For the first time, business across the region have been honoured for creating truly equal opportunities at work. Deputy Business Editor Dan Jenkins reports from the inaugural Equality North East awards.

TRAINING PROVIDER: THIS category was sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council and the award was designed by Jane Charles.

The winner was S&D Training, based in County Durham. The firm specialises in learners with behavioural problems, drug users and people with learning difficulties.

Liz Reay, operations director at Equality North East, said: "They believe that sound staff support structures are key to maintaining staff morale.

"Equality and diversity policies and practices are at the heart of these structures and have led to a marked improvement in staff retention."

Those shortlisted were Etec, from Sunderland, which works with people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them out of poverty; and Team Wearside, which trains disadvantaged young people with learning or social difficulties.

BUSINESSES OF UP TO TEN EMPLOYEES: THIS category was sponsored by the Small Business Service, and the award was designed by Fiona Grey.

The winner was Latif Solicitors, in Newcastle.

Based in Westgate Road, at the heart of Newcastle's diverse immigrant and refugee population, the firm specialises in advising asylum seekers.

Liaquat Latif set up the business after working for David Gray Solicitors in Newcastle.

He aims to help other people from minority backgrounds follow him into law.

He said: "It was really a white, middle-class profession.

"I found it very difficult to get started and had to work away before I could move back to this area.

"It is not without its problems, but I believe it has a lot of potential."

Mrs Reay said: "It is heartening when you come across organisations, who, even though very small, recognise the importance and benefits of good policies.

"The firm operates a very positive equality policy in terms of recruitment, not only in its written procedures but also more importantly in practice.

"In particular, they had excellent training and development policies."

The firm works to find jobs for talented lawyers with other firms, such as David Gray and the Trinity Chambers, also in Newcastle.

He also takes on as many people as possible for work experience, to help bolster their CVs.

The other companies on the shortlist were Qualcom, an IT solutions provider based in Sunderland that operates Minerva, a division aimed at women; and Newcastle software development company Indigo Multimedia.

BUSINESSES OF TEN TO 50 EMPLOYEES: THE category was sponsored by GNER and the award was designed by Fiona Gray.

The winner was Trinity Development. Based in Jesmond, Newcastle, the company provides diversity, equality and human resources training across the UK. It is a subsidiary of social enterprise company the Eaga Partnership.

Trevor Lincoln, Trinity's director, said: "People often confuse equality and diversity with political correctness. The two are not the same.

Equality and diversity is about adopting practices which will enable the public sector to provide the best possible service to its service users, and the private sector to win and retain new customers.

"The only sensible way to do this is to ensure that the organisation is accessible and attractive to everyone.

"There really is no business case for avoiding putting policies and practices in place which attract and retain the best staff, ensure legal compliance and improve service and sales performance."

To mark winning the award, the company is offering a free consultancy session to any North-East organisation.

Trinity Development's role is to help public and private sector clients unlock this potential.

The other shortlisted candidate was Ingram Care Services, in Berwick, Northumberland.

BUSINESSES OF 50 TO 250 EMPLOYEES: THE category was sponsored by One NorthEast and the award was by Fiona Gray.

The winner was Traidcraft. The Christian organisation, based in the Team Valley, Gateshead, aims to fight poverty in developing nations.

It is also part of the Make Poverty History campaign, and some staff will take part in a demonstration in Edinburgh during the G8 summit.

Christine Borley, Traidcraft's human resources manager, said: "We have a moral responsibility to help our staff reach their full potential."

Julie Hawksby, Equality North East's chief executive, said: "The judges felt it was a company where staff are not only said to be valued, but are made to feel valued.

"An excellent company to work for. One of their staff said 'When I came here, I thought I had died and gone to heaven'."

Also on the shortlist was Loblite, a weatherproof electronics manufacturer based in the Team Valley. It has 58 staff and a strong recruitment policy for people with disabilities.

INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE: THIS category was sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses and the award was designed by Joanne Mitchell.

The winner was Liaquat Latif, founder of Latif Solicitors.

He operates an open door policy to all based on their ability, rather than gender or ethnicity.

His four staff comprise an Asian solicitor and office manager, a Chinese administrator and a Norwegian secretary.

He has also launched a service to match talented foreign national graduates from the region's universities with North-East businesses.

Also on the shortlist was Neil Pearson, founder of Ingram Care Services, and Barbara Rafter, a founder partner in Qualcom.

Mrs Reay said: "The judges felt that the winner showed great passion in their beliefs that there should not be inequality in life or work and actively implemented these values in everything they did."

OVERALL WINNER: THIS category was sponsored by Business Link and the award was designed by Joanne Mitchell.

The overall winner was Traidcraft.

Its working practices include setting aside three weeks a year to concentrate on staff development and training needs.

It also runs lunches where staff can discuss issues with management in an informal setting.

It has a 24-hour helpline for employees to call with personal problems, and offers free regular health checks to all staff.

Mrs Hawksby said: "They are totally flexible and innovative on how they support the diverse needs of staff. In short, an excellent company to work for."