The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards’ to recognize and encourage industry excellence.

Three categories of leadership in gender diversity and inclusion will be awarded:

• Inspirational Role Model Award: Will be presented to a female (30+) who holds a senior position within the industry who has had a significant impact on the aviation agenda through her strong contribution to business delivery, as well as her ongoing support of the gender diversity agenda. Open to all female participants in the aviation industry.
• High Flyer Award: Designed to recognize one of aviation’s under-30 female contributors who has started to develop her career, and thought leadership in the industry through her inspirational work. Open to all under-30 female participants in the aviation industry.
• Diversity and Inclusion Team Award: Designed to recognize an airline that has seen a tangible change in their diversity as a result of the work it has been doing in diversity and inclusion. Open to all IATA member airlines.

Nominations for the awards are open on the IATA website from 26 February 2019 until 31 March 2019. They will be judged by an international and independent panel of experts. The first of these annual awards will be presented at IATA’s 75th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit to be held in Seoul, South Korea (1-3 June 2019).

“Aviation is the Business of Freedom. The essence of aviation is building a global community by connecting people, businesses and cultures across great distances. Ten million people work in the aviation industry to make this happen. It is important that this workforce reflects the amazing diversity and inclusion that it fosters in our society. By launching these awards, we want to recognize and celebrate the great work that is being done to take the industry into the future,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Qatar Airways has generously committed to sponsoring these awards. Each category comes with $25,000 in prize money payable to the awardee or their nominated charity working on diversity and inclusion projects.

“Aviation thrives with diversity and provides great employment opportunities to talented people in every corner of our planet. But there is much room to improve. For example, gender balance is by far not equal. In sponsoring these awards, we are committing to do better ourselves, to building awareness and to inspiring change,” said Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (2018-2019).