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Starting:

12/03/2026

06:00 pm

Ending:

Same day

11:00 pm

Event type:

Face to face

Crowne Plaza, Belfast
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Ticket Price:

Member - £120.00 (+VAT)

Non-member - £150.00 (+VAT)

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At a glance…

Join us on Thursday 12th March 2026 at Belfast's Crowne Plaza Hotel for the annual Women in Business Awards, where we will celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of women business leaders across Northern Ireland.

The Awards have been a beacon of celebration for over a decade and are all about recognising the contributions that women across Northern Ireland make to our economy every day.

Our host, Pamela Ballantine will guide us through the gala awards ceremony, sponsored by Virgin Media O2 Business, as we get set to honour the trailblazing women who have achieved excellence across various local sectors and industries.

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Dates you need to know
-Awards Launch: Tuesday 2nd December 2025
-Information Webinar: Friday 9th January 2026 – Creating an Award Winning Entry
-Application Deadline: Monday 19th January 2026 at 12 noon
-Awards ceremony: Thursday 12th March 2026

Learn how to create an award-winning entry for the Women in Business Awards 2026

Catch up on our informative webinar! Learn how to navigate the submissions portal and elevate your entry, showcasing your achievements. Hear from Shauneen McNicholl, McNicholl Caravans and hear of her incredible experience of being a 2025 award winner!

Award Categories 2026

Best Small Business

This award recognises a woman-led small business that has achieved sustained success, delivering high-quality service, strong financial performance and demonstrating innovation in its approach. Eligible businesses include sole traders, partnerships, social enterprises, or small private companies with up to 25 employees. The winning business will have a proven track record and be positioned for continued growth and impact.

Growth & Scaling Business of the Year

This award recognises a woman-led business that is experiencing significant growth and demonstrating excellence in scaling operations. The winning business will show measurable success in exporting beyond NI, increasing revenue/ investment, growing teams, developing systems and applying innovation to enable sustainable growth. Eligible businesses include those that have established a foundation and are now actively scaling.

Best New Start Up

This award celebrates a woman leading an exceptional new start-up that has been trading for less than one year (after 31 January 2025) and is showing strong early potential. Eligible businesses include sole traders, partnerships, social enterprises, or small private companies. The winning start-up will demonstrate innovation, creativity, early achievements and the foundations of a sustainable, high-potential business.

Innovation in Business Award

This award recognises a woman who has demonstrated exceptional flair for innovation in business. It celebrates individuals who have transformed their organisation through creativity, new ideas, products, services, technologies, processes or applications. There will be two winners: 1. Corporate Award: For a woman driving innovation within a larger organisation. 2. Small Business Award: For a woman innovating within a small business of fewer than 25 employees. The winning nominee will have introduced innovative solutions that have had a measurable impact on their business, staff, customers or the wider business community.

Customer Excellence Award

This award recognises a woman who consistently puts the customer at the heart of her business. The winner will have introduced initiatives, processes or practices that enhance the delivery of products or services, leading to measurable improvements in customer satisfaction and business performance. There will be two winners: 1. Corporate Employee Award: For a woman driving customer excellence within a larger organisation. 2. Small Business Award: For a woman championing customer service in a small business of fewer than 25 employees. The winning nominee will demonstrate how her customer-focused approach has created meaningful, lasting impact for both the business and its clients.

Professional Services Excellence Award

This award recognises a woman who consistently exceeds the expectations of internal and external customers within a professional services environment. The winner demonstrates exceptional professionalism, measurable success and innovation in her practice area, consistently delivering high standards of service and responsiveness. There will be two winners: 1. Corporate Employee Award: For a woman excelling within a larger organisation. 2. Small Business Award: For a woman leading excellence in a professional services small business of fewer than 25 employees. The winning nominee will exemplify dedication, expertise and measurable impact in delivering exceptional professional services.

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award

This award recognises a business and/or an individual who has made a significant impact in championing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. There will be two winners: 1. Individual Award: Celebrates a woman who has actively advanced diversity and fostered an inclusive culture within her organisation. 2. Company Award: Recognises a business that demonstrates best practice in diversity and inclusion, creating measurable benefits for employees, teams, and the wider organisation. The winners will have shown commitment, leadership and tangible results in promoting equality, representation and inclusive practices.

Transformational Leader of the Year

This award recognises an outstanding woman leader who has demonstrated exceptional vision, inspiration and transformational leadership within her organisation. The winner will have driven significant positive change, fostered high-performing teams and delivered measurable impact on their organisation’s culture, performance or strategy. This award celebrates leadership excellence that goes beyond day-to-day management, highlighting those who inspire, innovate and create lasting organisational transformation.

Mentor of the Year

This award recognises an individual, of any gender, who has generously given their time, expertise and guidance to support female mentees in achieving personal and professional success. The winning mentor will have demonstrated exceptional ability to inspire, challenge and empower mentees, fostering growth, confidence and achievement. This award celebrates the critical role mentors play in nurturing talent, developing skills and enabling women to navigate their careers and life with purpose and balance.

Young Businesswoman of the Year (Employee and Entrepreneur)

This award celebrates the achievements of a young woman making an outstanding impact in business, whether as an entrepreneur or a corporate professional. Nominees must be 30 years or under on 19 January 2026. There will be two winners: 1. Corporate Award: For a young woman excelling in a corporate environment, demonstrating leadership, innovation or business impact. 2. Entrepreneur Award: For a young woman driving success in her own business, showing initiative, growth and resilience. The winning nominees will have achieved remarkable results, overcome challenges and demonstrated potential for future success in their careers or businesses.

Businesswoman of the Year

The Businesswoman of the Year is a judges’ selection. Nominees are identified by our research team and industry partners, and a panel of independent judges reviews achievements, impact and leadership before selecting the winner. This award is therefore not open for direct application.

Apprentice of the Year

This award recognises an outstanding woman currently undertaking any type of apprenticeship programme who demonstrates exemplary effort, commitment and achievement. The winning apprentice will have shown dedication, skill development, resilience and impact within her role, overcoming challenges and contributing positively to her organisation or learning environment. This award celebrates the hard work, ambition and potential of female apprentices shaping their future careers.

Watch the highlights from the 2025 Awards

Have a look at our photo album from the 2025 Awards

Location

Crowne Plaza, Belfast

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