This month sees the nominations open for 2024 Women Leaders UK Awards. This coincides with a launch event, celebrating previous finalists and nominees, supporters and sponsors and allies, and to encourage nominations for this year, as well as celebrating a new strategic partnership with Cranfield Executive Development.
The alignment between WLUK and Cranfield Executive Development is most closely reflected through the Women’s Leadership Programme, designed to inspire women in senior positions to navigate organisational challenges to reach the highest levels in their careers, and one finalist from the 2024 awards will be awarded a place on this prestigious course.
At the launch event, at which point nominations for this year’s awards will go live, there will be the opportunity to network and partake in a short debate, hosted by Dr Deirdre Anderson, Director of the Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre at Cranfield University, that will explore what’s changed (and what’s not changed!) over the years, and discuss how women can elevate their leadership capability in today’s world.
Cranfield University has long been at the forefront of researching gender equality in the workplace. It’s nearly four decades since Cranfield ran the first Women’s Leadership Programme in the UK, and both the workplace and leadership development opportunities for women have come a long way.
Chair of Women Leaders UK, Dr Julie Mills OBE, said: “We want to encourage people to attend the event and bring people they might want to nominate, or simply to get excited about nominating themselves. We’d also encourage anyone who wants to get involved in supporting Women Leaders UK and the awards to come along too.
“There are categories that should suit everyone – we even introduced the #NoneOfThe Above category because we had feedback that some women didn’t enter because they didn’t think they fitted into any of the categories – and we want as many women as possible to put themselves, or someone they think is deserving of an award, forward.”
The full list of awards is as follows:
- Music, The Arts and the Creative Industries Media
- Skills, Education and Training Teaching
- Sport, Leisure and Retail Industries Hospitality
- Manufacturing and Construction
- Digital and Technology
- Engineering, Science and Maths
- Professional Services
- Uniformed and Public Services
- Community Impact (Employed)
- Community Impact (Volunteer)
- Emerging Leader
- Entrepreneur
- #NoneOfTheAbove
- Outstanding Contribution to Milton Keynes
Ajeet Kaur-Sucha, Emerging Leader Finalist 2023, said: “Being shortlisted in the Emerging Leader category at the Women Leaders Awards was a stand-out moment of 2023 for me. I was delighted to receive the Cranfield Award which allocated me a place on their Women Leadership course. It was an honour to be acknowledged alongside so many incredible and accomplished women. As a result, I have developed professionally and would like to thank Women Leaders UK for the opportunity and recognition. Inspired by the awards, I am eager to continue growing and learning.”
Nominations for the 2024 awards go live on February 15 and the launch and networking event will take place on the same day at the South Central Institute of Technology in Sherwood Drive, Milton Keynes, from 1pm.
Find out more about the Women Leaders UK Awards at www.womenleadersuk.org
