GLD colleagues recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

It is with great pride we can announce that three GLD colleagues have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list, they are: Nick Price, Director of Operations, who has been awarded a CBE for public service and for services to Diversity and Inclusion; Emma Burgess, Grade 6 Lawyer, MoJ Legal Team awarded an OBE for services to International Relations; and Ivan Smyth, Deputy Director leading the trade and negotiations team in Treasury Legal Advisers, previously Legal Counsellor for the UK Mission to the European Union in Brussels, who has received a CMG for services to British foreign policy.

Nick’s story

The Birthday Honour’s List recognises the outstanding achievements of individuals across the UK. Nick Price, who is also Chair of GLD’s LGBT Network, has been in the Civil Service since 1988 working predominantly for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), but with a stint in Cabinet Office and now for the last 6 years at GLD.

Having specialised as a generalist Nick has held roles doing lab work, finance policy, project and programme management and is now responsible for a portfolio which covers security, IT, safety, business resilience, facilities management and the intricacies of GDPR and data protection at GLD.

Having been MoD’s LGBT+ Network chair Nick took on the task of forming a LGBT Network at GLD, one of the first networks to be founded at GLD. Since its inception the Network has grown from strength to strength, supporting its members, guiding policy and the department and challenging outdated or discriminatory views. 2020 proved to be a highlight for the Network as it supported GLD being listed in Stonewall’s UK Top 100 employees for the first time, placing 78th.

As well as his work at GLD promoting inclusion and specifically LGBTQI+, Nick is also a trustee for the C4WS Homeless Project, working to ensure marginalised individuals are supported and heard. For as with the LGBTQI+ community, Nick notes the importance of allies and champions for the homeless.

Reflecting on his CBE Nick said:

It came as such a huge shock, I thought the email was spam! Both my parents are 90 and I have never seen so much pride in their eyes, my dad has known since June and has been bursting to tell the world!

I am passionate about diversity and inclusion and have worked so hard to encourage GLD because I never want anyone else to experience the issues I did as a teenager and young adult. Having to hide my true identity, making up stories to cover the truth, being excluded from the church, being sworn and spat at. I am extremely proud to work with the LGBTQI+ community and network and hope that what we do and stand, for acts as a beacon to all those who may feel excluded, showing them that we are a supportive inclusive organisation to work for.