We invite business professionals, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and more from
around the world to apply to judge in the following 2023 Stevie® Awards programs: Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards, German Stevie® Awards.

Being selected or nominated to become a jury committee member is an honorable and
distinctive position. It not only reflects one’s expertise in a certain profession, but also reflects that this person has high ethical standards and is well-recognized and trusted within their business community. Qualified applicants will be placed on judging committees for Marketing, Entrepreneurship, New Products, Technology, Thought Leadership, and much more.

Each year, more than 1,000 professionals participate in Stevie Awards judging. The average scores from judges determine the winners in each Stevie Awards category. As this is a critical component of the Stevie Awards competitions, we take great care to maintain the integrity of the judging process. The judging team ensures that jury members are experts and professionals in their industry and conducts regular monitoring and auditing of the entire process. The judging team is available to guide new judges, and hosts meetings to explain proper judging protocols.

Benefits for Stevie Awards Judges
As a judge, you will learn how other organizations and individuals are achieving success and confronting challenges. Below are the exclusive benefits of being a judge at the Stevie Awards:

• Recognition - During the judging process, jury members are recognized on the Stevie
  Awards website, Stevie Awards blog, and receive a hardcopy and PDF judge certificate suitable for framing.
  
• Profile - Qualifying as a judge is an honor and a privilege. The mention of serving in this role can be added to your professional profile.
  
• Self-Development & Awareness - Judges learn about strategies, tactics, and best practices of others in the industry as their review entries, giving them a unique opportunity to spot new market trends as they happen.
• Award Ceremony - All jury members are welcome to attend the award ceremony, which takes place at the end of each competition. Enjoy a spectacular night socializing and networking with award winners and other judges.
• Invitations to Judge Future Competitions

Before You Apply to Judge
Judging positions are open for the following Stevie Awards competitions. Those interested in serving as a judge should follow the below links for more information on each respective competition:

• The Middle-East & North Africa Stevie Awards
• The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards
• The German Stevie Awards

Prospective judges should make sure their LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and that it reflects your most current experience and demonstrates a competitive edge.

Judging  Criteria
Individual criteria differ by category, but the emphasis is on the overall quality of the entry: the merits of the claims to innovation, integrity, effectiveness, creativity, growth, etc. claimed in the entry, relative to the judges' experience and their knowledge of the participant's industry, as well as the quality of the entry's content itself.

Judges tend to value well-written entries that: (1) are heavy in facts, figures, and concrete outcomes; (2) come close to the word-limit for their categories (i.e. that aren't perceived as being too short); and (3) are supported by attachments, such as a links to a corporate website, press clippings, work samples, etc.

We recommend that prospective judges request an entry kit to the competition for which you want to judge, so that you can familiarize yourself with the criteria and submission requirements.

Gold Stevie-winning nominations are linked on the Stevie Awards website. This is a good tool for prospective judges to learn what a top-rated Stevie nomination looks like.

Judging Process
All entries are first reviewed by Stevie Awards staff to ensure that eligibility requirements are met, that entries are formatted properly in order to go forward to be judged, and that entries have been submitted in appropriate categories.

All judges receive written instructions about how to score entries. Judges are asked to score the achievements portrayed in each entry based on: (a) their own experience; and (b) their understanding of how organizations and individuals in the nominee's industry performed in the eligibility timeframe, given the condition of the economy in general and the nominee's industry in particular. 

For entries in creative media categories, judges are asked to read the brief submitted about the entry’s communications objectives, and to review and score the submitted media (web site, video, live event, etc.) based on their originality, creativity, production values, and how well they believe the media meet the stated communications objectives.

All judging is done online, within a two-to-three-month window. Judging for the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, and the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards is open now.

 

Premier awards competition for sales and service professionals accepting nominations from organizations around the globe.

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, has announced that ValueSelling Associates will sponsor the 2023 (17^th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service for the 16th consecutive year.

ValueSelling Associates are again sponsoring the Sales Individual Categories, which include Woman of the Year in Sales, Senior Sales Executive of the Year, Virtual and Pre-Sales Professional of the Year, Sales Representative of the Year, and Sales Training or Education Professional of the Year, among others. ValueSelling has been a sponsor of the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service since 2008.

Entry kits and complete details on the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are available at StevieAwards.com/Sales. The final entry deadline for the 2023 competition is January 11.

Eligible nominees for this competition include departments, teams, and professionals from around the world who work in customer service, contact centers, business development, and sales. New products and services and solution providers used by those professionals are also eligible. The 2023 awards will recognize achievements since July 1, 2020. Explore the full list of categories.

ValueSelling Associates is the creator of the ValueSelling Framework®, the sales methodology, training and toolset that aligns your revenue engine with a common language to enable sales professionals to compete on value, not price, and saves time in all selling scenarios. Since 1991, ValueSelling Associates has helped thousands of sales professionals realize immediate revenue growth and achieve results they never thought possible. They offer bespoke training to FORTUNE 1000, mid-sized, and start-up companies to drive sales results.

Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller commented, “ValueSelling has sponsored the competition almost since its inception, and the program has grown tremendously over the years with their support. We are thrilled to work with ValueSelling once again to put a spotlight on the amazing sales professionals and organizations around the world. The Stevie Awards depends on engaged leaders like ValueSelling who understand the value of workplace recognition.”

President and Chief Executive Officer of ValueSelling Associates, Julie Thomas, said, “The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service is an excellent platform for recognizing the accomplishments of our customers and business partners. We look forward to celebrating those sales professionals who found ways to connect, secure new business, and propel their companies forward in this tough selling environment.”

Finalists will be announced January 24, and the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be revealed during an awards banquet on March 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

View full details for the 17th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service at StevieAwards.com/Sales.

