Empowering Top Women in Africa
TOP WOMEN
Awards
Are you ready to showcase your gender empowerment?
Trusted by leading organisations
Standard Bank Top Women
Testimonials
ENTRY FORM
ENTRY FORM GUIDELINES
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Click below to for a comprehensive guide on how to prepare and submit your nominations to South Africa’s most iconic gender empowerment event of the year.
Female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, men driving gender empowerment & organisations are welcome.
HOW THE AWARDS WINNERS WILL BE DETERMINED
General Criteria
All companies must show a turnover above R35-million (unless otherwise specified). Please advise us of any allegations made against you or your organisation in the past 48 months.
Gender Equity
30% of Female employees
or20% of Female directors (executive)
or10% of Female senior management
or20% of Female ownership / shareholding /partnership
Company Policies (Female Specific)
Skills Development (Female Specific)
CSI Expenditure (Female Specific)
Financial Performance
Annual Turnover
Turnover Growth
Profit Ratio
The independent judges will base their scores on two important sections broken down as follows:
- 10% of your score will be on general criteria (10 points allocated to general criteria)
- 90% of your scores will be on the organisations motivation (90 points allocated to motivation)
Motivation
A clear and defined set of targets (that has been reached according to the programme’s initial model) must be explained in the nomination motivation.
The judges will review your nomination on the following points.
- The organisation needs to show alignment to the category and clearly articulate the goal. (10 points)
- How unique and innovative are your programmes? (10 points)
- Demonstrate the impact of the organisations goals, job creation and how it has been justified through relevant evidence and supporting documents. (60 points)
- How has the program/initiative contributed to the organisations growth and it is scalable? (10 points)
- If your vision for the future is sustainable. (10 points)
Once all entries are closed, the entries are assessed in accordance with the criteria set out for each award, resulting shortlisted finalists for each of the categories.
The list of finalists for each category are then independently verified to ensure that they meet the criteria per category and a ‘judge’s pack’ is prepared for our external judging process. The shortlisted finalists are announced in the press and all companies/individuals advised of their inclusion.
The judges will then convene to decide on the winners for each category. The ‘judge’s pack’ containing all the relevant information, provided by the entrant, for each finalist in a category is presented to the independent.
How to prepare and submit your nomination.
STEP 1: Review the categories and choose the categories in which you’ll participate.
The category breakdown will outline how to submit your entries. All of this information is also available on our website.
STEP 2: Start collating all of your information and supporting documents (articles, press releases videos, accolades, news articles and testimonials).
Ensure that all info is related to gender empowerment.
STEP 3: Write a motivation or shoot a short video (mobile phone will do)
STEP 4: Once you are ready with all your information click “Start your Entry” button below
Organisation Awards
These categories will celebrate and recognise the achievements of organisaions striving to make the workplace supportive to women.
Women-owned SMME Award
This category celebrates South African small or medium enterprises that have demonstrated outstanding results in gender empowerment. The highly coveted trophy will be awarded to a company that has recorded significant growth over the last three years. However, the winner will have to show more than just sales figures – the trophy will go to inspirational organisations that have given women a voice and empowered them in the workplace.
Your entry should include:
- Performance results over the last three years
- Details of gender empowerment projects and proof of their success
- Evidence of annual revenue between R15 and R35 million per annum
Diversity in the Workplace Award
This category is for companies that celebrate diversity across all levels of employees. This award is not just for those businesses that empower women; it’s for companies that embrace multiculturalism and inspire their employees to create an inclusive workplace. An award-winning entry will show diversity in preferential recruitment policies, skills development programmes and a representative workplace.
Your entry should include:
- Examples of your recruitment policies and skills development programmes
- Demographics of your company and examples of diversity
- Details of the company’s vision for diversity
Corporate Citizenship Award
This award was created to honour companies that look beyond their employees and workplaces and strive to make a difference in the world around them. This award is for those businesses that invest in South African women and girls, focusing on improving their quality of life and economic prosperity through innovative programmes. Winners will be chosen based on the impact of their social investment efforts, as well as their company’s culture of gender empowerment within the workplace.
