Fargo & Company. He is responsible for the overall management of corporate AA/EEO compliance and affirmative action programs. Currently, he is serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the Center for Corporate Equality, which is devoted to harnessing the synergies between human resource functions and promoting affirmative action and equal employment regulatory compliance.
“I had the privilege of knowing and revering Peter Robertson for more than 18 years. To be honored with this award in Peter’s name is both a personal and professional fulfillment of the fact that I was following in the right footsteps,” said Evans.
The ORC Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions ceremony was held on May at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City in Washington, and acelebration was held on June 24 in London.
About the Award
Diversity practitioners often must labor in relative obscurity—unknown by the outside world and sometimes under-appreciated in their own organizations. Yet it is their ardor, ingenuity, and persistence that have brought about much of the progress employers have made in recognizing the value of diversity and changing our culture and organizational systems for the better. The ORC Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions will recognize and increase awareness and appreciation of the contributions of the honoree, as well as all the dedicated people championing diversity in their organizations.