Giving HSBC's culture heroes the chance to shine

To mark 10 years of a program celebrating inclusivity.

How can you create an event which celebrates those who have gone the extra mile to contribute to your company culture? 2023 was the 10th anniversary of HSBC’s Cultural Heroes program, so we created a spectacular program of events across New York.

Find out how we celebrated everything that makes HSBC an inclusive place to work – we even came up with a brand new award…

Check out the event highlights below. 

The challenge.

HSBC wanted to create a memorable event for 130 people who have made a real contribution to the company’s culture. We needed to make each individual winner feel special, while also demonstrating the inspirational nature of the program as a whole.   

The intelligence.

We know that inclusivity covers a huge range of topics, from race and gender to catering for dietary requirements or ensuring access to those with disabilities. We wanted to acknowledge this in our design and implementation of the awards.  

The solution.

A day to remember with VIP treatment for our guests.   

We started out at The Selina Hotel rooftop for a cocktail reception, where guests could network while they checked in for the event and could have a professional headshot taken.  

Next on the agenda was a trip to The Edge at Hudson Yards, a spectacular venue with incredible views of New York. From here, you can overlook the new HSBC US Headquarters. 

To reach the final awards destination, guests were taken on a journey along New York’s High Line, where they experienced the scenic views and gardens of this landmark location.  

Event identity and production .

We created a bespoke visual identity for the event, taking inspiration from a kaleidoscope and bringing this together with aspects of HSBC’s hexagonal logo.   

We used projection mapping to create our “Hall of Heroes.” Here, we displayed the names and achievements of each hero being celebrated, alongside their headshot taken at the start of the event. This gave each Culture Hero their moment in the spotlight.  

To compliment the theme, we sourced a specialist kaleidoscope camera where attendees could gather and take pictures. These kaleidoscopes of individuals reflected the idea that bringing people from different backgrounds together will create something beautiful.  

Delegate management. 

We used our heddle event platform for registration, and our Delegate Experience team was on hand to ensure a seamless experience throughout the day. Everything was connected to the overall theme, from our food menu reflecting global cuisine, to the geometric shapes of the menus echoing our event identity.   

DEI.

The full experience was designed with DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) in mind. Our team of DEI Consultants reviewed the program in its entirety to ensure that it was as inclusive and accessible as possible, with all delegates feeling comfortable and catered for.     

The results.

HSBC also asked for assistance in launching a new award to be given out at the ceremony. We worked with key stakeholders to come up with the name and narrative for the “Trailblazer” Award. The Trailblazer Award recognizes HSBC employees who are leading the way and inspiring others in cultural change across the organization. The inaugural award was given to Ralph Jardine, who was the first US Head of Inclusion and Culture at HSBC, making a huge impact in his time in the role.  

The team hit it out of the park. They are great partners who continue to do amazing work for us. 

Senior Vice President Inclusion, Diversity, & Culture, HSBC