Your entry should include:
- Examples of social investment programmes
- Demonstration of the success of social investment programmes for women and girls
- Evidence of gender empowerment culture within the company
Skills Development Award
A focus on developing young women will need to be at the heart of entries for this category. Judges will be looking for innovative leadership and skills programmes aimed at developing the capabilities and prospects of young women. These programmes will need to widen career possibilities for participants and must be centred in the heavy equipment industries. Winning organisations will need to demonstrate the significant impact of their programmes.
Your entry should include:
- Details of skills development programmes
- Demonstration of the success of these programmes
- Evidence of the impact of skills development programmes
Resources, Construction & Infrastructure Development Award (Sponsored by Harmony Gold)
This award celebrates companies in the resource industries that are moving away from their traditionally male-dominated routes to embrace gender empowerment in sectors such as mining, oil and gas. This category is for companies in the resources sector that have women climbing the ladder, succeeding at all levels of the organisation, including management.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of gender empowerment programmes
- Success stories of successful women employees and leaders
- Details of the impact of company gender-empowerment initiatives
Retail & Ecommerce Award
This award looks to encourage gender empowerment within the retail sector and is open to hard-line retailers, broadline retailers, soft goods retailers, shopping centres, warehouse/wholesale concerns and distributors. Winners in the category not only drive equality through gender empowerment programmes but also place diversity at the core of their growth and expansion plans.
Your entry should include:
- Details of gender empowerment programmes
- Demonstration of the success of these programmes
- An unpacking of the company’s vision and the role women play in it
ICT Award
This award honours women who are shaping the tech industry and the companies that are empowering them to drive the 4th Industrial Revolution. All companies involved in information technology hardware, software and computing service industries are eligible to enter for this award. However, they must demonstrate how they are making strides in gender empowerment through tech-based applications and innovations and the women in their companies who are leading this charge.
Your entry should include:
- Examples of tech-based innovation that is driving gender empowerment
- Success stories of successful women employees and leaders
- Details of empowerment practices within the company
Health & Pharmaceuticals Award
This category celebrates women pioneering the health and pharmaceuticals industries and the companies with the innovative empowerment programmes that support them. The award is open to hospitals, medical suppliers, pharmaceutical firms, biotechnology firms, spas and alternative healthcare companies. Award-winning companies will need to demonstrate strong levels of gender empowerment at all levels, including management.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of gender empowerment programmes
- Success stories of successful women employees and leaders
- Details of innovative practices within the company and their impact on gender empowerment
Public Service Award
This award is reserved for parastatals, SOEs, government departments and municipalities that boast a high level of gender empowerment. This award will look for entrants that go above and beyond in servicing the South African public. Award winners will be able to demonstrate this gender empowerment across all levels of staff, but they will also need to have gender empowerment at the heart of their programmes, policies and dealings with suppliers.
Your entry should include:
- Details of programmes and policies promoting gender empowerment
- Demonstrate gender empowerment among staff, including management
- Evidence of excellent service delivery
- Demonstration of gender empowerment values in dealing with suppliers
Top Gender Empowered: Business of the Year Award
This is Standard Bank Top Women’s most prestigious award and will be given to an organisation that has a track record of championing gender empowerment and transformation. Judges will be looking for exceptional practices implemented through HR or transformation divisions and will award the trophy to companies that can show they have innovative processes, policies and procedures that increase the employment of women. The winning company will have proven skills development successes and a strategy to advance women within the business. This award is for companies that are leading the way in gender empowerment, making a tangible difference in their female employees’ lives.
Your entry should include:
- Demonstration of the company’s gender empowerment programmes
- Examples of gender empowerment successes and advances
- Details of the company’s vision for gender empowerment and transformation
Youth Development Award
This award focuses on intensive learnership and skills development programmes that increase the capability and opportunities for women. This category assesses how entrants are broadening women’s career prospects. Award winners will be able to demonstrate the empowerment of young women through their prospective initiatives and implementations.
Your entry should include:
- Details of programmes and policies equipping youth with abilities to benefit them in their prospective career fields
- Demonstrate youth development through your initiatives and how it has impacted the youth of today with opportunity to learn, and develop
- Evidence of programme or initiative success through upskilling youth
- Evidence of positively impacted youth at the community, or national level
- Operate a social enterprise that has contributed significant social and economic value at community and/or national level.
