Skyral, the software development company, has advanced its support for women’s health and wellbeing with the launch of menopause and endometriosis accommodations. These measures ensure that affected employees feel supported, while managers are equipped to approach conversations with empathy and confidence.

The firm has also enhanced parental leave, offering six months’ full pay for new mothers and four weeks for new fathers, and aligned neonatal bereavement leave with broader family policies to provide compassionate support during difficult times. To strengthen allyship, Skyral introduced the Moments that Matter training module, helping male colleagues and managers better support women through key life events.

A female-led team of Mental Health First Aiders has expanded the focus on mental health and neurodiversity, launching initiatives such as a company-wide Step Challenge and upcoming Fireside Chats. Meanwhile, the Skyral Women’s Network continues to host regular events, building community and connection.

These steps reflect the firm’s belief that wellbeing provisions should be standard for all, not exceptional – supporting employees through life’s challenges with dignity and care.

Experian remains dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace where employees can thrive both professionally and personally. Its dedication to gender diversity and family-friendly policies is most evident in comprehensive parental leave benefits: 26 weeks of full pay for maternity and adoption leave, 12 weeks for secondary caregivers, and eight weeks for shared parental leave. This commitment is reflected in strong retention, with 94% of employees returning from maternity leave in FY24 remaining with the business a year later.

To ease the transition back to work, Experian offers a Return to Work Mentoring Programme and a Buddy Scheme, providing guidance, career support and peer connections. The Working Families Employee Resource Group further promotes work/life balance through events such as this year’s inaugural Working Families Week. Additional support includes fertility benefits, neonatal gifts through a partnership with From Babies With Love, flexible hybrid working, and tailored HR and manager guidance.

These well-thought-out initiatives demonstrate Experian’s belief that supporting families is fundamental to an inclusive, thriving culture.

At the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), empowering women in technology is a central priority. The organisation focuses on nurturing talent, embedding learning into everyday work, and providing the resources women need to thrive in a fast-paced sector. Every employee receives two dedicated days each month for upskilling, ensuring their skills remain current and confidence strong. Inclusive role profiles and role-specific training plans give clarity on expectations and progression pathways, forming the basis for meaningful development conversations between managers and female talent.

A key enabler is Skillsbase, a platform that creates personalised, data-driven development pathways. By mapping skills and identifying gaps, IPO delivers tailored training aligned with both personal aspirations and organisational needs. The platform supports managers in championing internal mobility, helping more women achieve promotions, certifications and career milestones.

To accelerate progress, IPO runs AccelerateHER, a nine-month programme offering technical bootcamps, cloud certifications, leadership coaching and peer support. A mentorship initiative further pairs junior women with senior role models, fostering learning and confidence. Complementing this, IPO proudly partners with Code First Girls, bringing new talent into tech while providing existing employees with high-quality training.

A transparent, inclusive and future-ready environment looks assured: empowering women to grow, lead and shape the future of technology at the IPO.

Women ConnecTech at Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) is trying to be more than a network: its creators want to drive a movement. The team leverage inclusive programming, strategic partnerships and a strong sense of community, empowering women to thrive in tech and driving meaningful cultural change across the organisation.

Impactful initiatives include Coach to Code, which hosted 250 learners and 91 coaches participating, a programme introducing women and non-binary colleagues to Python and JavaScript/HTML/CSS in a safe, mentor-led environment. Coding bootcamps, technical talks and CV or interview workshops provide hands-on learning and career development support.

The network’s mission is to make LBG the best place to work for women in tech and data. Its 2025 objectives focused on deepening technical capabilities, increasing recruitment and retention, supporting career progression, fostering belonging, and enhancing external visibility.

Under visionary guidance, NatWest has focused on talent development and inclusion. Through mentoring, structured learning initiatives, and global capability-building programmes, teams have been empowered to take ownership of reliability and innovation, fostering both professional growth and technical excellence.

This mentorship exemplifies a commitment to innovation, diversity, and sustainable impact—driving measurable improvements in performance, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. It reflects the organisation’s broader vision to build resilient systems, empowered teams, and enduring value for stakeholders.

La Fosse Academy exists to reshape the future of technology by tackling two of the industry’s most pressing issues: the gender and diversity gap, and the shortage of commercial tech skills. The mission is simple: unlock potential by providing free, high-quality training to people from all backgrounds, creating a diverse talent pipeline that reflects society.

In 2024, 53% of the Academy’s 74 associates were women, rising to 54% once placed in roles with leading UK employers. This significantly outperforms the global industry average of 28% and highlights the Academy’s success in both attracting and supporting women into tech careers. The curriculum prioritises practical, commercially relevant skills over specific tools, giving associates adaptability in fast-changing environments. This approach is particularly effective for career changers and returners: 55% of the 2024 cohort were switching careers, with many women re-entering the workforce after breaks.

Beyond training, wraparound support such as mentoring, coaching and peer networks helps women thrive long term. A standout example is Leah Thomas, who transitioned into a Data Business Analyst role, contributed to her company’s Women in Tech Committee, and spoke at major industry events.

With over 546 associates trained to date, La Fosse Academy is not only delivering impact at scale but also proving that diverse talent, when given opportunity, can squeeze the gender gap and redefine the tech landscape.