About ValueSelling Associates
ValueSelling Associates, a leading global sales training company, offers a practical methodology for selling on value, not price. The ValueSelling Framework® is a proven formula that simplifies the complex B2B sale, and the Vortex Prospecting™ program provides a repeatable process that increases connections and conversions to the revenue pipeline. Once trained on the ValueSelling method, organizations grow revenue and increase productivity. Since 1991, thousands of professionals around the world have chosen ValueSelling Associates for customized training, reinforcement, and coaching to drive sales results. Learn more at ValueSelling Associates, Inc.

Entries in this special Ethics in Sales Award category are welcome through January 25

Nominations for the 2023 (17^th annual) Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, considered the world’s top honors for customer service, business development, and sales professionals, will be accepted through January 11 at StevieAwards.com/Sales.

For the fourth year in a row, Sales Partnerships, a leading provider of outsourced sales solutions, will sponsor the Sales Partnerships Ethics in Sales Award in the competition. The award will recognize outstanding examples of ethical sales practices since the beginning of July 2020. The entry deadline for this special category, for which there are no entry fees, is January 25.

Complete details and the nomination form for the Sales Partnerships Ethics in Sales Award can be found at https://stevieawards.com/sales/nominate-2023-sales-partnerships-ethics-sales-award.

Fred Kessler, Sales Partnerships founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Recognizing excellence in sales has never been more important than today. These awards judge the best of the best ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. It is the highest recognition in the field of selling for both performance as well as systems and support of world-class selling organizations. We take pride in sponsoring the Ethics in Sales Award. Recognizing the best of the best who sell ethically and are responsible to their communities aligns with Sales Partnerships' guiding principles. We find the organizations that are the most productive tend to also have a focus on doing the job ethically—spotlighting this helps the industry as a whole."

Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller said that she looks forward to having the longtime Stevie Awards sponsor present this award again. “We are thrilled that Sales Partnership wants to recognize those who not only succeed in sales at their organization, but who do so with integrity and through ethical practices. The judges are eager to read through these Ethics in Sales nominations.”

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service recognize achievement in business development, customer service, and sales worldwide.  Eligible nominees include departments, teams, and individual professionals. New products and services and solution providers used by those professionals are also eligible. The 2023 awards will recognize achievements since July 1, 2020. Explore the full list of categories.

View full details for the 17th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service at StevieAwards.com/Sales.




About Sales Partnerships      
Sales Partnerships, Inc. is a contract sales organization founded in 1997 with the mission to combine best practices in sales recruitment, training, management, quality assurance and selling technologies into a complete services platform that consistently delivers exceptional results for our clients. The firm has been recognized and awarded multiple times as the best sales outsourcing firm in North America, for innovation in the fields of applied sales technology, best service offerings, one of the best places to work, and for the individual accomplishments of its sales professionals and key leadership team members. Learn more at SalesPartnerships.com.

Stevie-winner Meg Languages uses technology to transform language programs in schools, creating culturally aware, multilingual global citizens for an increasingly globalized and interconnected world.

Australia-based Meg Languages offers live, interactive language programs in Mandarin and Spanish to over 50,000 school students all over the world weekly. By live-broadcasting native language teachers directly into the classroom, Meg Languages helps nurture language proficiency while immersing students in a new culture.

Second-Language Learning in Australia
In an increasingly interconnected world, students need to become culturally aware. Global citizenship is more important than ever, and yet the study of languages in schools is increasingly under threat. In fact, Australia has seen a steady decline in foreign language proficiency over the last 60 years.

About 40% of Australian students studied a language in the 1960s; now it’s closer to 10%. One of the key reasons for this is a serious shortage of local language teachers. For schools, it’s become increasingly challenging to introduce a sustainable language program. 

Meg Languages Learning Model
Recognizing that learning should not be restricted to the four walls of the classroom, Meg Languages tries to simplify the initiation and maintenance of a foreign language school program. Their language programs are purpose-built for state curriculums and involve live, interactive virtual lessons with native language teachers streamed directly into the classroom. Not only does this solve the teacher shortage issue, but it also serves to deliver a more equitable education experience, with those in disadvantaged school districts gaining access to tier-one language programs.

With an enthusiastic and highly skilled team of 90 native language teachers based in Columbia and Beijing, this learning model creates a fully immersive and authentic language experience, which plugs the student into the context of the language. Students get to regularly speak to a native speaker on the ground in Latin America or China, which is the next closest thing to being there. Students get real-world insight into what life is like in that part of the world by connecting with someone who lives and breathes that language and culture every single day. Students can enjoy the Beijing cityscape out of their teacher’s window or join their teacher for a virtual meal in a Bogota restaurant, which increases student excitement and curiosity, and engagement and motivation by extension.

Meg Languages is driven by its purpose to create a more interconnected, peaceful, and empathetic global community. This can only occur with cultural education, an accommodating outlook, and respect for the shared human experience. Language study can be powerful, especially when grounded in cultural context. Meg Languages rigorously pursues this purpose through its mission of creating global citizens via language and intercultural experiences.

Additional Support Services
Complementary to its Mandarin and Spanish language programs, Meg Languages’ Going Global offering supports schools to become globally competent through a variety of initiatives such as festivals, language competitions and virtual excursions. A core part of Meg Languages’ ethos is to recognize that learning is more effective when meaningful communities are created and engaged with purpose. By facilitating cross-border and inter-school connections, they are building strong communities of global citizens.

Meg Languages’ achievements in the past two years include:

• Largest provider of online Mandarin language programs
• Expanded offerings to Spanish language programs
• Continued expansion across Australia, New Zealand, USA and UK
  
• Partnered with school networks to expand teaching services 
• 50,000 students now taught weekly 
• 20% growth achieved in the last 12 months

Looking Ahead
Developing global citizens has never been more important, and schools across the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly looking for ways to use technology to expand the classroom beyond physical limits.