Biodiversity, Conservation & Environmental Management Award (Sponsored by SANBI)
This category is open to companies that specialise in energy alternatives, products or processes that reduce environmental impact. The award looks to celebrate companies that are not only creating sustainable ways to reduce our impact on the planet but are also uplifting women through programmes that are as innovative as their products.
Your entry should include:
- Demonstration of how the company reduces environmental impact
- Details of innovative gender-empowerment practices within the company
- Examples of inspiring women working to create sustainable differences
Individual Award
These categories will recognise the achievements of individuals for the past 18 months of individual female entrepreneurs, executives, employees as well as men driving gender empowerment.
Top Woman Entrepreneur of 2023 Award Sponsored by Standard Bank
This award celebrates female entrepreneurs who are renowned in their field. The winner of this category should be an inspiration to her fellow entrepreneurs – someone whose career is built on a foundation of excellence, ingenuity, and integrity. The Top Woman Entrepreneur must demonstrate strong leadership skills, an eye for innovation, and must live the spirit of gender empowerment.
Your entry should include:
- A demonstration of your leadership approach and its impact on your company
- Evidence showing your achievements and successes over the last 18 months
- Supporting evidence from your staff as to your leadership abilities
- Evidence of annual revenue between R5 and R35 million per annum
Public Sector Woman Leader Award
This category highlights inspirational women leaders in the public sector.
This award is for women who have a track record of excellent performance and service delivery in parastatals, SOEs, government departments and municipalities. The award
winner is someone who has, through her public profile, raised the visibility of women in government.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of your achievements and successes over the last 18 months
- Details of your efforts to raise the visibility of women in government
- Supporting evidence from your staff as to your leadership abilities
Top Gender Empowered: Top Woman in STEM Award
Calling all senior female executives working in science and Technology ! This award celebrates female leaders who have demonstrated exceptional performance in the scientific or technology fields. The winning entrant will have displayed admirable leadership, business acumen and strategic foresight
Your entry should include:
- Details of performance in the scientific and technology fields
- Evidence showing your achievements and successes over the last 18 months
- Demonstrations of your leadership approach and vision
Top Male Driving Gender Empowerment Award
This award recognises men who support women, striving for gender parity within their companies. The category is open to male leaders and senior executives who have a track record of implementing and advancing gender empowerment initiatives. Candidates will need to demonstrate their vision for the company, executed through gender empowerment policies and programmes, and the impact this has had on the bottom line.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of your achievements and successes over the last 18 months
- Details of the gender empowerment programmes or policies implemented under your leadership
- Supporting evidence from your staff as to your leadership abilities
Top Young Achiever of the Year Award Sponsored by Standard Bank
Calling all women executives aged 40 and younger: This award celebrates the outstanding achievement of young women leaders. Candidates must demonstrate their contribution to their company’s performance through innovative strategies and must serve as an inspiration to their colleagues. This award is for young women who show great potential, excellent business acumen and strategic foresight and who are passionate about building their company, creating employment and contributing to the economy.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of your contribution to the company and its impact
- Supporting evidence from your colleagues as to your leadership abilities
- Examples of innovative strategies you have spearheaded
- Details of achievements and successes over the last 18 months
Top Businesswoman of the Year Award Sponsored by Standard Bank
If you’re a female leader who shows astute business acumen, strategic foresight and a passion for gender empowerment, then this award is for you. The award celebrates women who have a track record of exceptional business performance but who also implement innovative policies to empower fellow women. Women entering this category should be inspirational leaders who ensure they use their platform to drive economic and social empowerment for others.
Your entry should include:
- Evidence of company growth under your leadership
- Examples of gender empowerment strategies you have spearheaded
- Supporting evidence from your staff s as to your leadership abilities
Top Woman in Professional Services Award
TBC
Top Women in Support Services Award
TBC
Top Woman in Property Award
This award is reserved for a senior female executive who has demonstrated exceptional performance within the property sector and demonstrated admirable leadership, business acumen and strategic foresight.
Your entry should include:
- Demonstrations of robust financial performance and show clear indicators of success.
Book your accomodation early with Southern Sun
Sandton Sun and Towers
Johannesburg, South Africa
Garden Court Sandton City
Johannesburg, South Africa
Standard bank top women
empowering women in africa
Follow Us
Call Us
086 000 95 90