The annual FDM everywoman in Technology Awards is back for another year of uplifting celebrations, with nominations now open for the 2022 event.
Every year, the awards shine a light on the industry’s most exceptional female leaders and innovators from across the UK and beyond, offering a platform that advocates diversity and strives to inspire the next generation of technologists and digital professionals. Companies and individuals have until 11 October this year to nominate any woman they think deserves to be recognised for their contribution to the field.
From the archive: Virtual everywoman in Technology Awards applaud achievements of inspiring women in tech
Since being founded in 2010, the annual event has sought to address the lack of female talent in technology and digital professions. Even before the additional challenges caused by COVID-19, the tech sector faced a significant shortfall in recruitment. Failure to boost diversity and inclusion from the bottom line up will hinder future growth and place businesses in crisis.
According to Women in STEM, in the UK, just 24% of people currently working in STEM are women – a figure that’s only expected to grow to 29% by 2030. The pandemic will have exacerbated the issue, with more than half (60%) of female STEM students reporting that their career prospects have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. While numbers are slowly rising, women still make up only 10% of female leaders in the field.
As the UK and the wider world emerge from the pandemic, increasing female participation in technology professions is critical for nations’ economic recovery. Researchers estimate that one million women will need to find employment in the UK tech sector to achieve gender parity – an effort that would boost the economy by £2.6bn.
Previous studies have also shown that gender-balanced boards drive better decision-making, diminish excessive risk-taking and generally strengthen a company’s bottoms line. As such, the everywoman in Technology Awards hope to create and empower the role models needed to attract and retain the best female talent in tech, now an in the future.
“These awards provide a platform for the next generation of female tech talent, showcasing the skills, ingenuity, grit and determination of women from across the country, from all backgrounds and all walks of life” – Sheila Flavell, FDM Group
A brand-new award category is being launched for 2022 – the Cybersecurity Award, which will celebrate a female professional who is excelling in her role and making a tangible difference to her business in the cybersecurity field. The Tech For Good Award and CTO/CIO of the Year Award will now be open to international nominations, alongside the UK.
Nominations to the 2022 awards are free to submit and a full list of categories can be found here. The ceremony will return as a live dinner in London next March, following this year’s virtual event.
Sheila Flavell CBE, COO of the FDM Group, commented: “These awards provide a platform for the next generation of female tech talent, showcasing the skills, ingenuity, grit and determination of women from across the country, from all backgrounds and all walks of life. FDM Group is once again very proud to sponsor these vital awards, which recognise those who have achieved incredible things, despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic.”