Since winning their Gold Stevie Award, the team at Meg Languages has continued to innovate their World Language programs and provide access to languages for a growing number of schools that have typically struggled to employ language teachers.

Meg Languages has spent the last 12 months developing a program of Virtual Excursions that will take students on live journeys through the Forbidden City in Beijing as well as other exotic places throughout the world. These activities are designed specifically to provide context to students about why learning a language and learning about culture are important.

Meg Languages won a Gold Stevie Award for Excellence in Innovation in Business Product & Service Industries - Up to 100 Employees in the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards?

Stevie-winner Home Credit Philippines is digitizing as many human resource tasks as possible to better support employees professionally and personally.

Home Credit Philippines is part of Home Credit Group, which focuses on responsible lending primarily to people with little or no credit history.  Home Credit endeavors to promote the principles of financial inclusion and safe lending, providing world-class financing services to customers, who are often first-time borrowers.

So far, their 77.4 thousand employees have served 56.5 million customers through their vast distribution network comprising 195,379 points of sale, loan offices, branches, and post offices.

In the years since Home Credit Philippines began operations in October 2013, they have modernized their human resources (HR) practices and platforms to adapt to the evolving financial and social environments. The Covid pandemic, in particular, prompted rapid digitization of many services and sectors worldwide, which Home Credit Philippines fully embraced.

Home Credit Philippines leaders seek to consistently support the creative thinking of their more than 12,000 employees. An effective leadership style, they assert, should magnify the strengths and potential of their team members, making their weaknesses insignificant. They believe there are no small roles, and that everyone’s contribution is important. Leading a large, diverse group of people means there is no one size fits all. However, one thing common to all is the need to be appreciated.

Enabling Human Connection
The COVID pandemic underscored the importance of reliable communication systems and software. In 2022, they deployed an internal HR chatbot to provide 24/7 service to employees, which can connect employees with HR even if there is no intranet access. They hope that HR will no longer be just a department but a culture that will be embedded in each employee. You don’t need to be an HR department to be a human resource, according to Home Credit Philippines.

Nurturing employees’ talent and development requires thorough understanding of their skillsets, functions, and background. Home Credit Philippines believes that data is power; gathering and deciphering actionable insights from that data can transform people systems.

Their team uses a tool called Power BI, an analytics platform powered by Microsoft. Power BI is a collection of software services, apps, and connectors that work together to turn users’ unrelated sources of data into coherent, visually immersive, and interactive insights. 

Home Credit Philippines also uses the CliftonStrengths assessment for personal and team development. The CliftonStrengths assessment is a performance-based tool that builds self-awareness and strength. It helps individuals discover their top five strengths and can help organizations improve company culture and performance. The underlying philosophy of this assessment design is that all individuals can be more engaged and successful when we are able to use our strengths to achieve personal and professional goals. 

Where They Are Now
As Home Credit Philippines looks for new opportunities to strengthen its HR support for existing and future employees, the company continues to trust in the latest technology to further improve operations.

Since implementing the above and other digitization efforts, Home Credit Philippines has increased its Talent Acquisition rate from 56% to 89%. They also reduced the average time to fill positions across all levels by an average of 44%.

Improvements have also been made within Operations. Through its automated employee verification tool, HR document control center, SharePoint Automation, JIRA Deployment, and PIP automation, Home Credit Philippines reduced its transaction rate by 26%, having all important materials and documents readily available to employees. They also improved their received rate by 9%, increased service level attainment by 24%, and decreased total processing time by 22%.

Home Credit Philippines won a Gold Stevie Award for the Innovative Use of Technology in Human Resources - Financial Services Industries in the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards?

 

Die fünfte jährliche Women|Future Conference brachte Hunderte ehrgeiziger, zukunftsorientierter Frauen aus verschiedenen Branchen und Stufen der Karriereleiter zusammen, um Kontakte zu knüpfen und über wichtige Themen zu diskutieren, die sich auf ihre Branche, ihre Karriere und ihr Leben auswirken.

Auf dem Programm standen mehr als 25 Diskussionsrunden und Breakout-Sessions, die von mehr als 80 weiblichen CEOs, Gründerinnen, Kleinunternehmerinnen, Vordenkerinnen, Coaches und Führungskräften aus Unternehmen wie Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile und anderen veranstaltet wurden.

Die Teilnehmerinnen gewannen wichtige Erkenntnisse für ihr berufliches und privates Leben in Vorträgen zu Themen wie Unternehmertum, Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz, psychische Gesundheit, Überwindung des Impostersyndroms, Denken wie ein Investor, Best Practices für soziale Medien und vieles mehr.

Das #WomenFuture22 Programm war in sieben Bereiche unterteilt: Vielfalt, Gleichberechtigung und Inklusion, Unternehmertum, Zukunft der Arbeit, Führungsrolle, Marketing, persönliche Entwicklung und Technologie.

Die Eröffnungs-Keynote
Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion bei HUGO BOSS, war die Hauptrednerin der Eröffnungsrede 2022. HUGO BOSS ist eines der führenden Unternehmen im Premiumsegment des globalen Bekleidungsmarktes und beschäftigt 13.800 Mitarbeiter aus 112 Nationen. Als Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion entwickelt Rashmi kreative Methoden, um das Engagement des Teams zu steigern und gleichzeitig eine integrative Kultur im gesamten Unternehmen weltweit zu fördern.

