For more than three decades, Yolanda M. Smith has helped professionals and organizations strengthen their brands, communicate their value, and achieve measurable results.

As founder of Branding 4 Success, a business consulting and professional development firm, Smith works with entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, and organizations seeking to increase visibility, influence, and long-term growth.

Drawing on experience in leadership, coaching, communications, and business strategy, she has developed programs to help individuals build stronger personal brands and to support organizations in developing high-performing teams and leaders.

From Corporate Leadership to Entrepreneurship
Before launching Branding 4 Success in 2018, Smith held leadership positions at major organizations including Eli Lilly and Company and Merck Pharmaceuticals. Throughout her corporate career, she led initiatives focused on customer engagement, brand strategy, leadership development, and communications.

Her experiences navigating corporate leadership without the benefit of formal mentors or sponsors helped shape her perspective on professional advancement. Those challenges inspired her to create opportunities for others to develop confidence, communicate their value effectively, and pursue leadership roles with greater clarity.

Since founding Branding 4 Success, Smith has worked with professionals at all career stages, as well as organizations seeking to strengthen leadership pipelines and employee development programs. Through workshops, coaching engagements, and leadership development programs, Smith helps clients align personal branding with business strategy and career growth.

Her approach combines professional development, leadership coaching, communication skills, and business strategy rather than focusing solely on personal branding, allowing clients to address multiple aspects of professional success.

Expanding Her Reach Through Events, Books, and Media
In 2024, Smith hosted the BRANDfluence Live Experience, bringing together entrepreneurs and professionals from across the country for discussions focused on personal branding, visibility, and business growth.

The event coincided with the release of her third book, BRANDfluence: Ignite Your Brand Power On Social Media, a strategic social media guide. It provides a blueprint for entrepreneurs, coaches, and business owners to transform their online presence into a magnetic force that drives measurable engagement, influence, and revenue.

Continuing to Support Entrepreneurs and Leaders
Since receiving recognition in the Stevie Awards, Smith has continued expanding her work with entrepreneurs and corporate clients. She recently participated in the NASDAQ Mentoring Circles Initiative, supporting women entrepreneurs as they work to strengthen their businesses and professional visibility.

She has also expanded partnerships with credit unions, providing leadership development and brand strategy training, and launched The Brand & Scale Collective, an executive-level program designed for established coaches and entrepreneurs seeking sustainable growth and stronger business infrastructure.

Alongside her branding and coaching work, Smith also helps entrepreneurs better understand legal protections and business risk management, providing guidance on issues such as contracts, intellectual property, and business safeguards.

Yolanda M. Smith won a Silver Stevie® Award for Mentor or Coach of the Year – Business in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Celebrating the Organizations and Innovators Shaping the Future of Technology

The winners of the 2026 Stevie® Awards for Technology Excellence have officially been announced.

Now in its third year, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence recognize the individuals, teams, products, and organizations driving innovation across the global technology landscape. From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education, retail, and government technology, the awards honor excellence in every major area of technology.

This year's competition attracted more than 700 nominations from organizations in 37 nations and territories, reflecting the growing impact of technology innovation across industries worldwide.

More than 180 technology and business professionals from around the world participated in the judging process, evaluating nominations through independent scoring to determine this year's Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie® Award winners.

Top Award-Winning Organizations

Several organizations earned multiple Stevie Awards for their achievements in 2026. Leading this year's competition are:

IBM (Singapore and USA) — 9 Stevie Awards
Architecht (Istanbul, Türkiye) — 6 Stevie Awards
ValueLabs (India and USA) — 6 Stevie Awards
Asiacell (Baghdad, Iraq) — 5 Stevie Awards
Dubai Digital Authority (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) — 5 Stevie Awards
Epsilon3 (El Segundo, California, USA) — 5 Stevie Awards

Notable Gold winners include:

Cisco Systems, USA: Three Gold Stevie Awards in the categories Technical Innovation Of The Year - Information Technology, New Product Of The Year - Information Technology - Telecommunications, and Technology Team Of The Year - Information Technology - Software Development

Octopus Energy, UK: Three Gold Stevie Awards in the categories Company Of The Year - Energy Technology, New Product Of The Year - Energy Technology, and Technical Innovation Of The Year - Energy Technology

Plume, USA: Three Gold Stevie Awards in the categories Executive Of The Year: Dan Herscovici, New Product Of The Year - Communication Technology, and New Product Of The Year - Communication Technology

Ernst & Young, USA: Technology Team Of The Year - Information Technology - Platform Engineering

Doktar Technologies, Netherlands: Two Gold Stevie Awards for Technical Innovation Of The Year - Agricultural Technology and Technology Breakthrough Of The Year - Agricultural Technology

GCash, Philippines: Technology Breakthrough Of The Year - Financial Technology

MacPaw, Ukraine: Technology Team Of The Year - Information Technology - Cybersecurity

T-Mobile, USA: Employee Of The Year - Information Technology - Telecommunications, Harikishore Allu Balan

Walmart, USA: Employee Of The Year - Financial Technology, Ambika Saklani Bhardwaj

What Do the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence Recognize?

The Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence celebrate innovation across 23 technology disciplines, including:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Information Technology
Business Technology
Financial Technology (FinTech)
Healthcare Technology
Green & Clean Technology
Communications Technology
Biotechnology
Aerospace Technology
Manufacturing Technology
Retail & E-Commerce Technology
Government Technology
Transportation & Mobility Technology

...along with ten additional technology sectors that recognize excellence across today's rapidly evolving technology ecosystem. There are categories within each sector that recognize individuals, entire organizations, new products, technology innovations, management teams, and more.

Whether developing breakthrough software, improving customer experiences with AI, advancing medical technology, or modernizing infrastructure, winners represent organizations using technology to solve meaningful challenges and create lasting impact.

Celebrating the Winners in Paris

Winners will be recognized during a red-carpet awards ceremony on October 28, 2026, at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse in Paris, France.

The event will celebrate winners from four Stevie Awards programs:

Stevie® Awards for Technology Excellence
Stevie® Awards for Great Employers
The International Business Awards®
German Stevie® Awards

The ceremony will also be broadcast live, allowing colleagues, clients, friends, and family around the world to join the celebration.

A Word from the Stevie Awards

"We congratulate all of the winners in the third annual Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence for their outstanding achievements," said Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards.

"Technology continues to reshape every industry, and this year's winners demonstrate how innovation can improve organizations, strengthen communities, and create new opportunities around the world. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments together in Paris this October."

About the Stevie® Awards for Technology Excellence

The Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence honor innovation in the workplace across every industry. The competition recognizes organizations of all sizes—including startups, nonprofits, government agencies, and multinational corporations—as well as the individuals and teams behind their success.

The program is one of nine Stevie Awards competitions, which together receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations and territories.

Learn more about the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, view this year's winners, or find information about entering future competitions by visiting Tech.StevieAwards.com.

Kate McAfoose, PE, serves as President of Chang Robotics, an engineering firm specializing in advanced manufacturing, collaborative robotics, and automation. With 15 years of engineering experience, she oversees the company's operations, including sales, client engagement, engineering, and financial performance, while leading projects focused on improving workforce productivity through human-centered automation.

Robotics for Healthcare
One of McAfoose's primary initiatives is Curabotics, a healthcare division of Chang Robotics that she co-founded to help address labor shortages through robotics and automation. The division develops autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that perform logistical tasks such as transporting supplies, linens, pharmacy items, and waste throughout hospitals, allowing nurses to spend more time providing direct patient care.

Working with a leading hospital network, McAfoose and her team developed the Nurse-Assist Bot system after collaborating with nurses to better understand their day-to-day challenges. The resulting solution reduced the distance nurses walked during a 12-hour shift by approximately 15%, thereby lessening physical demands and improving operational efficiency. Following the initial pilot, the hospital requested deployment across all patient floors, representing a 150% expansion of the program.

The technology has also demonstrated measurable operational benefits. Curabotics reports a 96% adoption rate within 90 days of deployment, while the combination of reduced staff turnover and more efficient patient discharge processes has the potential to generate over a million dollars in savings for participating hospitals.

Automation in Manufacturing
In manufacturing, McAfoose has overseen large-scale automation projects designed to improve workplace safety and productivity. In 2021, Chang Robotics partnered with a global food and beverage company to implement what the company describes as the world's largest autonomous robotic system within a one-million-square-foot facility.

The project achieved a tenfold improvement in ergonomics, a threefold increase in task safety, and contributed to a near-zero Total Recordable Incident Rate. The company also retained 90% of its workforce by transitioning employees into technician roles while continuing to improve system performance.

Supporting Innovation and Community Engagement
Beyond engineering projects, McAfoose has helped establish a broader innovation strategy at Chang Robotics. The company donates 10% of its profits to charities and mission-aligned startups and has invested in several robotics, artificial intelligence, and medical technology companies. Employees also dedicate a portion of their billable hours each year to volunteer work supporting local nonprofits and community organizations.

Since submitting her nomination, McAfoose and the Curabotics team have continued expanding the healthcare initiative by hosting demonstrations of the Nurse-Assist Bot system for hospital executives and healthcare leaders at Jacksonville University.

Those demonstrations have led to commitments for additional pilot programs, while Curabotics also secured investment to support continued product development and commercialization.

