This International Women's Day we're shining a spotlight on the prestigious awards programmes celebrating women's achievements in business and entrepreneurship – particularly those founded by visionary women themselves.
These award platforms don't just recognise excellence; they create visibility, build networks, and drive meaningful change by showcasing role models who inspire the next generation of leaders.
Here are five outstanding women-led awards programmes;
Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards – Founded by Sarah Austin
The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, founded by Sarah Austin, represents one of the UK's most prestigious business awards programmes.
Sarah has created a platform that celebrates businesses at all levels, and individuals from newcomers to established leaders. Extending beyond recognition, Sarah’s focus on creating meaningful connections through the sell-out awards ceremony and surrounding events, serve as powerful networking opportunities where business leaders can forge relationships that fuel future collaborations.
What distinguishes these awards is their comprehensive approach to evaluating business excellence – examining leadership, innovation, financial performance, and social impact.
Previous winners include;
- Sian Jones, CEO, Correla
- Trinny Woodall, Trinny London
- Lizzie Carter, Only Curls
- Philippa Main
- Founder & CEO, Three Sisters Farm
“The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards are the UK’s largest and most prestigious business awards. Where businesses of all sizes, from the length and breadth of the country come together to celebrate ambition, sustainability, innovation, diversity and … resilience. It’s important that we celebrate business success stories and the role that this talent and ambition is playing in driving our economy.”
Elyn Corfield CEO, Business and Commercial Banking, Lloyds Banking Group
Enterprise Vision Awards – Founded by Coral Horn
Coral Horn, founded the Enterprise Vision Awards in 2011, the EVAS are now one of the largest UK business awards dedicated solely for women that are held outside London.
The awards have grown to become a genuine platform for connection for women in business at all stages, from start-up solopreneurs, to established enterprises. But beyond the awards, Coral has established meaningful partnerships and campaigns to make a bigger impact, including collaborating with WUKA for their campaign against period poverty, organising dedicated events for International Women's Day, and building the SheChain, and initiative that connects women-led businesses with buyers, investors and procurement teams who are ready to do business differently.
“What a brilliant night at the Enterprise Vision Awards! A room full of passionate people, inspiring stories and genuine camaraderie. While I got to collect the award, scaling a business is a team sport. And the incredible team at Mazuma , who not only work so hard, but also have to put up with me, are the ones that really deserve the plaudits. Congratulations to each and every finalist. You’re all doing incredible things.”
Lucy Cohen, Founder, Mazuma
Don't Panic Events – Founded by Nicky Wake
Nicky Wake founded Don’t Panic in 2005, today they are an International event and awards specialist with over 20 awards prgrammes in their portfolio including Global Agency Awards, UK Company Culture Awards, European Seach Awards, and Global Social Media Awards.
Nicky's impressive expertise in event and award management has been the defining driver of growth for Don’t Panic’s portfolio of digital marketing, search and paid media awards.
For each and every programme, Don't Panic are on a mission to deliver ethical, trusted award programmes that are judged rigorously and fairly. That high standard is what makes them the awards businesses want to win.
The Great British Entrepreneur Awards – Founded by Frankie James
The Great British Entrepreneur Awards known as ‘The Grammys of Entrepreneurship’, acknowledges the hard work and inspiring stories of British entrepreneurs and businesses.
Founder Frankie James established these awards with a vision to celebrate the stories behind successful businesses, not just the balance sheets.
What makes these awards special is their commitment to recognising entrepreneurial spirit in all its forms. Recognising that success looks different for everyone, the awards celebrate entrepreneurs at every stage, from startups to established businesses. Honouring the resilience, creativity, and determination it takes to turn ideas into reality. Creating a truly diverse and inclusive event.
Previous winners include;
- Karen Barrett, Unbiased
- Evadney Campbell MBE, Shiloh PR
- Kanya King CBE, MOBO Group
- Fran Boorman, Goal 17
- Kirsty Lunn, Molke
Beyond the awards themselves, Frankie has been the driving force behind a vibrant community of entrepreneurs who support each other's journeys, and encourages positive change through business.
Best Business Women Awards – Founded by Debbie Gilbert
The Best Business Women Awards, established in 2025 by multi-award-winning entrepreneur Debbie Gilbert, were specifically created to recognise the achievements of female entrepreneurs and business leaders.
As an entrepreneur herself, Debbie understood the unique challenges women face in business and designed an awards programme to shout about their achievements and provide a platform to celebrate alongside other women in business.
The awards cover a wide variety of industries and recognise and reward female business talent. Over 2000 people have attended the award events since the first event and the positive reputation for the awards continues to grow year-on-year.
Categories for the awards include;
- Best Businesswoman in Business Services
- Best Businesswoman in Marketing & PR Services
- Best Female Leader
- Best Business
- Lifetime Achievement
Giving Visibility to Women in Business
For International Women's Day these awards align perfectly with the #GivetoGain theme by:
- Creating platforms that ensure women's achievements don't go unnoticed
- Building networks that facilitate collaboration and business opportunities
- Establishing benchmarks that inspire organisations to improve gender equity
- Showcasing diverse leadership models that challenge tradition
And there are lots of other credible awards out there highlighting the achievements of women and raising their profiles, including international recognition from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business based in the US with some fantastic categories for all women women in business, from entrepreneurs to executives and teams.
If you’re ready to nominate an outstanding woman, join us for our next free awards masterclass to learn how to stand out in awards and make your voice heard.
