Women In Defence Awards Need Your Help To Find Worthy Winners

LISTEN: Amy Casey spoke to Louise Walters and Sam West, both on secondment from the British Army, about the awards.

Women in defence and their achievements are being celebrated at an award ceremony and you have until May 26 to nominate someone who deserves recognition.

The Women In Defence UK Awards ceremony, due to take place on November 23, 2021, provides a platform to highlight individuals and teams, both as inspirational role models and for the work they doing to support equality of opportunity.

Nominate your outstanding woman, man, individual, or team working in defence of the nation here.

Angela Owen OBE founded the Women In Defence UK network in 2011 after realising that despite the thousands of women working in defence, they seemed to be too thinly spread.

A decade on, the network has grown to more than 4,000 people and this year will be celebrating the women, men, individuals, teams and organisations working in defence of the nation, at its sixth annual awards. Angela Owen said: 

“We’ve evolved from a small LinkedIn group to a community of individuals and organisations dedicated to improving equality of opportunity across defence. 

“There’s still some way to go in terms of gender equality, but everywhere you look, there are exceptional female role models at all ranks and levels, and an ever-increasing number of people determined to help defence to improve.”

Women In Defence Award Categories and Criteria 

• Inspirational Award 

Can demonstrate having inspired or positively influenced the choices of other colleagues. 

Individual Women Only 

• Outstanding Contribution Award 

Outstanding contribution to their organisation where the nominee has exceeded expectations. 

Individual women only 

• Most Collaborative Award 

Can demonstrate that creating a collaborative working arrangement within their organisation or working with another one created a positive impact 

Individual women only 

• Resolute Spirit Award 

For individual women who have the steadfast spirit to persevere whilst overcoming real adversity 

Individual women only 

• Equality of Opportunity Award 

To recognise where an individual, team or organisation has worked to create an environment where there is equality of opportunity for all genders 

Open to individuals of any gender, teams and organisations. 

• Emerging Talent Award 

For early-career professionals (including apprentices and graduates) demonstrating high performance. 

Individual women only 

• Unsung Heroines Award 

To celebrate those women who, on an enduring basis, have improved the ‘lot' of people in defence which is essential to an organisation's output, but never seeking recognition for what they do. 

Individual women only 

• Innovation and Creativity Award 

To celebrate those that have used imagination, creativity, inventiveness, or ingenuity in an innovative manner that has multiplied the effect of the UK defence mission. 

Individual women only 

• STEM in Defence Award 

For promoting and supporting activities for young women learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

Open to individuals of any gender and teams 

• Inclusive Teamwork Award 

Can demonstrate inclusive working, where all team members have had a voice and have been able to contribute, leading to a successful outcome with tangible positive impact for the organisation 

Teams only 

• Woman of the Year 2021 

Awarded by the judges to one of the recipients of the categories listed above. 

Individual women only

Anyone working across the defence enterprise can be nominated for a Women in Defence UK 2021 Award. 

First held in 2016, the annual awards are the pinnacle of the Women in Defence UK year. Over the past five years, 2,000 nominations have been entered from across the defence community including the UK Armed Forces, MOD Civil Service, GCHQ, MI5 and SIS, defence industry and the defence third sector. Woman Of The Year 2020 winner, Beth-Marie Norbury said:  

“It’s been a really humbling and overwhelming experience.

“I still slightly cannot believe that I won; it’s a wonderful feeling to be recognised in this way.”

Nominations will close on Wednesday, May 26. 

To nominate or to learn more about the Women in Defence UK 2021 Awards go to www.womenindefenceuk.com/awards-2021