Rising stars and female talent pipeline champions invited to enter Rising Star Awards

WeAreTheCity opens nominations for 2023 Rising Star Awards

 Outstanding individuals in the female talent pipeline, their employers and senior leaders championing gender equality in the workplace are invited to enter the 2023 Rising Star Awards which have just opened for entries.

 Now in their ninth year, the Rising Star Awards are the first to focus on the female talent pipeline and recognise achievements of women below Senior Management or Director level. Organised and hosted by WeAreTheCity, the Rising Star Awards also recognise the efforts of senior leaders and employers who are championing gender equality.

Diverse representation

The Rising Star Awards are powered by Royal Bank of Canada. The categories cover multiple industries and professions, focusing on those where there is a shortage of female representation making it through to senior level. The diverse range of industry categories include banking, charity, defence, diversity, energy, infrastructure, law, media, transport and technology.

“Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is delighted to be powering the Rising Stars Awards for the fourth year,” says Dave Thomas, CEO, RBC Europe. “As an organisation, we are committed to helping clients thrive and communities prosper. Diversity and inclusion is more than just a value for us, it’s our strength, so supporting these awards is a great way to celebrate and showcase incredible talent across multiple industries.”

Furthering bright futures

The Rising Star Awards were established in 2015 with a strategic goal to showcase 1,000 outstanding women by 2025. Each year, the awards recognise 100 female individual contributors from over 20 different industries and the 2023 winners will join the awards’ alumni of 800 previous winners.

As a female development organisation that helps companies to attract, retain and develop their female talent pool, WeAreTheCity provides resources for women looking to develop themselves personally and professionally. A unique aspect of its Rising Star Awards is a commitment to support the winners through continual learning and networking opportunities, long after the awards process has concluded.  Winners receive ongoing mentoring and support through the WeAreTheCity Thrive Membership, access to the Warwick Business School which provides educational opportunities and collaboration from the Chartered Management Institute to help further their bright careers.

“We are looking for Rising Stars across a wide range of industries who together go from the back to the front of our society,” says Vanessa Vallely OBE, founder of WeAreTheCity. “Importantly, after shining a spotlight on their achievements, we then continue working closely with our winners to offer additional support. Many Rising Stars go on to achieve even greater things, often in the public eye where they act as fantastic role models to encourage others to follow in their footsteps.”

Seeking equity

For true equity, those in the female talent pipeline must be fully integrated into their workplace and supported by employers and colleagues of all genders. Recognising this, WeAreTheCity not only promotes the amazing female talent that exists across the UK, but also rewards organisations and business leaders who are investing in women as the leaders of tomorrow in their respective industries.  The Rising Star Awards reflect this by having male and company categories including:

• The Champion Award which recognises the achievements of five senior individuals, of any gender, who are actively supporting the female pipeline outside of their day job.
• The Men for Gender Balance Award for men who are championing women and gender balance either inside or outside their organisation.
• The Company of the Year Award which recognises the achievements of a company which can clearly demonstrate that they are actively supporting its female talent pipeline.

Industry support

Alongside headline sponsor Royal Bank of Canada, the 2023 Rising Star Awards are supported by 3M, Accenture, Barclays, Bloomberg, Citi, CMI Women, Dentsu, HSBC, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Lloyds, National Grid, Northern Trust, Oliver Wyman, Reed Smith, Refuge and Warwick Business School.

 In addition, Marie Claire returns as the media partner, amplifying the achievements of rising female talent and encouraging others to follow their example.

Awards Timeline

The nominations process for the 2023 Rising Star Awards is open from Monday January 16, 2023 until Wednesday March 22, 2023.  A shortlist of ten women from each industry category will be chosen by an esteemed panel of judges and will be published in April. The shortlist will then be open to a public vote. Judging for the final five winners for each category will take place with independent judges. The winners will be announced on May 22 and winners will be invited to celebrate their award at a prestigious ceremony in July (further details to be announced).

People can enter themselves or nominate someone else here: https://wearethecity-risingstars.com/