Located with the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the cafe also won the inclusion and diversity award, for its work employing local people and providing apprenticeships for people with a learning disability.
Denise Largin, The Camden Society’s chief executive, said: “We are successfully creating job opportunities for people with a learning disability and for people from the boroughs around the park.
“It’s only possible to level the playing field for both of these groups with commitment, determination and persistence – something our hard-working staff team and apprentices have in abundance. So, this brace of awards is all the sweeter for recognising Unity Kitchen Café’s achievements as an employer, trainer and a platform for untapped talent.
“On top of that, if you bring your family and friends for a warm welcome and some great food and snack at our award-winning café, you’ll know every pound you spend is going back into providing apprenticeships and job opportunities to local people and people with a learning disability.”
Working closely with colleges, employment services and others, the charity has provided job opportunities for local people on the Olympic Park. As a result, 60% of its workforce is from the park's neighbouring boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich.
In addition, its apprenticeships programme for people with learning disabilities has a 100% track record of apprentices going on to find jobs afterwards.
Two of the café's apprentices, Michaela Angell and Misa Jovanovic, were finalists in the ‘Individual Achievement of the year' category.
As an accredited disability leader, The Camden Society also supports other organisations to gain ‘disability confident' status and so helps to reduce the under-representation.