Prime minister Keir Starmer described this year's listees as representing "the very best of the UK, and the core value of service".
Here is a round up of some HR professionals who have been honoured.
Claire Louise Biggar, inclusion and wellbeing consultant and military public engagement lead, Edinburgh Napier University
Biggar was awarded an MBE for her services to education. Biggar joined Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) in 2007 as executive assistant to the principal, before becoming health and wellbeing lead.
An article on the university website described Biggar as "instrumental” in the decision to sign ENU up to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2016, “which signalled its commitment to supporting services personnel and veterans”.
ENU later became the first Scottish University to receive the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, which Biggar was commended for in the Advocate of the Year category in the 2023 Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this MBE,” Biggar stated.
“It is a recognition not just of my work but also of the incredible support of colleagues within the Centre of Military Research, Education and Public Engagement, and the collaboration of so many others who have been part of this journey from within the university and external partnerships.
“This recognition gives me confidence that others and I are making a positive difference, and we will continue to do so.”
Joeli Brearley, founder and chief executive officer, Pregnant Then Screwed
Brearley was awarded an MBE for her services to working families.
Brearley founded maternity discrimination group Pregnant Then Screwed (PTS) in 2015 after experiencing pregnancy discrimination.
She is an Amnesty International Human Rights Defender and a member of the United Nations working group Women’s Human Rights in the Changing World of Work.
Commenting on LinkedIn, Brearley said: “Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past decade. Obviously this is a recognition of everything PTS has achieved, and I definitely haven’t done it all on my own.
“Particular thanks to the incredible volunteers, the PTS team (past and present) and the trustees for everything they have done to support working families over the last 10 years.”
In November 2024, Brearley announced that she would be stepping down from her role as CEO of PTS in February.
Read more: How can employers tackle the motherhood penalty?
Esther Brittan, HR operations manager UK and Ireland, Hilton
Brittan was awarded an MBE for her services to volunteering and charity services to young people, removing workplace barriers and making hospitality employment more accessible.
Brittan has worked as HR operations managers at Hilton UK and Ireland since June 2018, and manages Hilton’s partnerships with organisations that help people facing barriers into work.
She previously worked as director of HR in Hilton Birmingham Metropole from February 2011, and before than as HR manager of business projects at Boots Opticians.
Commenting on the award, Brittain said: “It’s a privilege to work for a company that gives everyone a chance to showcase their value and thrive at work. Hilton places huge emphasis on the importance of celebrating diversity and embracing inclusion, and building an inclusive culture is a true team effort.
“This includes our hotel general managers, HR and hotel teams, as well as incredible organisations like Aurora Foxes, WorkFit, Springboard and Only A Pavement Away, who are at the forefront of driving opportunities for all.
“We have achieved so much together, and I look forward to helping more people facing barriers to employment to find their place in our incredible industry in the coming years.”
Reginald David Perry, HR director, employee engagement, reward and compliance, House of Commons
Perry was awarded an MBE for his services to Parliament.
Elliott Rae, founder, Music Football Fatherhood
Rae was awarded an MBE for his services to supporting new parents and to mental health. Rae founded Music Football Fatherhood, a parenting and lifestyle platform for men. He created the #ParentingOutLoud, a campaign that helps organisations with culture change to support working fathers, improve men’s mental health and engage men in conversations around gender equality.
Rae also co-founded the Working Dads Employer Awards, which acknowledges employers that support working dads. In 2022 he was awarded the #HeForShe award by UN Women UK for his work.
He previously worked as head of DEI delivery at HM Treasury.
Speaking to HR magazine, he said: “For me, accepting the honour is especially for family, and it helps to build credibility and opens up more opportunities to speak about the work that we’re doing to support dads to be loud and proud about their caring responsibilities at work that enables them to be equal parents at home.”
Ubaid-ul Rehman, senior diversity and inclusion advisor, College of Policing
Rehman was awarded an OBE for services to equality in the LGBTQ+ community. He is currently senior diversity and inclusion advisor at the College of Policing, and he co-founded Imaan, the oldest community support group for LGBTQ+ Muslims in the UK.
Speaking to HR magazine, Rehman said: "I am honoured to receive an OBE. I volunteer a great deal in lots of fields outside of work to help make the world a better place. I've been able to help sexual assault victims, our homeless, disabled, LGBTQ+ people accessing police services and more recently, refugee and asylum seekers.
“I don't do this for any recognition, I do it because I see the difference I can make, and I put myself out there wherever and whenever I can.”
Janet Elizabeth Trowse, head of human resources, Network Rail
Trowse was awarded an MBE for her services to the railway and to menopause awareness in the workplace.
She has worked as head of HR for more than seven years, and was described in an article on the Network Rail website as “instrumental in making an impactful legacy around menopause awareness”.
In 2017 Trowse started the Menopause Awareness Project at Network Rail, creating a UK-wide network of menopause ambassadors and allies that reached 150,000 employees across the industry,
The CIPD submitted Network Rail as a case study to the All-Party Political Group for policy reform as a result of her work.
Responding to the award, Trowse commented: “My journey to create greater menopause awareness started in 2017 as a ‘kitchen table’ project in my spare time, alongside a colleague, as we both had realised there was a gap in employment policy and general awareness around menopause.
“The project highlighted that menopause is not just a personal journey, it needs to be considered as a business imperative. This has been addressed in the Employment Rights Act (2024), which sets out an obligation for all large employers to have action plans to support employees through menopause. I’m proud to accept this recognition with gratitude to Network Rail and the numerous colleagues who supported me in achieving that success.”
Read more: HR leaders featured in 2024 new year honours list
Doirean Wilson, associate professor in sustainability management, the University of East London
Wilson was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her services to equality and diversity in education.
Before her current position as an associate professor in sustainability management at the University of East London, she worked for Middlesex University as associate professor of human resource management.
Wilson was awarded the BEM for an earlier Middlesex University role, when she served as diversity lead and senior lecturer in HR management. In that role, she developed an international model for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and implemented initiatives across an organisation that had 39,000 students.
She is a diversity advisory board member for the Ghana UK Based Achievements Awards, and an advisory board member of the Women’s Executive Network.
“I felt deeply honoured when informed of my inclusion in the King’s Honours List for 2025,” she told HR magazine.
“The BEM is affiliated with the OBE, and is a prestigious award that will aid my career as an educator and leading DEI exponent who was recently appointed sustainability champion at the University of East London.”
