Women in Capital Markets

WCM Awards

Applications open September 23rd, 2019

Be recognized as a senior leader. Set an example. Share your successes.

WCM’s Awards recognize the exemplary leadership and contributions of individuals and firms in the Canadian capital markets, who share an inspiring vision for the future: a future of equality. Equal wages, equal opportunity, equal treatment, and respect for both men and women. This is a future that can harness the full potential of our talent pool - a future of better ideas, stronger teams, improved businesses and new levels of prosperity.

WCM’s Award recipients are working hard to accelerate the progress of gender diversity in the Canadian capital markets. They are making committed efforts to advance women, to close the gaps, to break down barriers of advancement, and to create a culture of diversity and inclusion in which everyone can thrive. They are revolutionizing their institutions to build the foundation for a better future. They are blazing a path forward with innovation, creativity, and courage.

These individuals are leading by example because they know that succeeding in WCM’s mission, and effectively driving positive change in our industry, requires a concerted effort from everyone. They have and continue to inspire to work towards making gender inequality a thing of the past.

There are four award categories (but not all categories are open each year):

WCM Award for Transformational Leadership – Male and Female
WCM Rising Star Award
WCM Award for Excellence in Innovation
WCM Outstanding Volunteer Award

* Full description of each award category is below.

2019 Awards Categories:

WCM Rising Star Award (5)
WCM Outstanding Volunteer Award (2)

APPLICATION DETAILS

Applications for the 2019 WCM Rising Star Award and WCM Outstanding Volunteer Award will open in September 2019.

KEY DATES

September 2019: Applications open

Late October 2019: Applications close

Late November: WCM Transformational Leaders Award Reception

AWARDS CATEGORIES & CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

+ × WCM Rising Star Award (Open in 2019)
Recognizes five (5) high-performing female professionals who have demonstrated professional excellence, and who are on the path to becoming future leaders. They are strong advocates for gender diversity and inclusion in their workplace and have undertaken efforts to improve gender diversity and inclusion by educating their peers, engaging men as allies, and/or actively supporting the advancement of other women.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION - Nominees are judged based on:
1. Performance: How has the nominee excelled in her career to date? Has her performance surpassed expectations for her role?
2. Leadership: Has the nominee demonstrated strong and moral leadership and people skills? Does she display a commitment to transparency, accountability and measurability? Does she motivate and inspire others? Does she set a strong example to other women?
3. Impact: How has the nominee contributed to improving gender diversity in her team, department or firm? How has she helped to advance other women and encourage men to be allies? Has she contributed to creating a culture of diversity, inclusion, transparency and accountability?
4. Ambition: Does the nominee have clear, strong career ambitions to rise into leadership?
Note: WCM Board Members are not eligible for this award.
+ × WCM Outstanding Volunteer Award (Open in 2019)
Awarded up to two volunteers who have surpassed the typical expectations of a WCM volunteer. The volunteer has demonstrated impressive leadership, initiative and a strong work ethic, and sets an exceptional example to other volunteers. Their commitment to improving gender diversity and inclusion and to championing WCM’s mission is evident, and they have contributed significantly to increasing WCM’s reach and impact, building strong relationships, delivering relevant programming, and generally furthering our mission to accelerate the progress of diversity and inclusion in capital markets.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION - Nominees are judged based on:
1. Leadership & Initiative: How has the nominee taken on a leadership role with a WCM Steering Committee, surpassed the typical expectations of a volunteer, and led by example?
2. Impact: How has the volunteer made a significant impact in their time with WCM? How have their efforts resulted in increasing the reach and impact of WCM projects and initiatives? How have they contributed to advancing WCM’s mission? (have their efforts increased membership, WCM’s profile, important strategic relationships, impactful programming, etc)
Note: WCM Board Members are not eligible for this award. No reference letter is required for this award.
+ × WCM Award for Excellence in Innovation (Not open in 2019)
Awarded to up to two people, groups, departments or firms that have taken bold steps to improve diversity and inclusion through a new and innovative approach. Regardless of whether the initiative yielded the desired results, these recipients have attempted to approach diversity & inclusion from an innovative angle, with a comprehensive and thoughtful strategy that is results-driven and with measurability and accountability as key components.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION - Nominees are judged based on:
1. Leadership & Initiative: How has the nominee/body taken a significant leadership role in improving gender diversity within their group, department or firm and role-modeled outstanding leadership to others? How has the nominee/body led by example, set the tone around gender diversity and inclusion to their peers?
2. Innovation: How has the nominee/body taken a new approach to gender diversity and found new ways to innovate and affect change?
3. Intention and Outcome: How did the nominee/body develop a thought-out strategy with clear goals, tactics and measurable outcomes? How did the approach display transparency, accountability and measurability?
Note: WCM Board Members are not eligible for this award.
+ × WCM Award for Transformational Leadership – Male and Female (Not open in 2019)
Recognizes two notable senior leaders, one male and one female, who are using their influence to improve gender diversity and inclusion at their firm and drive organizational and cultural change. These leaders have surpassed the typical expectations of contributing to diversity*. They have taken a creative approach and have demonstrated exceptional leadership and results-driven success within their team, group, or organization. They have made significant, impactful, and measurable contributions to improving gender diversity and advancing women. They have cultivated awareness of gender diversity amongst their peers, and/or influenced their workplaces by inspiring their team members and management to actively contribute to building a culture of increased diversity and inclusion, to adopt a more inclusive approach and management style, to make clear commitments to improving D&I and to increasing transparency, accountability, and measurability.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION - Nominees are judged based on:
1. Leadership & Initiative: How has the nominee exceeded what was expected of them* and delivered a significant contribution and role-modeled outstanding leadership to others? How has the nominee led by example, set the tone around gender diversity and inclusion, and motivated peer groups and colleagues to contribute to building a culture of increased diversity and inclusion?
2. Impact: How has the nominee’s efforts affected significant change and improved gender diversity in their team, department or firm? How did they shift culture and management to become more inclusive and aware of gender diversity and inclusion?
3. Innovation: How has the nominee taken a new approach to gender diversity and found new ways to innovate and affect change?
4. Intention and Outcome: How did the nominee develop a thought-out strategy with clear goals, tactics and measurable outcomes?
*The nominee has demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion beyond sponsorship, mentorship and participation in internal women’s groups.

Note: WCM Board Members are not eligible for this award.