The finalists for this year’s FDM everywoman in Technology Awards have been announced, shining a light on the women in business and academia who are considered to have made an ‘outstanding’ contribution in the fields of science and technology.
Now in their 11th year, the event is dedicated to uplifting female tech talent from the UK and beyond, giving high-achieving professionals a platform to inspire future technology specialists.
” The vital advancements technology is making towards saving, transforming and improving lives is more evident now than ever before, making our mission to supply a strong future pipeline of technological talent of the utmost importance” – Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder, everywoman
From the women behind the tech supporting the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, to those heading corporations that have assisted developing economies, to the young and rising stars who advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the 88 finalists (the full list of whom can be found here) are united by one common goal: “to create a legacy founded on people, planet and purpose, a legacy that leaves the world a better place than they found it”.
The 2021 finalists will join everywoman’s alumnae community of revered industry leaders, standing in the company of everything from high-performing students to emerging entrepreneurs, ground-breaking CEOs and more.
Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder of everywoman, commented: “We are thrilled to announce the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards finalists. From supporting frontline efforts against COVID-19, to managing systems and software that have kept the country moving, these individuals showcase the critical role that technology has played over the past year. The vital advancements technology is making towards saving, transforming and improving lives is more evident now than ever before, making our mission to supply a strong future pipeline of technological talent of the utmost importance.”
Research by cloud communications platform Twilio last year revealed that the pandemic and its subsequent lockdown measures helped to accelerate the UK’s digital transition by more than five years. With the development of drugs and vaccination programmes, as well as home working and home learning likely to continue this year and beyond, on top of combatting issues surrounding matters like sustainability and AI, the next few months could be pivotal to the advancement of tech-facing industries. And with research confirming that diverse teams are key to innovation and growth, it’s crucial that businesses and academia strive to attract and retain a highly-skilled and varied pool of talent.
Great news came earlier this year, when STEM Women noted that, for the first time ever, one million women are now employed across STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) sectors; that said, there’s clearly still a long way to go, with the continuing impact of COVID-19 meaning that one in four women are considering ‘downshifting’ their careers or leaving the workforce altogether, risking both a skills gap and a major setback in the journey to gender parity.
From the archive: FDM everywoman in Technology Awards 2021 open for nominations
“These awards are a celebration of the talent, hard work and commitment shown by so many women in the technology industry,” said Sheila Flavell CBE, chief operating officer of FDM Group. “Technology has played a crucial role in fighting against [the COVID-19] crisis and it will also play a profound role in the recovery. I’m so proud to congratulate the finalists in everything they have achieved so far and wish them all good luck! It’s no exaggeration to say that their skills, enthusiasm and energy are needed now more than ever.”
Winners will be announced at a virtual event on 4 March 2021. The ceremony will also feature a selection of documentary-style films centred on the insights, experiences and hopes of finalists and stakeholders.