NOMINATIONS
AWARD CATEGORIES
The Women in IT Awards Canada have been postponed to 2021 – to be notified when nominations re-open for next year, please register your interest here.
ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR
A woman working in tech who has gone out of her way to support the cause of getting more women in IT in the last 18 months. As well as examining the women in IT initiatives the candidates have pioneered, judges will also assess their impact on, and integration with, the business.
BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
A female business leader in technology who has been an effective role model for other women in the last 18 months. Judges will examine demonstrations of leadership and business achievements, as well as examples of being a role model and inspiring other women to succeed in technology.
CIO OF THE YEAR
A female CIO who has demonstrated particular innovation and IT excellence in the last 18 months. Judges will look at projects and achievements spanning the current organization or others if applicable, along with examples of best practice, leadership, ROI generated and alignment to business goals
CTO OF THE YEAR
A chief technology officer or technology director who has demonstrated a positive impact on the company’s top line and driven new customer value through the innovative use of technology. Candidates will include examples of strong leadership and how they have employed a technology strategy to enhance product development and improve the service the company provides to customers. Judges will also assess how well ingrained the chief technology officer is in the business and how he/she has helped put technology at the heart of the business, driving strong commercial results in the process.
D&I LEADER OF THE YEAR
A D&I leader (male or female) at a technology company who has gone out of her/his way in the last 18 months to support the cause of increasing diversity in the workplace. Efforts to increase diversity could include initiatives for making technology workforces a more inclusive environment for people of different genders, races, sexual orientations, cultures, disabilities and backgrounds. Judges will assess the diversity initiatives the candidates have pioneered, including their impact on the business, as well as demonstrations of being a positive role model, attracting (and retaining) a more diverse workforce, and generally making the workplace a more inclusive environment.
DATA LEADER OF THE YEAR
A female IT, technology or business leader who has demonstrated successful results in the area of data technology in the last 18 months. This could include demonstrations of successfully deploying data technologies; improving how a company uses or deals with data; delivering effective data strategies; enhancing decision-making with data; or furthering knowledge, awareness and education around data and related technologies.
DIGITAL LEADER OF THE YEAR
A female chief digital officer, digital director or leader of a digital transformation. Judges will look at examples of innovation, leadership, digital best practice, return on investment, cultural change and alignment to business goals.
DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
This award category is open to organizations that have undertaken a specific initiative that has been established to promote diversity within their organization or the wider community. These could involve the gender pay gap, paternal leave, gender parity in the industry, etc. Judges will assess commitment to the cause, awareness raised, impact on the organization and/or industry, and ultimate results of the initiative. Submissions should include the name of the initiative.
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
This can be either a technology company that has demonstrated a great desire to attract and retain more women or a company from any other industry that has demonstrated a great desire to attract and retain more women to its IT and/or digital department. Judges will look at efforts the employer has made to create a more diverse and inclusive working environment.
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
A female leader of a technology, digital or e-commerce start-up that has demonstrated excellent growth in the last 18 months, with a coherent and sustainable strategy in achieving it. Judges will look at demonstrations of growth (turnover, profit, employees etc.), standout achievements and customer testimonials.
FINTECH PROJECT OF THE YEAR
The most innovative fintech project. Please outline what problem your project is trying to solve and what steps/progress so far you have achieved in solving this. Also, outline the project’s potential and how it can reach critical mass. Highlight any particularly innovative features.
IT TEAM OF THE YEAR
An IT team, led by a woman, that has delivered real value – with tangible business results – to a company. Judges will look at projects and achievements, along with examples of best practice, leadership, ROI generated and alignment to business goals.
OPEN SOURCE LEADER OF THE YEAR
A woman who has embraced an open-source strategy to drive innovation and collaboration across organizations and industries.
SECURITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
A female CSO, CISO or any other senior IT security function within a US organization who has delivered outstanding work. Judges will assess the candidates’ innovative approaches to security and the impact of their policies, procedures and projects on the business.
TECH EVANGELIST OF THE YEAR
A woman who has championed the use of technology within an organization, and successfully managed to communicate its merits to a wider audience (within their organization and network) and then established it as a technical standard.
TECH FOR GOOD AWARD OF THE YEAR
A woman who has championed the use of technology within an organization, and successfully managed to communicate its merits to a wider audience (within their organization and network) and then established it as a technical standard.
TRANSFORMATION LEADER OF THE YEAR
A woman who has led an IT transformation, digital transformation or business change programme driven by technology in the last 18 months. Judges will assess the planning, execution and results of the transformation programme, looking particularly at the technologies and innovation involved, best practice, alignment to business goals, impact on the business, training/awareness/ education, ROI achieved, and how culture shifts were managed.
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
A woman who has demonstrated the highest degree of IT excellence, innovation and leadership in the last year, and shone a light on the great things women in IT can achieve. Candidates should have not only have demonstrated outstanding business- and/or technology-focused achievements, but also acted as a positive role model and actively sought to bring more diversity to the technology industry.
YOUNG LEADER OF THE YEAR
A woman under the age of 35, or who turns 35 in 2020, who has progressed rapidly though their career and demonstrated business value and innovation through the use of technology. This could include demonstrations of successfully deploying technologies; improving how a company approaches technology; delivering effective IT or technology strategies; enhancing decision-making with technology; creating business value, efficiencies and cost savings, or improving services, through the use of technology; driving new innovation in the industry; or furthering knowledge, awareness and education around technology.