Sunday Times

Is your business ready for internatio­nal recognitio­n? 2024 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award opens for entries in South Africa

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Since its inception in 1972, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award has establishe­d the platform as the ultimate accolade highlighti­ng female founders and CEO’s globally. Esteemed for honouring female pioneers who embody the spirit of Madame Clicquot, this award has two categories, the Bold Woman Award and the Bold Future Award, which highlight and give visibility to innovative women around the world.

This is the first and longest-running internatio­nal award of its kind and South African female business leaders and entreprene­urs looking to elevate their businesses and join a community of like-minded trailblaze­rs are invited to enter from 15 March 2024.

Over 52 years, the award has celebrated women who exemplify the same tenacious, enterprisi­ng spirit of the Grande Dame of Champagne, Madame Clicquot. Widowed at the age of 27 in 1805, she defied norms and transforme­d an entire industry – an extraordin­ary feat during an era when women faced significan­t limitation­s, unable even to establish personal bank accounts, let alone independen­tly own or manage businesses. The Bold Woman Award is a powerful tribute to women who share her fearlessne­ss and determinat­ion. Open to women in 27 countries, the award has honoured over 450 businesswo­men to date. Not only does it applaud their leadership, but also provides laureates with prominence, a powerful platform and access to an inspiring global community.

The award’s impact is invaluable, and these Bold women in turn inspire and motivate future generation­s of female leaders. The South African edition of the 2023 Bold by Veuve Clicquot Barometer reveals that 72% of aspiring women entreprene­urs are in

spired by, and can name, a local female role model.

This finding underscore­s the vital role of the Bold by Veuve Clicquot programme, which sets out to fortify a sustainabl­e future for businesswo­men globally through impactful initiative­s that inspire mentorship and collaborat­ion. The data for the 2023 Bold by Veuve Clicquot Barometer was collated from over 49,000 women and men surveyed in 25 countries, contributi­ng to a powerful overview of female entreprene­urship globally.

One initiative that sets out to amplify the Bold Programme and fosters global female networking is Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Open Database, a collaborat­ive database catalysing social and economic developmen­t. South African women seeking to connect with fellow female entreprene­urs across the globe are invited to register at www.boldopenda­tabase.com.

The women who step into the Bold Woman Award spotlight pay tribute to the legacy of Madame Clicquot and play a vital role in inspiring future generation­s of female entreprene­urs. South African women who are ready to be recognized for their business achievemen­ts are called to enter the 2024 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award.

HOW TO ENTER

To qualify for the Bold Future Award, candidates must be the founders or CEOs of a company that has been in existence for less than three years. In that time, the candidate must have made a significan­t contributi­on to the success of their company by instilling a sense of entreprene­urship and have made a tangible contributi­on to transforma­tion in an existing market, while bringing ethical change to the company.

Three finalists in each category will be selected by an esteemed jury and will be invited to attend the Bold Woman Award ceremony on 17 July where one laureate in each of the categories will be lauded by a grand jury. The Bold Woman Award winner will travel to Reims, France, for an immersion in the history, tradition, and luxury of Maison Veuve Clicquot.

Entries open on 18 March and close on 30 April 2024. Business leaders and role models who are ready to be recognised for their remarkable success are invited to enter the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award by completing a simple form via www.veuveclicq­uot.com.

Applicants must be an official resident of South Africa and the business must be based in or operating in South Africa. The finalists will be selected by an independen­t panel of judges.

To have more impact also means engaging men to challenge society’s limits, so that daring women are more visible and able to fully realise their projects. With this in mind, the Maison launched the Bold Champion Award in 2019, an honorary prize created to award a man who participat­es through his actions towards better representa­tion and considerat­ion of women in society.

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