This award recognises a woman who holds, or has recently held, a senior leadership role within a company or organisation, and whose leadership has created clear results and positive change.

Brings substantial professional experience and a sustained record of leadership, influence, and results.

What the nomination should demonstrate

• The scope of her leadership, the responsibilities she holds, and why her role is significant.

• The positive change she has led, influenced, or enabled, including sustainable improvements and measurable impact.

• How her leadership has strengthened business performance, advanced teams, shaped the industry, or benefited the people around her.

• How she champions women, develops others, or helps create a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

• Why her leadership, impact, and example merit recognition through this award.

•  

This award recognizes a woman who has founded, built, or significantly grown a business.

She may be a founder, co-founder, small business owner, independent entrepreneur, or leader of a growing enterprise. The size of the business is less important than the vision she has pursued, the leadership she has demonstrated, and the impact her work has created.

Questions to keep in mind when nominating someone for Entrepreneur of the Year:

• What business has she founded, built, or grown?

  Describe the business, its purpose, the market it serves, and her role in leading it.

• What vision or opportunity did she pursue?

  Explain the need, problem, or opportunity she identified and why it mattered.

• What challenges or risks did she navigate?

  Describe the barriers, decisions, or turning points she managed and how her leadership influenced the outcome.

• What growth or impact has her leadership delivered?

  Highlight business growth, innovation, results, market reach, customer value, or lasting change.

• Who has benefited from her work?

  Identify the customers, employees, partners, communities, or markets positively affected by her business.

• Why does her entrepreneurial leadership merit recognition?

  Summarize what makes her vision, resilience, results, and impact distinctive and worthy of this award.

•  

This award recognizes a woman whose actions, leadership, or service have created meaningful and measurable positive impact.

Her impact may be demonstrated through business, education, community service, advocacy, volunteering, social initiatives, or other work that improves lives, expands opportunity, or drives lasting change.

Who can be nominated

• Lives and works in China, or has a strong connection to China.

• Has made a clear, meaningful, and measurable difference in her field, workplace, cause, or community.

• Uses her skills, influence, resources, voice, or platform to create positive outcomes for others.

• Advances women, underrepresented groups, or people who face barriers to access, growth, or opportunity.

• Has created sustained change that is meaningful to the people, organizations, or communities she serves.

•  

What the nomination should demonstrate

• The issue, need, community, or group of people her work is designed to support.

• The specific actions, initiatives, or leadership she has contributed, and why they matter.

• The people, teams, organizations, or communities that have benefited from her work.

• The measurable outcomes, improvements, or lasting change created through her efforts.

• How she has used her role, voice, or influence to support others and expand opportunity.

•  

Questions to keep in mind when nominating someone for Woman of Impact:

• What issues, cause, or community does she support?

  Describe the need, issue, or group she focuses on and why it matters.

• What actions or leadership has she contributed?

  Identify the initiative, project, service, decision, or example that best shows her impact.

• Who has benefited from her work?

  Name the people, teams, organizations, communities, or causes positively affected.

• What changed because of her work?

  Describe the measurable result, improvement, or lasting change created.

• How has she supported women or opened doors for others?

  Explain how she has created access, opportunity, support, visibility, or growth for others.

• Why is her contribution meaningful?

  Summarize why her contribution is significant, lasting, and worthy of this award.

•  

This award recognizes a young woman who is already demonstrating leadership, achievement, and meaningful impact.

She may be a student, young professional, entrepreneur, volunteer, or emerging leader who has taken initiative, delivered results, and shown strong potential to continue making a positive difference.

Who can be nominated

• Is between 18 and 35 years old as of the nomination deadline.

• Lives, studies, or works in China, or is involved in China-related work.

• Shows initiative, responsibility, and follow-through in her work, studies, business, or community involvement.

• Has achieved meaningful results or progress at an early stage in her journey.

• Creates positive impact for peers, teams, customers, communities, or causes through her actions, ideas, or leadership.

• Demonstrates the character, capability, and potential to grow as a future leader.

•  

What the nomination should demonstrate

• The initiative, project, achievement, or contribution she has started, led, improved, or supported.

• The challenge, opportunity, or responsibility she took on and how she responded.

• The measurable progress, result, or positive change created through her efforts.

• The people, teams, organizations, communities, or causes that have benefited from her work.

• What makes her achievements distinctive and why her future leadership potential is strong.

•  

Questions to keep in mind when nominating someone for Young Achiever:

• What has she started, led, or achieved?

  Describe the initiative, project, role, achievement, or contribution and her part in making it happen.

• What challenge has she taken on?

  Explain the challenge, opportunity, or responsibility she accepted and the actions she took.

• How has she helped others or created change?

  Identify the result, improvement, or positive change created through her efforts.

• What makes her stand out?

  Describe the qualities, actions, results, or example that make her achievement distinctive.

• How has she inspired people around her?

  Explain how her actions, attitude, ideas, or example have influenced peers, teams, or the community.

• Why do you believe she has strong future potential?

  Summarize why her achievements, impact, character, and future potential make her worthy of this award.

•  

This category recognises a male ally who actively supports women and helps create fairer opportunities in the workplace, industry, or community.

Someone who identifies as male and serves as a proven ally or advocate for women and underrepresented groups in China.

Demonstrates sustained, intentional efforts to advance gender equity through action, leadership, mentorship, sponsorship, or advocacy.

What the nomination should demonstrate

• The specific actions he has taken to support women or advance gender equity.

• How he has used his leadership or influence to create fairer opportunities in his workplace, industry, or community.

• How he has supported, mentored, sponsored, or amplified women.

• The positive change, outcomes, or measurable impact created through his actions.

• Why his allyship, action, and example merit recognition through this award.

•  

Questions to keep in mind when nominating someone for HeForShe Man of the Year:

• What specific actions has he taken to support women’s professional growth?

  Describe the steps he has taken through his role, workplace, industry, or community.

• How has he used his role or influence to create fairer opportunities?

  Share examples of initiatives, decisions, policies, projects, or everyday actions he has supported or led.

• How has he supported, mentored, or recognised women?

  Explain how he has helped women grow, be heard, take on responsibility, or access new opportunities.

• What changed because of his actions?

  Include clear examples, outcomes, improvements, or measurable results where possible.

• How has he encouraged others to support a respectful and inclusive workplace?

  Describe how he has influenced colleagues, teams, or organisations to support women’s growth and contribution.

• Why does his support deserve to be recognised?

  Summarize what makes his contribution meaningful and why he is a strong nominee for HeForShe Man of the Year.