A diverse group of committed and innovative organisations and individuals have been honoured in the 2014 Migration and Settlement Awards.

Global hotels group ACCOR won the Business Inclusion Award, which recognises a business that has successfully delivered a community-orientated program aimed at improving the inclusion of migrants within the Australian workforce.

With the help of settlement agency AMES, ACCOR has committed to a program to recruit and train hundreds of refugees.

Netball in Australia and The Family Court were also among the winners of the nation’s most prestigious migration awards.

A case worker helping victims of slavery and a man who pioneered communicating to culturally diverse communities were also honoured in the awards ceremony held by the Migration Council of Australia (MCA) at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday.

MCA Chief Executive Carla Wilshire said the qualities of the winners and the strength of the list of finalists showed that Australians were becoming more aware of the positive impact of multiculturalism and migration.

“Australians are increasingly embracing multiculturalism and recognising the importance and value of migration.

“The quality and spread of shortlisted finalists – across geography and industry sectors – shows us that diversity is becoming more important and relevant to individuals and organisations in Australia,” Ms Wilshire said.

“This year’s list is fantastic advertisement for the benefits of migration and the richness that cultural diversity brings to all our lives,” she said.

The finalists were selected by an eminent, independent judging panel which included Dr Hass Dellal, Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston, Jane Kennedy, Naomi Milgrom and Andrew O’Keefe.

For a full list of winners, please visit the Migration Council website.