Kate McAfoose won two Gold Stevie® Awards for Achievement in Technology Innovation and Most Innovative Woman of the Year – Technology in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Global awards program evaluates over 1,000 nominations across 38 nations and territories to recognize the world’s best places to work, HR teams, and professionals. Top winners include Turkiye Sigorta, Bank of America, and Tata Consultancy Services, with celebrations scheduled for Paris in October.

Winners in the 2026 (11th annual) Stevie® Awards for Great Employers were announced today. The awards recognize the world’s best employers and the human resources professionals, teams, achievements, and HR-related products and suppliers who help to create and drive great places to work.

More than 1,000 nominations from organizations in 38 nations and territories were evaluated in this year’s competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of more than 160 professionals worldwide, acting as judges. Furthermore, Stevie Award placements in the 42 Employer of the Year categories were determined by a unique blending of the ratings of judging professionals and more than 178,000 votes of the general public.

Two Grand (“best of show”) trophy winners in the competition will be announced during the week of July 20. Winners will be celebrated at a ceremony on Wednesday, October 28 at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse Hotel in Paris, France. The ceremony will be live-streamed. Tickets are now on sale.

Top Award-Winning Organizations

Among the organizations with five or more Stevie wins are:

• 24 Wins: Turkiye Sigorta (Türkiye)
• 21 Wins: Bank of America (USA)
• 18 Wins: Tata Consultancy Services (Canada, India, and USA)
• 15 Wins: SunExpress Airlines, Türkiye
• 11-13 Wins: DHL Global Forwarding, Germany (12); IBM, Bulgaria and USA (11)
• 8-9 Wins: Saman Bank, Iran (9); Bank Indonesia, Indonesia (8); Fiba Group, Türkiye (8); GCash (Mynt, Inc.), Philippines (8); STM, Türkiye (8)
• 6-7 Wins: LTM Limited, India (7); Maya Philippines, Inc., Philippines (7); Cathay United Bank, Taiwan and Singapore (6); HALKBANK, Türkiye (6); Hayat Kimya, Türkiye (6); Limak Cement, Türkiye (6); PLDT and Smart, Philippines (6); QNB Turkiye, Türkiye (6); Turkcell, Türkiye (6)
• 5 Wins: Access Offshoring, Australia (5); Doğuş Holding, Türkiye (5); Garanti BBVA, Türkiye; (5); Koç University, Türkiye (5); Ooredoo, Algeria, Maldives, and Qatar (5); ROKETSAN, Türkiye (5);
  
  

  2026 Award Categories

  The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize achievement in many facets of the workplace. Category groups include:

• AI Achievement Categories (New for 2026)
• Curated Training Platform of the Year
• Employer of the Year
• HR Achievement, Individual, and Team Categories
• Solutions & Implementations, and Solution Provider Categories
• Training Programs or Media, and Thought Leadership Categories

As co-owner of Property Mastermind, one of Australia's leading property development education platforms, Hilary Saxton has built a career helping people navigate the often complex world of property investment and development. Through mentoring, education, podcasting, and business leadership, she has worked to make property development more accessible while encouraging others to pursue goals they may not have previously thought possible.

Saxton's path to business leadership was shaped by significant personal challenges. Raised on a farm in New Zealand as one of seven children, she experienced adversity early in life, including becoming a teenage mother and later surviving domestic violence. Those experiences became a catalyst for personal change and ultimately influenced her commitment to helping others build confidence and create new opportunities for themselves.

Before entering the property sector, Saxton established a successful career as a personal trainer and coach. After transforming her own health and losing more than 100 kilograms, she spent years helping clients overcome barriers and develop healthier lifestyles. That coaching background would later become a foundation for her work mentoring aspiring property developers and business owners.

Building Property Mastermind
Her interest in property began through renovation projects, eventually leading to more than 20 successful developments. Today, she serves as co-owner and business manager of Property Mastermind, where she helps oversee programs designed to guide members through the development process. Since 2023, more than 300 members have participated in the program, with approximately 90% successfully completing a development project.

In recent years, Saxton has expanded her business activities through Urban Ultra Development, a property investment company focused on residential, retirement, industrial, and NDIS housing projects. Current developments include a 99-home community alongside the Greg Norman Golf Course, reflecting a broader focus on creating both investment opportunities and community infrastructure.

Sharing Lessons Through Books and Podcasts
Beyond property development, Saxton has also developed a growing presence as an author and podcast host. In 2023, she published 3 Wines In, a book that draws on her personal experiences to encourage women to overcome self-doubt and pursue meaningful change.

The same year, she launched the Bounce Back Better podcast, which explores themes of resilience, personal growth, and entrepreneurship. The podcast complements the established Property Mastermind Podcast, which has attracted listeners interested in property development, investing, and business education.

