One of the most iconic North East businesses has stepped up to back the BUSINESSiQ Awards in April.

Cummins, the global engineering firm with a huge manufacturing and research plant on Yarm Road in Darlington, will be presenting the Diversity and Inclusion award at our big event.

The awards evening at Ramside Hall on April 28th will be hosted by Alfie Joey and will feature a keynote speech from Dragons' Den star Sara Davies. It will be a night to remember as we applaud outstanding performances from businesses across the North East in a range of categories.

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Craig Thomas, the Cummins Plant Manager at Darlington said the event was a chance to 'continue the journey' for the company, playing a key role in the community and the  wider region.

He told us: "Cummins has been part of the fabric of life in Darlington and the North East for almost 60 years. As a global power leader and key employer, employing over 1500 people, Cummins felt it was only natural to support such a great award ceremony.

"We’ve been a partner of the Northern Echo Level Up Campaign for just over a year now and having seen the success the campaign has brought to the region; we want to continue the journey. We are extremely excited to sponsor the D&I category within the Business IQ awards, recognising key local businesses and leaders all working towards keeping the North East a thriving place to work and live.  

"At Cummins, diversity and inclusion is a core company value, we believe we win with the power of difference. Without diversity, our company would not exist. Diversity of ideas, thoughts and experiences drives our innovation for the better. We recognise how important it is for an employee to bring their true self to work."

Craig said the range of awards at the event made it possible to reflect the full impact North East businesses can have on their region.

"Events such as these are immensely important to the area’s success; showcasing the businesses that are trailblazing and leading the way in the region and sharing best practice - helping put the North East on the map," he said.

"This all feeds in to celebrating and acknowledging the impact employers can make, in terms of community impact, net zero, health and wellbeing and many more key areas.   

"Across the North East and Tees Valley, it’s clear there is huge investment and drive for growth, from the freeport to the airport, and across many key industries."

The Northern Echo: Some of the Cummins team at DarlingtonSome of the Cummins team at Darlington (Image: Press release)

This powerhouse company - a key partner returning for the second year of The Northern Echo's Level Up campaign - is constantly investing in its sites globally, including a new facility at Darlington later this year.

"Cummins is excited to continue its investment in the development of a hydrogen internal combustion engine and we anticipate the opening of our new powertrain test facility in 2023, which aims to help accelerate the move towards next generation power technologies - focused on reducing emissions," said Craig.

"As a power technology company, we continue to drive forward our Destination Zero ambitions, focusing on sustainability at our manufacturing site in Darlington and developing low emissions technologies for the future, right here in the town. 

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"At Cummins Darlington we aim to continue to be a great place to work and ensure everything we do aligns with our core values: integrity, diversity, and inclusion, caring, excellence and teamwork.  

"We will continue to support the local communities and areas through our Every Employee Every Opportunity Scheme (EEEC); which allows our employees to spend four hours each, giving their time to the community and working with our key partners.  

"Overall, we will continue to be a contributor to the local economy with significant success. We are proud to be a Level Up partner, member of the North East Automotive Alliance and Chamber of Commerce, STEM Learning Partner and more."