In der Tradition früherer Stevie®-Award-Gewinner, die als Hauptredner der Konferenz auftraten, ist HUGO BOSS mehrfacher Stevie®-Gewinner bei den Stevie® Awards for Great Employers für COVID Response und HR Achievement in 2019 und 2020.

In ihrer Women|Future Conference Keynote, "Dream Big & Chase It", erzählte Rashmi, wie sie diese Herausforderungen in Beruf und Leben gemeistert hat, einschließlich des Umgangs mit kulturellen Unterschieden und Erfahrungen, und wie sie sich auf dem Weg dorthin Möglichkeiten und Träume erarbeitet hat.

Rashmis Leben und ihre Karriere haben sich über mehrere Kontinente erstreckt. Sie wuchs in Indien in einer durchschnittlichen Familie auf und schaffte es dennoch, sich in der Technologiebranche hervorzutun. Sie begann ihre Karriere bei General Electric (GE), wo sie mehrere hochkarätige Strategieprojekte in verschiedenen GE-Unternehmen leitete und vorantrieb. Vor kurzem hat sie ihr eigenes Unternehmen "YogaDaan" gegründet, eine gemeinnützige Organisation, die Yoga-Kurse anbietet, um Geld für eine Schule für benachteiligte und behinderte Kinder in Indien zu sammeln.

Rashmi nahm die Teilnehmerinnen mit auf ihre Reise und erklärte, wie sie jede Herausforderung meisterte, die sie dorthin brachte, wo sie heute steht.

Meistbesuchte Sitzungen der Woche
Während der dreitägigen Konferenz hörten die Teilnehmerinnen der Women|Future Conference Vorträge zu den Themen Business Networking, Work-Life-Balance, Vermögensaufbau, Überwindung von Widrigkeiten, Mentoring und mehr.

Nachfolgend die meistbesuchten Konferenz-Sessions der #WomenFuture22:

• Building Your Community of Mentors (Aufbau einer Mentoren-Community)
• Find Your Voice: Insider Secrets from Seasoned Speakers (Finden Sie Ihre Stimme: Insider-Geheimnisse von erfahrenen Rednern)
• Dream Big & Chase It! (Träumen Sie groß und verfolgen Sie ihn!)
• Think Like An Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve (Denken Sie wie ein Investor: Wie Sie die Finanzierung erhalten, die Sie verdienen)
• Resilient Leadership in a Changing Business Landscape (Resiliente Führung in einer sich verändernden Geschäftslandschaft)
• The Ever-Changing World of Social Media (Die sich ständig verändernde Welt der sozialen Medien)

Am Dienstag, den 8. November, erzählten die Referentinnen in der Eröffnungssitzung "Building Your Community of Mentors" ihre Geschichten und teilten Weisheiten darüber, wie man einen Mentor findet, welche Arten von Mentoren es gibt, wie man eine Mentorengemeinschaft aufbaut und wie man das Beste aus einer Mentorenbeziehung herausholt - sei es als Mentor oder als Mentee.

Brenda Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer von MENTOR (New York, USA), stellte fest, dass "eine von drei Personen in diesem Land ohne einen Mentor aufwächst". Sie sagte, dass wir uns für diese jüngeren Frauen einsetzen müssen, dass es aber auch in der Verantwortung der jungen Berufstätigen liegt, sich Mentoren zu suchen und die Beziehung zu pflegen.

Brenda räumte ein, dass es einen kulturellen Aspekt gibt, wenn man um Hilfe bittet, und dass manche das Gefühl haben, Schwäche zu zeigen, wenn sie einen Mentor suchen, worauf sie erwiderte: "Wenn man um einen Mentor bittet, bittet man um eine zusätzliche Superkraft zu den Superkräften, die man bereits hat". Diese Superkraft hängt jedoch von der Einstellung und Offenheit des Mentees ab. Die Beziehung zwischen Mentor und Mentee muss auf Vertrauen und Integrität auf beiden Seiten beruhen, wenn die Frauen hoffen, dass ihr Mentor die Extrameile für sie geht:

"Damit jemand sein soziales Kapital aktiviert, muss er nicht nur schätzen, wer Sie sind, sondern auch darauf vertrauen, dass Sie ein guter Verwalter der Beziehung sind, die er in Ihrem Namen aktiviert, also müssen Sie authentisch sein - Sie müssen sich darüber im Klaren sein, worauf Sie zusteuern, und Sie müssen mit Würde, Integrität und Authentizität auftreten."

Whitney Knight, MBA, Direktorin für Markenpersönlichkeit bei Hilton, erzählte von einer anderen Art von Mentorbeziehung, die sie mit ihrer engen Freundin und Geschäftspartnerin aufgebaut hat. "Ich habe eine Mentorin, die mir als Vertrauensperson dient. Wir waren über ein Jahrzehnt lang befreundet, bevor wir sagten, dass wir gerne mehr Gespräche über unsere Karrieren führen würden. Wir haben angefangen, uns jeden Monat Zeit zu nehmen, um darüber zu sprechen, was du diesen Monat machst, welche Herausforderungen du hast und wie ich dir vielleicht helfen kann."

Brenda wiederholte: "Das Wundermittel ist die Beziehung, und die ist immer komplex, weil Beziehungen selbst Zeit und Entwicklung brauchen". Unabhängig von der Art der Mentorenbeziehung ermutigte sie die Teilnehmerinnen, über ihre Bedürfnisse nachzudenken und ihr authentisches Selbst in die Netzwerk- und Mentorenbeziehungen einzubringen.