Saxton is also a frequent speaker whose presentations often combine practical business lessons with personal stories about perseverance and reinvention. Across her various ventures, a common theme emerges: helping people move beyond perceived limitations and take action toward goals that may initially seem out of reach.

Hilary Saxton won two Silver Stevie Awards for Maverick of the Year and for Most Innovative Woman of the Year – Property Industry, and Bronze Stevie Awards for Book of the Year and for Most Innovative Business Podcast by or for Women in the 2025 Stevie® Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for 2026?

What began as a simple Facebook page connecting neighbors in Seymour, Texas, has grown into a valuable support organization. Through volunteerism, creative problem-solving, and a commitment to helping others, Seymour Helping Hands has transformed lives by addressing food insecurity, supporting families, assisting seniors, and creating a welcoming space where the community can come together.

In just a few years, the nonprofit has expanded from a small online initiative into a certified community organization that demonstrates how local leadership and dedicated volunteers can create meaningful change.

Restoring a Community Resource
One of Seymour Helping Hands' most significant accomplishments was transforming a severely damaged building into a thriving Community Center. Once plagued by a collapsed roof and extensive water damage, the building was renovated almost entirely through volunteer efforts.

Today, it operates as a Level 2 certified facility through the State of Texas, providing a safe, welcoming place where residents can access services, attend meetings, and connect with one another.

The center also serves as a gathering place for organizations including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other community groups, strengthening the organization's role as a hub for support, recovery, and connection.

Meeting Everyday Needs With Practical Solutions
Seymour Helping Hands focuses on helping families meet immediate needs while preserving dignity and independence.

Its Community Pantry has provided food, hygiene products, and household essentials to more than 700 families experiencing financial hardship. To expand that support, the organization launched its Bread Program in 2024, distributing more than 2,100 loaves of bread and bread products within its first six months.

The organization also operates the New2U program, which redistributes donated household goods, clothing, furniture, utensils, and appliances to local families at no cost. Since its expansion, the program has assisted more than 200 families, helping residents furnish homes and replace essential household items without additional financial strain.

Recognizing the needs of young families, Seymour Helping Hands also established a Parent Pantry that provides diapers, wipes, baby formula, and baby food to parents facing difficult circumstances.

Supporting Seniors and Strengthening Community Connections
Beyond providing material assistance, Seymour Helping Hands has introduced programs designed to improve safety and reduce social isolation. Its Senior Safety Program installs free emergency key lockboxes in seniors' homes, allowing first responders to gain rapid access during medical emergencies when doors may be locked.

The organization complements this initiative with Senior Socials, organizing outings such as theater matinees and holiday light tours that encourage friendship, reduce loneliness, and help older adults remain connected to their community. Additional partnerships, including work with the American Red Cross to distribute smoke alarms, further enhance home safety for residents.

Powered by Volunteers
Despite operating with a relatively small volunteer team of approximately 10 to 20 people—including young volunteers as young as seven years old—Seymour Helping Hands delivers an impressive range of services.

Volunteers contribute more than 2,000 hours each year supporting pantry distributions, renovation projects, outreach events, holiday celebrations, scholarship fundraising, and community programs.

The organization continues to expand its partnerships with schools, churches, and local organizations while developing new initiatives, including plans for an inclusive community park where people of all ages and abilities can gather and play.

Its continued growth demonstrates how a grassroots organization can create lasting community impact through collaboration, compassion, and a shared commitment to serving neighbors.

Seymour Helping Hands won a Silver Stevie® Award for Organization of the Year – Government or Non-Profit – 10 or Less Employees in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for the 2026 program? 

 Klimaschutz ist weiterhin eines der wichtigsten Themen unserer Zeit. Denn Waldbrände, Überschwemmungen, Hitzewellen und die dadurch bedingten Folgekosten wie etwa Ernteausfälle und Infrastrukturschäden werden sowohl die Wirtschaft als auch den Rest der Gesellschaft in Zukunft immer stärker belasten. Diese Unwägbarkeiten erschweren Investitionen und Planungen in die Zukunft. Daher ist es jetzt an der Zeit zu handeln: Eine Aufgabe, die alle angeht. Auch die Wirtschaft hat hier eine Verpflichtung zu handeln und den Klimawandel zu bekämpfen und dessen Folgen zu minimieren. 

