Women 1st, the initiative that aims to increase the number of women working in senior positions in hospitality and the wider tourism and visitor economy sector, has opened nominations for its annual Shine Awards.
Now in their 10th year, the Women 1st Shine Awards are the only awards that exclusively celebrate the achievements of women working in the hospitality, passenger transport, travel, tourism and retail industries, as well as the mentors and businesses in those industries that actively support the career development of women.
Previous Shine Award winners from the hospitality industry include: McDonald’s Restaurants; Jill Stein, director of The Seafood Restaurant; Robyn Jones OBE, co-founder of CH&Co; and Drake & Morgan entrepreneur, Jillian MacLean.
Awards categories
The categories for this year’s Women 1st Shine Awards are:
- Rising Star
- Stepping Up
- Outstanding Entrepreneur
- Mentor of the Year
- Woman of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement
- Small Business
- Large Business
The awards were launched on 29 April 2014 at the Women 1st networking event at The MayFair hotel in London. The event was hosted in partnership with Unilever Food Solutions, which is sponsoring the awards for the fourth year running.
Creating a momentum for change
Managing director of Unilever Food Solutions, Tracey Rogers, said: “As a company that invests heavily in the development of its female talent, we understand that having a good balance of men and women in senior positions makes good business sense.
“Awards like the Women 1st Shine Awards play a critical role in creating a momentum for change, helping to raise aspirations and highlighting good practice across the whole tourism and visitor economy. We’re delighted to be sponsoring the awards and I’d encourage as many businesses and individuals as possible to put themselves forward for recognition.“
Changing barriers to career progress
Women 1st director, Simone Roche, said: “Running the Women 1st Shine Awards is always a hugely motivating and inspirational experience. Our research shows that women report a lack of visible role models as one of the biggest barriers to their career progress, and we’re passionate about changing that.
“Winning a Women 1st Shine Award is a brilliant way for women to raise their own profile and for businesses to shout about why they are a great employer for women. We’re looking forward to receiving this year’s nominations!”
Nominations
Nominations for the Women 1st Shine Awards will close on 7 July and can be made at www.women1st.co.uk/awards. The awards are free to enter and the winners will be announced at a dinner at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square on 16 September.
The awards evening will also see Women 1st induct 10 more women into the prestigious Top 100 Club – a network of the most influential women in hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism, who act as ambassadors and role models for the female leaders of tomorrow. Current members include hotelier, Alex Polizzi; chef Angela Hartnett and broadcaster and writer Prue Leith. Nominations for induction can be made at www.women1st.co.uk/top-100 and also close on 7 July.
About Women 1st
Women 1st is the thought leadership, training and mentoring programme for the UK’s visitor economy. It was developed by People 1st, the leading skills and workforce development charity for employers in the hospitality, tourism, leisure, travel, passenger transport and retail industries.
Whilst nearly 60 percent of the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism workforce is female, only six percent of director level positions are held by women. In the passenger transport industry, women make up just 25 percent of the whole workforce. Since its inception in 2009, Women 1st has supported over 1,000 women and its programmes are available throughout the United Kingdom.
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