In einer weiteren beliebten Podiumsdiskussion am Mittwoch erörterten die Rednerinnen "Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business". Das Gespräch drehte sich um Storytelling im Zusammenhang mit dem Wertversprechen eines Unternehmens sowie mit der persönlichen Geschichte und Marke.
Die Forschung zeigt, dass sich das Gehirn von Menschen, die sich im Erzählmodus befinden, in einem anderen Bereich befindet, in dem sie Informationen mit größerer Wahrscheinlichkeit aufnehmen und behalten. "Wenn Sie Ihre eigene Geschichte haben und sich diese zu eigen machen, schenken Ihnen die Menschen Aufmerksamkeit... Es gibt eine Möglichkeit, in einem Raum mit unterschiedlichen Menschen und Überzeugungen durch das Erzählen von Geschichten Gemeinsamkeiten zu schaffen", so Star Bobatoon, Business Storytelling Coach und Gründer von Own Your Stage Training.

Ciara Ungar, Gründerin und Geschäftsführerin von The Why Group Inc. und Ciara Ungar Coaching & Consulting, erklärte, dass Unternehmen und Einzelpersonen oft einen Schritt zurücktreten und sich auf ihren eigentlichen Zweck besinnen müssen. "Die Menschen können spüren, wie authentisch man ist. Man tritt immer auf... Wenn Sie dieses erste 'Warum' nicht verstehen, wird es schwer sein, diese Authentizität zu vermitteln und eine echte Verbindung aufzubauen."

Star erklärte, dass wir unsere Denkgewohnheiten anpassen müssen, um aus unserem authentischen Selbst zu schöpfen:

"Weil wir uns selbst so oft klein machen und in den Hintergrund treten, fühlen wir uns nicht wohl dabei, wunderbare Dinge über uns zu teilen, und das beginnt sich, in uns zu normalisieren... Die Art und Weise, wie wir unser Leben leben, ist das Ergebnis der Geschichten, die wir über uns selbst glauben... es gibt die Geschichte, die wir in unserem Kopf ständig wiederholen, und diese Geschichte lenkt unsere Arbeit", sagte sie.


Pitch-Wettbewerb für von Frauen geführte Unternehmen
Der dritte jährliche Pitch-Wettbewerb für von Frauen geführte Unternehmen auf der Women|Future-Konferenz bot fünf Unternehmen eine Plattform für den Wettbewerb um die Chance auf eine Finanzierung. Zu den Finalisteinnen des Pitch-Wettbewerbs gehörten Equability, Good Mood Treats, The Village App, Tiny Fish Co., and XpertPatient, LLC.

Bei diesem Live-Wettbewerb im Stil von "Die Höhle der Löwen" am 9. November verfolgten eine Jury und die Teilnehmerinnen, wie jede Finalistin eine dreiminütige Präsentation abgab und anschließend Fragen der Jury zu ihrem Geschäftsmodell, ihrem Zielmarkt und ihrer Geschäftsstrategie beantwortete.

Die Jury entschied sich schließlich zu Gunsten von
Equability, einem Online-Kleidungsanpassungsdienst für Menschen mit Behinderungen. Equability wurde 2020 ins Leben gerufen, nachdem Untersuchungen ergeben hatten, dass der Mangel an anpassungsfähiger Kleidung ein Hindernis für die soziale und berufliche Teilhabe darstellt. Equability bietet Menschen die Möglichkeit, Kleidung bequem an ihren Stil und Lebensstil anzupassen.

Gründerin und CEO Hilary Pham gewann einen Geldpreis in Höhe von 5.500 US-Dollar, der von den Stevie Awards und Autumn Consulting, LLC finanziert wurde, sowie eine Zertifizierung von Certify My Company (Wert: 4.800 US-Dollar).

On-Demand-Zugang zu den Konferenzsitzungen 2022
Haben Sie die diesjährige Konferenz verpasst? Sie können sich registrieren, um die Aufzeichnung von über 25 Panels, Workshops und unserer Eröffnungs-Keynote für nur 39 $ anzusehen.

On-Demand-Teilnehmer haben bis November 2023 Zugriff auf die virtuelle Plattform der Women|Future Conference 2022. Die Plattform umfasst drei Tage mit Sitzungen und Listen der Redner, Teilnehmer und Sponsoren, die an der #WomenFuture22 teilgenommen haben.

Besonderer Dank gilt unseren Sponsoren und Partnern aus dem Jahr 2022
Wir sind stolz darauf, mit den folgenden Publikationen, Medien und Organisationen zusammenzuarbeiten, die unser Ziel der Unterstützung von Frauen in der Wirtschaft teilen.

Wenn Sie an Sponsoring-Möglichkeiten für die Women|Future Conference 2023 interessiert sind, melden Sie sich hier an, um über die Veröffentlichung des Prospekts 2023 informiert zu werden.

 

Stevie-winner OfficePartners360 (OP360) is a specialized outsourcing company focused on providing custom back office and customer service solutions for small to medium-sized businesses and Fortune 500 companies.

US-owned and managed, OP360 was founded in 2006 by entrepreneurs with strong experience in technology, HR, IT, and finance. Today, they are a full-service, fast-growing solutions provider with thousands of global employees and clients ranging from mid-sized corporations toFortune 500 firms.

Because the owners have been clients of offshore and outsourced services, they understand first-hand the benefits of outsourcing. For clients who require personnel, OP360 ensures the outsourced team not only performs but also operates as an extension of the client’s existing teams with the same shared values, training, and culture. In addition, OP360 operates out of premium facilities in tier-two cities thereby reducing client costs.

Principles in Action
OP360 leaders are committed to building and maintaining a transformative, high-performing culture. They hope to do this through effective communication, genuinely caring about their team (and the communities where they live and work), ensuring rapid career development for strong performers, and providing well-above-average compensation. Their methods seem to work, as they consistently have an exceptionally high management retention rate.

When the pandemic thrust the world into a state of disarray, leaders in the Philippines office responded by tapping into OP360’s core values of compassion and cooperation, as well as its ability to stay agile and adaptable to changing circumstances in order to guarantee employee health and well-being. 