Klimaschutz - Soziale Verantwortung

Lange Zeit galten Klimaschutz und Wirtschaftlichkeit als konträre Konzepte; doch wie die vielen durch die Stevie Awards in den letzten Jahren ausgezeichneten Projekte belegen, muss dies kein Automatismus sein. Viele unserer Preisträger haben bewiesen: Wirtschaftlichkeit und Nachhaltigkeit sind kein Widerspruch, sondern ergänzen sich an vielen Stellen. Die Notwendigkeit und der Wille, unser Klima zu schützen, stehen schon seit Jahren im Mittelpunkt der Bemühungen verantwortungsbewusster Unternehmen. Die verheerenden Wetterereignisse der jüngeren Vergangenheit, gerade bei uns in Europa - wie etwa gerade die ungewöhnlich lange und extreme Hitzewelle im Juni 2026 - haben ein noch größeres Gefühl der Dringlichkeit geweckt, die Ursachen und Auswirkungen des Klimawandels anzugehen.

Die Wirtschaftswelt trägt in Sachen Klimaschutz eine besondere Verantwortung, denn ihr Anteil an der Umweltbelastung ist erheblich. Wenn Unternehmen ihr eigenes Handeln und das ihrer Lieferanten verändern, hat das unmittelbar Einfluss auf die Umwelt und kann so einen wertvollen Beitrag zur Nachhaltigkeit leisten sowie als Vorbild für andere Akteure wirken. Zudem können Unternehmen die zunehmende Dringlichkeit des Themas zum Teil besser kommunizieren und so ins Bewusstsein der Gesellschaft rufen, als es rein staatlichen Organisationen möglich wäre. Aber nicht nur aus diesen Gründen haben sich eine Großzahl von Unternehmen das Ziel gesetzt, angesichts der fortschreitenden Klimakrise in absehbarer Zeit klimaneutral zu wirtschaften, sondern insbesondere um auch in einer sich rasant verändernden Welt weiterhin Gewinne erwirtschaften zu können.

Sowohl der Klimaschutz als auch die Anpassung an den Klimawandel haben tiefgreifende Strukturveränderungen zur Folge; daher müssen sich Unternehmen an verändernde Gegebenheiten wie etwa das sich wandelnde Klima und unberechenbare Wetterbedingungen anpassen. Dadurch werden bestimmte bisherige Produkte, Produktionsweisen, Märkte und Standorte infrage gestellt, während sich zugleich an anderer Stelle neue Geschäftsfelder auftun. Unter dem zunehmenden politischen Druck, das Klimaabkommen von Paris einzuhalten, wächst die Zahl der neuen Gesetze, Verordnungen und anderer regulativer Eingriffe - wie etwa dem Emissionshandel. Auch der Anspruch der Kunden ist gestiegen, denn sie erwarten von Unternehmen nicht nur volle Transparenz in Bezug auf Emissionen und Reduktionsziele, sondern beobachten auch genau, ob die tatsächlichen Bemühungen im Einklang mit den angestrebten Klimazielen stehen.

Aktives Handeln gegen den Klimawandel und seine Folgen ist gut für das Ökosystem Erde, für die Menschheit als Ganzes und für jedes Individuum in der Gesellschaft. Doch nicht nur das - es ist auch gut für Unternehmen: Wer nachhaltige Strategien entwickelt und seinen Klima-Impakt verringert, schafft sich Wettbewerbsvorteile gegenüber Mitbewerbern, die im Klimaschutz weniger aktiv sind – etwa durch neue Umsatzbringer, ein besseres Verständnis für Änderungen im Kundenverhalten, weniger Klimarisiken, niedrigere klimabezogene Kosten oder eine Kombination aus all diesen Faktoren. In jedem Fall werden Unternehmen und Organisationen, die sich heute den Herausforderungen des Klimawandels stellen, in der neuen, nachhaltigen Wirtschaft von morgen im Vorteil sein. Denn in dieser veränderten Welt wird klimaverantwortliches Handeln – oder Nicht-Handeln - die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit eines Unternehmens bestimmen. 

Die Klimaschutz-Awards

Um die Bemühungen verantwortungsbewusster Unternehmen anzuerkennen, haben die German Stevie Awards vor vier Jahren die Kategorien für Klimaschutz ins Leben gerufen. Mit diesen Kategorien würdigen wir die Leistungen von Einzelpersonen oder Organisationen, die sich besonders in nachhaltigem Handeln und Engagement im Bereich Umwelt- und Klimaschutz hervorgetan haben.

Im Folgenden erfahren Sie, welche Kategorien es zum Thema Klimaschutz bei den German Stevie Awards gibt:

Produkt- und Dienstleistungsinnovationen

• Produkte im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit & Klimaschutz
  Innovative Produkte, welche die Nachhaltigkeit verbessern, Emissionen verringern oder umweltfreundlicher sind als marktübliche Alternativen.
• Dienstleistungen im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit & Klimaschutz
  Dienstleistungen, welche die Nachhaltigkeit verbessern, Emissionen verringern oder umweltfreundlicher sind als marktübliche Alternativen.
• Nachhaltige Geschäftsmodelle
  Geschäftsmodelle, welche auf ein nachhaltiges Handeln abzielen, in dem sie beispielsweise den Energieverbrauch und die Emission von Treibhausgasen verringern.

