Cognassist wins Tech for Diversity Impact Award 2023

Cognassist is thrilled to announce that we won the Tech category at the Digital Leaders Impact Awards!

“Our head of strategic capability, Aesha Zafar, just presented the Tech for Diversity award to the well deserved winners. Congratulations @Cognassist.”

— DWP Digital (@DWPDigital)

The judges were looking for “an organisation, service or initiative leveraging technology to increase diversity and representation.

And given that only 7% of companies have a neurodiversity plan globally (Universum, 2020), we’re aiming to close one of the biggest gaps in representation across equality, diversity and inclusion. 

We say this every time, but we’ll keep saying it: Winning this award is a recognition and celebration of the hard work and passion of our team, who make Cognassist’s mission to empower neuro-inclusion in education and the workplace a reality. It’s not always easy, but the expertise and lived experience of our team make all the difference to changing people’s perceptions of neurodiversity. 

Back in 2020, we won the Digital Leaders Impact Award for Innovations and Education, and winning again three years later for our workplace support shows we’re continuing to innovate across different areas of people’s lives. 

A huge well done to our fellow nominees, Microlink and OneTech, who also work tirelessly to increase equity and diversity in our workplaces and business communities. 

And of course, a big thanks to the judges, who called Cognassist “category defining!” 

The Business Theme covered three awards in the Future of Work, CSR Initiative and our own Tech for Diversity, with Ahead Partnership and Amazon Web Services snapping up the other two awards respectively. 

Our CEO, Chris Quickfall, accepted the award alongside our Director of Education, Louise Karwowski, on the night, and shared the importance of highlighting businesses with a mission-led ethos:  

“We are National Digital Impact Awards Tech for Diversity winners for 2023. So many Mission-led businesses changing life opportunities, supporting the environment or protecting cultural history.  

“The face of commerce is changing, and social impact is rising in importance with this change.” 

The awards ceremony in Salford’s Media City hosted so many inspirational speakers and organisations. It was such a positive evening, with panels featuring each of the nominees in every category. 

We got to hear from other leaders in the field making huge impacts, including:

• Becca Hume Founder and CEO, Inclutech Ltd.,  
• Michaela Buck Chief Executive, Mastercall Healthcare,  
• Linda Vernon Acting Digital Culture and Transformation Clinical Lead, Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB 
• Chris Meah CEO School of Code 
• Professor Kerensa Jennings – BT Group Director 

Thank you again, and here’s to building a world that embraces and empowers diverse minds.