By March 2020, 99% of staff were successfully pivoted to remote work. Computers and portable WiFi kits were sent home with employees, and those who did not have a suitable home office were housed in hotels from where they could work. A corporate telecommuting package was also offered for staff to have wired internet at home. Remote IT support was available 24/7, and when needed, IT staff were deployed to homes to swap out or repair damaged assets. A resiliency hub was also maintained to cater to employees who, due to emergencies, were unable to continue working remotely. 

When onsite work resumed, staff were shuttled to and from the offices to limit exposure to the commuting public. Free meals were provided to limit the need to leave the offices during breaks. A stringent office sanitation and disinfection schedule was maintained; more staff were certified in first aid and safety; and additional clinic nurses were hired to ensure safety. A mental health program was also launched to support employees’ mental well-being. Employees who tested positive for Covid-19 were given paid time off and received a care kit.

As soon as vaccines were available in 2021, OP360 rolled-out its vaccination campaign, “Together & for Each Other.” Joining a public-private venture, OP360 offered free vaccination to employees and their dependents. Within 3 months, 78% of staff were fully inoculated through the company’s efforts, exceeding the Philippines’ then-national average. The company also extended its care externally by distributing face masks and vitamins to 5 beneficiary-schools of its philanthropic arm, OP360 Cares. 

While the situation exacerbated vulnerabilities, OP360 never stopped operating with the health and safety of its community in mind.

OfficePartners360 won a Silver Stevie Award for Most Valuable Corporate Response to COVID-19 in the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Interested in entering the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards?

Die Welt der Sozialen Medien befindet sich im steten Wandel und wächst schneller als jede andere Medientechnologie. Die vielfältigen und weit verbreiteten Nutzungsoptionen prägen unsere digitale Gesellschaft und beeinflussen neben der Consumer-to-Consumer-Kommunikation vor allem auch die Business-to-Comsumer-Kommunikation: Unternehmen interagieren und kommunizieren immer häufiger über Social Media Kanäle mit der Unternehmensumwelt. Präsenz und Aussteuerung der passenden Inhalte kann die Reichweite von Organisationen vergrößern und somit mehr potenzielle Kund:innen ansprechen.

Soziale Medien - Chance und Herausforderung

Die Konkurrenz in den Sozialen Medien wächst und wächst und der Wettbewerb um die Aufmerksamkeit der Öffentlichkeit läuft auch Hochtouren. Um potenzielle Kund:innen auf sich aufmerksam machen, braucht es klare nachhaltige Strategien, die den geposteten Inhalt aus der Masse herausstechen lassen. Auf die Wünsche und Bedürfnisse der Zielgruppe einzugehen und dabei auf die richtigen Formate – Bild, Text, Video oder Audio - zu setzen, die richtigen Kanäle zu wählen und neue Trends rechtzeitig aufzuspüren, ist keine leichte Aufgabe. Es gilt, Emotionen zu wecken, mit aktuellen und qualitativ hochwertigen gut recherchierten Informationen präsent und aktiv zu sein und so originellen Content zu produzieren. Gelingt dies, bieten die sozialen Medien Unternehmen und Organisationen eine großartige Möglichkeit, eine Community mit Kund:innen und Interessenten aufzubauen, die Reichweite zu erhöhen und die eigene Markenbekanntheit zu steigern. Um die Mühe und Kreativität, die hinter der Arbeit an Social Media Seiten, Community Management und dem Aufbereiten von Kampagnen steckt zu würdigen, sind die im vergangenen Jahr eingeführten Social Media Kategorien für die German Stevie® Awards 2023 zurück und wurden um TikTok erweitert.

 

Prämiert werden die besten Social Media Kanäle

Facebook, Twitter, TikTok oder doch ein Business Blog? Soziale Medien sind vielfältig und jede Plattform hat ihre unterschiedlichen Anwendungen und Nutzer. In diesen Kategorien möchten wir die Bemühungen rund um die verschiedensten Kanäle von Unternehmen würdigen und exzellente Social Media Auftritte von Organisationen auszeichnen.

Diese Kategorien umfassen: 

• Innovativste Facebook Unternehmensseite
• Innovativste Instagram Unternehmensseite
  
• Innovativster TikTok Unternehmenskanal
• Innovativster Twitter Unternehmenskanal
• Innovativster Unternehmens-Blog
• Innovativster Unternehmens-Podcast
• Innovativster YouTube Unternehmenskanal

Am Zahn der Zeit: der Unternehmenspodcast

Podcasts sind so beliebt wie nie zuvor und sind mobile Wissensbegleiter im Alltag geworden. Da man sie immer und überall einschalten kann bieten sie Unternehmen und Organisationen die Möglichkeit, ihre Sichtbarkeit zu erhöhen. Podcasts bieten einen Weg, mit Zielgruppen in Kontakt zu treten und als Corporate Podcast potenzielle Neukundinnen und Neukunden mit kostenfreien Informationen zu den angebotenen Dienstleistungen zu versorgen. Unternehmer:innen können sich im Podcast bei der Wissensvermittlung als Expert:innen positionieren und Vertrauen in die eigene Marke schaffen.
Den Podcast eines Unternehmens zu hören, kann - wie eine Fernsehserie - zu einem Hobby werden. Und so wie Fernsehserien Fans haben, ist das auch bei Podcasts der Fall. Und Fans empfehlen gerne weiter – sofern der Podcast spannende Inhalte vermittelt. Hörer:innen des Podcasts werden Botschafter:innen des Unternehmens und sorgen für eine höhere Bekanntheit der eigenen Marke.