Umweltfreundliche Technologien

• Wiederverwendung und Recycling
  In dieser Kategorie werden die Bemühungen Ihrer Organisation ausgezeichnet, die Nutzungsdauer von Komponenten zu verlängern, Teile zu reduzieren, die im Abfall landen und Produkte zu entwickeln, die die Demontage und Wiederverwendung vereinfachen.
• Schonen von Ressourcen
  Initiativen Ihrer Organisation, Ressourcen bei der Hardware- und Softwareentwicklung zu schonen, indem Produkte kompakter gefertigt und Technologien für Verbrauchsmaterialien kontinuierlich verbessert werden.
• Einsparen von Energie
  Initiativen Ihrer Organisation, die Energieeffizienz zu steigern und durch ein professionelles Energiemanagement Einsparmöglichkeiten optimal zu nutzen, um Ressourcen zu schonen und die Umwelt zu schützen.
• Green-Tech-Lösung des Jahres (Neu in 2026)
  In dieser Kategorie werden innovative Technologie- oder Produktlösungen ausgezeichnet, welche maßgeblich zur Reduzierung von Umweltbelastungen, zur Steigerung der Energie- oder Ressourceneffizienz oder zur Förderung nachhaltiger Prozesse beitragen.
• Climate Tech Start-up des Jahres (Neu in 2026)
  In dieser Kategorie werden junge Unternehmen ausgezeichnet, deren Geschäftsmodell oder technologische Innovation einen bedeutenden Beitrag zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels leistet, beispielsweise durch Lösungen zur Emissionsreduktion, zur Energiewende oder zur Förderung klimafreundlicher Technologien.

Weitere Kategorien

• Klimaschutz und Nachhaltigkeits-Kampagne des Jahres
  In dieser Kategorie werden Kampagnen oder Programme ausgezeichnet, welche sich dem Klimaschutz und der Nachhaltigkeit gewidmet haben.
• Klimaheld:in des Jahres
  In dieser Kategorie werden Einzelpersonen ausgezeichnet, deren Bemühungen seit dem 1. Januar 2024 zu einer Verbesserung der Nachhaltigkeitsinitiativen der Organisation, für die sie tätig sind, geführt haben.
• Aufbau nachhaltiger Lieferketten
  In dieser Kategorie wird der Aufbau von nachhaltigen Lieferketten gewürdigt.
• Initiative zur Klimaanpassung
  In dieser Kategorie werden Kampagnen gewürdigt, die sich mit einer nachhaltigen Anpassung an neue Klimabedingungen, befassen.
• Projekt des Jahres im Bereich Natur & biologische Vielfalt
  In dieser Kategorie werden Projekte und Kampagnen gewürdigt, die im Bereich Natur und biologische Vielfalt - wie Renaturierungsmaßnahmen, Förderung von Biodiversität, usw. - wichtige Beiträge leisten.
  

Haben Sie innerhalb Ihres Unternehmens Maßnahmen getroffen und Nachhaltigkeit in den Vordergrund gerückt? Haben Sie einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz geleistet?

Neugierig geworden? Alles Weitere rund um die Klimaschutz-Kategorien des deutschsprachigen europäischen Wirtschaftspreis erfahren Sie unter: https://gsa.stevieawards.com/Auszeichnungen/Kategorien/Klimaschutz-Nachhaltigkeit-Kategorien. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future consideration—it is already transforming the way organizations operate, compete, and innovate.

During the first Women|Future Webinar of 2026, "Future-Proofing Your Organization: Crafting an AI Strategy to Navigate Risks and Unlock New Opportunities," industry leaders explored how organizations can develop practical AI strategies, balance innovation with risk, and prepare their workforce for a rapidly evolving future.

The Women|Future Webinars are an annual series of free webinars hosted by the Stevie® Awards, designed for women small business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in starting a business.

The first webinar took place on June 17, 2026 and featured insights from past Stevie Award-winning women from leading global organizations. Speakers included:

• Ipsita Mohanty, Applied Science Manager at Amazon and Vice Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering

• Mariesa Coughanour, Head of the Growth Office and AI Workforce Transformation for Cognizant Consulting

• Jaya Eripilla, VP, Senior Technology Manager at Bank of America

• Casey Foss, Chief Growth Officer at Penta Group

The Cost of Standing Still
One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was that organizations face significant risks when they delay AI adoption. While concerns about security, governance, and compliance are valid, panelists emphasized that companies that fail to build AI capabilities today may quickly lose ground to competitors that are actively experimenting and learning.

