Kat Araniello
I started my HR career in Professional Services in 1997 and have worked in various HR and People roles ever since. I obtained my Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP) in 2001 and my Masters in HR Management in 2005 and I am a Chartered member of the CIPD.
I live in Hertfordshire. I’m a mother to Lucy, Toby our little yorkshire terrier and Boyce my tri-colored horse – all who keep me sane! Weekends and free time are spent outside in the fresh air exercising little Toby and going on adventures with Boyce, we love to show jump, do cross country and enjoy off-road hacking in the woodland nearby. I recently passed my British Horse Society qualifications.
I am a survivor-activist and passionate about supporting WHWR, this forms part of my work campaigning for better awareness of domestic abuse, what employers can do to support their people affected by it and fighting to end global Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
I implemented my firm’s domestic abuse toolkit back in 2019 and continue to work closely with EIDA and other organisations on developing and enhancing this.
PwC Awards – 2021 – Be You at PwC
Be You at PwC category is for making a standout contribution to the firm and our people and how the impact that one person can individually make. Taking a human-led approach is a key element of the firm’s global network strategy, and this new award celebrates those who have done just that. Kat Araniello has used her personal lived experience of domestic abuse to help bring the subject to the forefront of PwC’s wellbeing agenda, informing the firm’s work to provide the right levels of support and guidance to anyone who may sadly be impacted. Alongside her work within PwC, Kat is an external activist in the global campaign to end violence against women.
She has worked as a charity ambassador speaking at parliamentary events and worked with various police teams and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) around developing their response to sexual violence. Kat has continued to raise awareness across a number of nationwide mainstream media channels as well as supporting another firm in developing their strategy for supporting victims of domestic abuse.
2024 Business Solutions Award – Reimagine the Possible category
Following the award in 2021 I set up a Domestic Abuse Steerco: around Christmas 2023 the SteerCo, led by myself, enhanced our Domestic Abuse Toolkit – which is designed to help give people the confidence to provide the appropriate level of care and empathy to someone who is experiencing domestic abuse, or for anyone personally affected to quickly access the practical and expert support we provide. The support was expanded to include:
- Safe Leave – ten days’ special paid leave for employees experiencing domestic abuse.
- Emergency Accommodation – access to two nights’ accommodation for any employee (and their children) requiring emergency support to escape an abusive situation (with additional discretion for the business to extend this). Bookings are confidential and the cost is covered by the firm.
Comments from the judges “This team embodied how solving problems is core to our purpose. They have encouraged the firm to be bold and make an extraordinary and innovative difference for our people, clients and society.”