Ein Podcast ist ein langfristiges Projekt, durch das Kundenbeziehungen besonderer Art aufgebaut werden können und eine spannende Zielgruppe erreicht werden kann. Haben auch Sie einen Unternehmens- oder Unternehmerpodcast, mit dem Sie überzeugen? Nominieren Sie sich jetzt in der Kategorie für den besten Unternhemenspodcast.

Im Rahmen der International Business Awards 2022 wurde das Internationales Amtssitz- und Konferenzzentrum (IAKW) Wien für ihren Podcast "Verstehe!", einem Wissenschaftstalk zu aktuellen Themen wie der Pandemie, Lebensmittelunverträglichkeiten und dem Klimawandel, mit einem Bronze Stevie in der Podcast-Kategorie ausgezeichnet. 

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Die besten Social Media Expert:innen

Doch nicht nur die Social Media Auftritte von Unternehmen sind in diesen neuen Kategorien gefragt. Haben Sie als Einzelperson mit einem interessanten Business-Thema eine reichweitenstarke Community aufgebaut und begeistern diese nachhaltig? Die Kategorien für Social Media Expert:innen  würdigen die Leistungen kreativer Köpfe aus den Bereichen Social Media:

• Beste:r Business Blogger:in des Jahres
• Beste:r Business Influencer:in des Jahres
  
• Social Media Mangager:in des Jahres

Social Media Management - Allrounder am Zahn der Zeit 

Entwicklung von Strategien, Steuerung und Entwicklung von Projekten und der Aufbau von Communities - Social Media Manager sind heute im Bereich der Unternhemenskommunikation viel gefragte Fachkräfte. Neben Softskills wie Sozialkompompetenz und Einfühlungsvermögen ist vor allem eine hohe technische Affinität und analytisches Denkvermögen für Feed-Analysen und das erstellen von Reichweitenanalysen gefragt.
Social Media stellt eine große Herausforderung dar: vom jonglieren mit Tabs, dem Erstellen und Posten von Inhalten, der Interaktion mit dem Publikum und der Verwaltung aller Accounts, muss ein Social Media Manager gleichzeitig immer den richtigen Riecher für digitale Trends und die richtige Wortwahl haben.

Haben Sie Social Media in der letzten Zeit für ein Unternehmen, eine öffentliche Einrichtung oder Institution optimal genutzt, Trends sofort erkannt, ein Image aufgebaut, Reichweite gesteigert und Fans gewonnen? Dann sind Sie in diesen Kategorien genau richtig!

Neugierig geworden? Alles Weitere rund um die Social Media Kategorien des deutschsprachigen europäischen Wirtschaftspreis erfahren Sie hier. 

 

The fifth annual Women|Future Conference brought together hundreds of ambitious, forward-thinking women across industries and career stages to connect and discuss key issues that impact their industries, careers, and lives.

The agenda featured more than 25 discussion panels and breakout sessions hosted by 80+ women CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, coaches, and executives from organizations such as Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile, and others.

Attendees gained powerful insights to help them in their professional and personal lives through sessions ranging from entrepreneurship to workplace diversity, mental health, overcoming imposter syndrome, how to think like an investor, social media best practices, and more.

The #WomenFuture22 agenda was divided into seven tracks: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Future of Work, Leadership, Marketing, Personal Development, and Technology.

The Opening Keynote
Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGO BOSS, was the 2022 Opening Keynote Speaker. HUGO BOSS is one of the leading companies in the premium segment of the global apparel market, employing 13,800 individuals representing 112 nationalities. As the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Rashmi develops creative methods to increase team engagement while establishing an inclusive culture across the company globally.

Keeping with our tradition of past Stevie® Award winners keynoting the conference, HUGOBOSS is a multiple-time Stevie winner in the Stevie® Awards for Great Employers for COVID Response and HR Achievement in 2019 and 2020.

In her Women|Future Conference Keynote, "Dream Big & Chase It," Rashmi shared how she navigated these work and life challenges, including managing cultural differences and experiences, and ways to carve out possibilities and dreams along the way.

Rashmi’s life and career have spanned continents. She grew up in India in a conventional family yet managed to excel in the tech industry. She started her career working for General Electric (GE) where she led and drove multiple high-profile strategy projects within various GE businesses. She also launched her own business recently called YogaDaan, a charitable organization that offers yoga classes to raise money for a school for the underprivileged and differently abled children in India.

Rashmi walked attendees through this journey, explaining how she navigated through each challenge that brought her to where she is today.

Top Attended Sessions From the Week​
Throughout the three-day conference, Women|Future Conference attendees heard sessions about business networking, work-life balance, wealth attraction, overcoming adversity, mentorship, and more.

Below were the top conference sessions at #WomenFuture22:

• Building Your Community of Mentors
• Find Your Voice: Insider Secrets from Seasoned Speakers
• Dream Big & Chase It!
• Think Like An Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve
• Resilient Leadership in a Changing Business Landscape
• The Ever-Changing World of Social Media

On Tuesday, November 8, in the opening session “Building Your Community of Mentors,” speakers shared  their stories and wisdom on how to find a mentor, types of mentors, creating a community of mentorship, and getting the most from a mentor relationship—whether as the mentor or mentee.

Brenda Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer of MENTOR (New York, NY), noted that “one in three individuals in this country grow up without a mentor.” She said we need to step up for those younger women, but the onus is also on young professionals to seek out mentors and maintain the relationship.

Brenda acknowledged that there is a cultural aspect around asking for help, and some may feel like they are seeking a mentor out of weakness, to which she asserted: “When you're asking for a mentor, you're asking for an additional superpower to the superpowers you already have.” This superpower, though, is contingent on the mentee’s attitude and openness. The mentor relationship must be built on trust and integrity on both sides if women hope to have their mentor go the extra mile for them:

“For someone to activate their social capital, they have to value not only who you are but trust that you're going to be a good steward of that relationship that they're activating on your behalf, so you have to be authentic–you have to be very clear on what you're moving toward and you have to show up with dignity, integrity, and authenticity.”