As Casey Foss noted, organizations are already seeing a widening gap between employees who embrace AI tools and those who do not. Rather than focusing solely on the risks of AI, leaders should also consider the risks of inaction.

Start With Business Problems, Not Technology
The panel repeatedly stressed that successful AI strategies begin with business objectives rather than technology selection. Instead of asking, “What is our AI strategy?” organizations should ask, “How can AI help us achieve our business goals?”

Leaders were encouraged to identify high-impact business challenges, define measurable outcomes, and then determine whether AI is the best solution. Whether the goal is to improve customer experiences, increase operational efficiency, or accelerate decision-making, AI should serve as a strategic enabler rather than a standalone initiative.

Governance and Innovation Must Work Together
While organizations are eager to move quickly, panelists emphasized the importance of balancing innovation with responsible governance. Building clear policies, involving security teams early, and establishing guardrails can help organizations reduce risk while still empowering employees to experiment and innovate.

Mariesa Coughanour highlighted that employees are often already using AI tools independently. Rather than resisting this reality, organizations should create frameworks that support responsible experimentation, encourage collaboration between business and technology teams, and provide visibility into emerging use cases.

People Remain the Competitive Advantage
Although AI capabilities continue to advance rapidly, panelists agreed that uniquely human skills will become even more valuable in the future. Trust, judgment, empathy, leadership, and relationship-building remain difficult to replicate through technology. As organizations automate routine tasks, employees will increasingly focus on supervising systems, making complex decisions, and building meaningful connections with customers and colleagues.

Jaya Eripilla emphasized that organizations should view AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor. The goal is not to replace human expertise but to augment it—allowing employees to spend more time on higher-value work that requires creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

Creating a Culture of AI Adoption
The panelists also highlighted the importance of organizational culture in successful AI adoption. Companies that foster excitement, psychological safety, and learning opportunities are more likely to uncover innovative ideas across their workforce. Examples included AI innovation challenges, hackathons, gamification programs, and AI fluency initiatives designed to help employees build confidence and practical skills.

Rather than limiting AI exploration to a small group of specialists, organizations should encourage broad participation and provide employees with opportunities to contribute ideas and solutions.

Focus on Proof of Value
When beginning an AI journey, panelists recommended focusing on projects that demonstrate clear business value rather than small experiments that fail to generate meaningful impact.

Organizations should prioritize initiatives with measurable outcomes, whether through increased revenue, improved customer experiences, reduced operational costs, or greater employee productivity. Demonstrating tangible results helps build organizational momentum and encourages broader adoption.

One Final Piece of Advice
When asked for their most important recommendation for leaders looking to future-proof their organizations, the panelists delivered a consistent message: invest in your people.

Providing AI training, fostering a culture of experimentation, and preparing employees to work alongside AI technologies will be critical for long-term success. Organizations that empower their workforce while maintaining strong governance will be best positioned to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an AI-driven future.

As the discussion concluded, one message stood out above all others: AI is not a temporary trend. It is becoming a fundamental part of how work gets done, and organizations that combine technology, strategy, and human potential will be best equipped for what comes next.

Upcoming Women|Future Webinar Sessions

Join the next two webinars to discover practical strategies to build credibility through business awards, and get firsthand perspectives from women entrepreneurs who have successfully built and scaled their businesses. Register individually for each webinar you wish to attend:

Your Competitive Edge: How Earning Business Awards Boosts Recognition

The Founder Mindset: Overcoming Fear, Failure & Doubt to Build a Business

Einsendeschluss für die German Stevie® Awards 2026 bis zum 29. Juli verlängert

Die zwölfte Ausgabe des deutschsprachigen Wirtschaftspreises nimmt nun noch für einen weiteren Monat Nominierungen entgegen

Unternehmen und Organisationen, die ihre Nominierungen für die 12. German Stevie® Awards bislang noch nicht eingereicht haben, erhalten zusätzliche Zeit: Die Veranstalter haben die Bewerbungsphase verlängert und ermöglichen damit weiterhin die Teilnahme am renommierten Wirtschaftspreis. Eigentlich sollte die Einreichungsfrist bereits gestern enden. Aufgrund zahlreicher Anfragen und des großen Interesses an einer Verlängerung haben sich die Verantwortlichen jedoch dazu entschlossen, den Teilnehmenden entgegenzukommen. Der neue und zugleich finale Einsendeschluss ist nun der 29. Juli 2026. Bis zu diesem Termin können Bewerbungen in allen Kategorien eingereicht werden.

„Die hohe Resonanz auf die German Stevie® Awards freut uns außerordentlich. Bereits jetzt haben viele namhafte Unternehmen ihre innovativen und beeindruckenden Projekte zur Bewertung eingereicht“, sagt Maggie Miller, Präsidentin der Stevie® Awards. Die Fristverlängerung biete weiteren Organisationen die Chance, ihre Erfolge und Leistungen einzureichen und sich um eine der begehrten Stevie®-Award-Trophäen zu bewerben.