Director of Brand Personality at Hilton, Whitney Knight, MBA, shared another type of mentor relationship she initiated with her close friend and fellow business woman. “I have a mentor who serves as my accountability partner. We were friends for over a decade before we said we'd like to have more conversations about our careers. We started having dedicated time together each month to focus on what are you doing this month, what are the challenges you’re having and maybe I can help.”

Brenda reiterated: “The magic sauce is the relationship, and that's always complex because relationships themselves take time and evolution.” No matter the type of mentor relationship, she encouraged attendees to reflect on their needs and bring their authentic selves to networking and mentorship relationships.

In another popular panel session on Wednesday, speakers discussed “Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business.” The conversation centered around storytelling as it relates to a company value proposition as well as individuals’ personal story and brand.
Research shows that, when people are in storytelling mode, their brains are in a different space where they are more likely to receive and remember information. “When you have your own story and when you own that, people pay attention….There is a way to create commonality in a room of diverse people and beliefs through that storytelling,” noted Star Bobatoon, Business Storytelling Coach and Founder of Own Your Stage Training.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Why Group Inc., and Ciara Ungar Coaching & Consulting, Ciara Ungar shared that businesses and individuals often need to take a step back and really reflect on their core purpose. “People can feel how authentic you’re being. You’re always performing….If you’re not understanding that first ‘why,’ then it will be hard to deliver that authenticity and form a true connection.”

Star explained that we need to adjust our thought habits to draw from our authentic self:

“Because we are so often making ourselves small and taking the back seat, we are not comfortable sharing the wonderful things about us, and that starts to become normalized within us….The way we live our lives is a result of the stories we believe about ourselves…there is the story that we are repeating inside our minds all the time and that story is directing our work,” she said.

Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition
The third annual Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition at the Women|Future Conference provided a platform for five women-owned businesses to compete for a chance to win funding. Pitch Competition finalists included Equability, Good Mood Treats, The Village App, Tiny Fish Co., and XpertPatient, LLC.

During this live, “Shark Tank”-style competition on November 9, a panel of judges and attendees watched each finalist present a three-minute pitch and then answer questions from the judges about their business model, target market, and operations strategy

Judges ultimately determined that Equability was the winner, an online clothing modification service for individuals with disabilities. It was launched in 2020 after their research had identified lack of adaptive clothing as a barrier to social and professional participation. Equability gives people the ability to conveniently modify clothes to suit their style and lifestyle.

Founder and CEO, Hilary Pham, won a $5,500 cash prize funded by the Stevie Awards and Autumn Consulting, LLC, as well as a certification from Certify My Company (a $4,800 value).

Access the 2022 Conference Sessions On-Demand
Did you miss this year’s conference? You can register to watch the replays of over 25 panels, workshops, including our opening keynote for just $39.

On-demand attendees will have access to the 2022 virtual Women|Future Conference platform through November 2023. The platform includes three days of sessions and lists of speakers, attendees, and sponsors that participated in #WomenFuture22.

Special Thanks to Our 2022 Sponsors and Partners​
We are proud to partner with the following publications, media outlets, and organizations that share our mission in supporting women in business.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the 2023 Women|Future Conference, sign up here to get notified of the 2023 prospectus release.

 

The region’s only awards to recognize innovation in all its forms through the workplace in 18 Countries is now Accepting Entries through January 17.

By popular demand, the Stevie Awards have announced a general entry deadline extension for Middle East & North Africa Stevie ® Awards sponsored by RAK Chamber, UAE. Entries will now be accepted through January 17. (The original final deadline was November 9.) Details are available at http://MENA.StevieAwards.com.

The Middle East Stevie & North Africa Awards are the region’s only awards to recognize innovation in all its forms through the workplace. The awards are open to all organizations in 18 nations in the MENA region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran (newly eligible for 2023), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE & Yemen.

All individuals & organizations may submit any number of nominations to any number of the categories.

There are no entry fees in this awards program. Organizations may submit as many nominations as they would like, without cost. Instead, Gold, Silver, & Bronze Stevie Award winners will pay a “winners fee” for each successful nomination.

Winners of the Gold, Silver, & Bronze Stevie Awards in the competition will be announced on Jan 25, 2023, & celebrated during a gala event in RAK, UAE on March 18.

The 2023 competition features new categories. The Thought Leadership categories will recognize innovation in thought leadership strategy, development, & executive. Innovative Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility & Innovative Achievement in Diversity & Inclusion have been added to the Achievement categories.

Nominations citing innovative achievements will be accepted & judged in both Arabic & English in more than 100 categories across the following category groups:

• Apps & Websites
• Achievements
• Annual Reports & Other Publications
• Company/Organization
• Corporate Communications & Public Relations
• COVID-19 Response
• Customer Service
• Human Resources
• Live & Virtual Events
• Management
• Marketing
• New Products & Services
• Social Media
• Technology
• Videos
• Thought Leadership

Winners of the 2022 edition of the awards included Bahrain Tender Board, DHL Worldwide Express LLC, Emirates Health Services, Eon Dental Jordan, Hilton Supply Management Cairo, HOPE Consortium Abu Dhabi, Inkript Beirut, Omantel, Ooredoo Algeria & Qatar, VakifBank Turkey & Zakat Customs Authority Saudi Arabia and many more.

The 2023 competition will be judged by more than 150 professionals around the world.

 

Interested in submitting nominations before the January 17 final deadline?