Die Bewertung der eingegangenen Nominierungen beginnt am 24. Juni 2026. Insgesamt werden fünf unabhängige Fachjurys die Einreichungen eingehend prüfen und bewerten. Unternehmen, die ihre Bewerbungen erst im Rahmen der verlängerten Frist einreichen, werden dabei selbstverständlich gleichberechtigt berücksichtigt und haben keinerlei Nachteile im Wettbewerbsverfahren.

Die German Stevie® Awards sind ein hochkarätiger Wirtschaftspreis für die deutschsprachige europäische Unternehmenswelt. Ausgezeichnet werden herausragende Leistungen in vielfältigen Kategorien - vom "Manager des Jahres" über die "Marketingkampagne des Jahres" bis hin zum "Produkt des Jahres" und vielen weiteren. Umfassende Informationen über die Awards und die Teilnahmeunterlagen erhalten Sie unter https://gsa.stevieawards.com/

Den Teilnehmenden steht eine Vielzahl an etablierten Kategorien mit zahlreichen
Unterkategorien zur Verfügung. Unter anderem:

• Awards Unternehmen/Institutionen
• Awards für Unternehmer
• Innovations-Awards
• Awards für Künstliche Intelligenz
• Marketing-Awards
• PR-Awards
• Human Resources-Awards
• Awards für Kundenservice
• Awards für neue Produkte und Dienstleistungen
• Podcast-Awards
• Video-Awards
• Thought Leadership-Awards
• und viele weitere
  
  

Neu in diesem Jahr:

Für die 12. German Stevie Awards 2026 gibt es auch einige neue Kategorien,
speziell für den Bereich der Künstlichen Intelligenz (KI).

Wieder dabei: People’s Choice Stevie Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen

Wer die Stevie Awards kennt, weiß, dass die Preistragenden mit einer Stevie Awards Trophäe in Gold oder einer Medaille in Silber oder Bronze ausgezeichnet werden. Auch in diesem Jahr wartet wieder eine weitere Auszeichnung auf die Teilnehmenden der German Stevie Awards: die People's Choice Stevie Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen. Alle Organisationen, die mit einem Gold, Silber oder Bronze Stevie Award der German Stevie Awards 2026 ausgezeichnet werden, haben die Möglichkeit zusätzlich mit dem People's Choice Stevie Award für die beliebtesten Unternehmen prämiert zu werden. Dazu findet von Ende August bis Ende September 2026 eine öffentliche Online-Abstimmung statt, bei der jeder für seinen Favoriten abstimmen kann. Das Unternehmen mit den meisten Stimmen in jeder Kategorie erhält als Auszeichnung eine wunderschöne Kristalltrophäe.

Asiacell Communications is a major provider of mobile telecommunications and digital services in Iraq, serving nearly 20 million customers across all 19 governorates. Since its founding in 1999, the company has consistently pioneered innovation in the country’s telecom sector. Today, its 4G network reaches the majority of Iraq’s population.

Over the past two years, Asiacell has strengthened its position as a digital leader through significant investments in artificial intelligence, cloud-native infrastructure, and customer experience. These efforts are helping transform not only the company’s operations but also the broader telecommunications landscape in Iraq.

AI-powered Customer Support Platform
One of Asiacell’s most notable achievements was the launch of LAILA, an AI-powered customer support platform. Introduced in 2024, the intelligent chatbot assists customers across mobile, web, and social media channels, handling thousands of inquiries each day. Building on that success, Asiacell introduced LAITH in 2025, an enterprise-grade AI assistant designed to support employees by streamlining access to information and standardizing workflows throughout the organization.

The company also completed a major modernization of its Business Support System (BSS), implementing a cloud-native, AI-enabled platform that now manages services for nearly 20 million customers. The upgrade was completed without service disruption, supported by one of Iraq’s most advanced telecom infrastructures, including 22 data centers, four of which are Tier III-certified by the Uptime Institute. Asiacell’s network currently includes more than 8,300 towers, with plans to add 1,000 more.

Beyond its commercial achievements, Asiacell continues to play an important role in Iraq’s development through initiatives supporting digital education, entrepreneurship, humanitarian relief, and youth development. Hundreds of corporate social responsibility programs have helped expand digital access and create opportunities for communities throughout the country.

Asiacell Communications PJSC won a Silver Stevie Award for Company of the Year - Information Technology - Telecommunications and two Bronze Stevie Awards for Technical Innovation of the Year - Artificial Intelligence and New Service of the Year - Artificial Intelligence in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

Interested in entering for 2026?