With a female founder and majority female team, recruitment specialist CloudCo Solutions lives by its core value of providing ‘opportunities for all’. This commitment is reflected in its results: 63% of placements in 2021/22 were female, rising to 75% in 2022/23. Despite tougher market conditions in 2023/24, CloudCo maintained 65%, followed by 66% in FY24/25, with coaching and mentoring provided throughout the recruitment journey. Alongside experienced hires, the team also supports younger talent by connecting female students to clients for apprenticeships, T Level placements and early-career roles.

CloudCo leans into a relationship-led approach, challenging clients to improve attraction and retention strategies, while collaborating with charities, community groups and industry partners. As a founding member of the North West Tech Talent Consortium, CloudCo has worked with organisations such as Microsoft, Siemens, Barclays, and PwC on initiatives like See Me, Be Me, Teacher Insight Days and Workplace Safaris. The firm also invests in grassroots change, running coding clubs for children in the UK and Kenya.

Jessica Dobie, Senior Consultant at Forsyth Barnes, has an influence reaching far beyond recruitment. A 2024 finalist in the Outstanding Advocate for Women in Tech category, Jessica has helped place more than 41 women in senior roles across global eTail and tech businesses this year alone. Each placement demonstrates that inclusive hiring is possible when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is championed at every level.

Jessica also co-founded The Table in 2024, a movement designed to empower, educate, and support women in leadership. Under her guidance, it has become a thriving global community, hosting events in the UK, New York, and online, with panellists from EasyJet, Nokia, Experian, and Skyscanner. Adrian Sladdin, Co-Founder of the Ethical Gambling Forum, where she appeared on the organisation’s conference, praised her impact: “She leads these events with aplomb and confidence, and I believe her to be at the very top of her game currently.”

Her leadership extends into thought leadership and advocacy, from speaking at industry conferences to fundraising for Girls Who Code. At Forsyth Barnes, her influence is equally profound. Founder Scott Parsons said: “Jess has been instrumental in driving our DEI strategy forward… her consistency, courage, and clarity all play a big part in why we named her 2024’s Employee of the Year.”

Jessica’s consistency, courage, and commitment to equity make her a driving force for change and a thoroughly deserving nominee.

For the last two years, Raj Nathwani has been a finalist for Best In-House Recruiter – and finally 2025 sees him take the award. As Talent Acquisition Team Leader at Six Degrees, Raj has consistently delivered exceptional results since joining in March 2021. He’s not only a high performer but a true ambassador for the firm’s brand and values, a key member of our People Team and a consistent driver of inclusive hiring practices.

Raj has acutely understood that closing the gender pay gap requires more than just hiring but career progression as well. He actively identifies internal talent, helping employees – especially women – move into higher-paying roles. Thanks to his efforts, 30% to 40% of job roles are filled internally each quarter, many through his direct engagement and encouragement. This has been instrumental in helping Six Degrees halve its gender pay gap over the past two years.

Externally, Raj is equally committed to building diverse talent pipelines. He continuously expands our reach into new and under-represented communities. He is an active partner with the London Borough of Redbridge and New City College running job-readiness days for young women preparing them to enter the world of work, and getting them excited about a career in tech.

Raj also guarantees that every shortlist includes at least one woman. Over the past 12 months, his small team has placed over 100 individuals across the business – a quarter of them women (impressive for the world of tech)  – including in technical and leadership roles across product, systems, IT  and engineering.

Historically, the supply chain sector has been male-dominated, but DHL Supply Chain is working to change that narrative with measurable impact. In 2023, the business rebranded its IT Management Graduate Programme as ‘Digital & Technology’, aligning language with candidate aspirations and expanding its outreach. The results were striking: applications rose by 53%, assessment centres welcomed 10 female candidates, and offers were made to six women and five men. Over the past 18 months, women have accounted for 50% of graduate hires and 53% of apprentices – well above the 29.4% national average for women in STEM. Retention is also on the rise, with graduate rates increasing by 15% and apprentices by 11% year-on-year, while 95% of all early careers talent were rated “develop at the same level” or above in performance evaluations.

DHL Supply Chain, part of the globally recognised DHL Group, is one of the world’s leading logistics providers, employing more than 150,000 people worldwide. The division is committed to embedding diversity and inclusion as a strategic driver of innovation and performance. Its unbiased recruitment policy, proactive outreach to schools, universities, and female influencers, and initiatives such as female-only Discovery Days ensure that opportunities in technology and STEM are made accessible to everyone.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has been leading change in one of the most male-dominated industries: Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT). Today, women make up 35% of the DDaT profession in DBT – 11.2% higher than the Civil Service average. At senior levels, progress is even clearer: three out of five senior leaders and eight of 18 heads of profession are women. DBT is on track to achieve a 50/50 gender balance by the end of 2025.

This success is the result of bold, practical interventions designed to break down barriers and make careers in tech more accessible. Every job advert is run through a gender-decoder tool, while essential criteria are deliberately minimised to encourage more women to apply. Interview questions are piloted in advance to help career returners, often women, who may face additional challenges after time away from the workforce. All roles are advertised as part-time as well as full-time, with several female career returners now successfully onboarded.

DBT’s recruitment processes are backed by culture change. Gender-balanced interview panels are mandatory, managers are trained to spot bias, and wider attraction strategies have brought DBT’s women into the spotlight – through events such as Women in Technology Scotland, targeted advertising, and testimonials shared on LinkedIn showcasing female talent across the department.

Crucially, DBT’s Places for Growth agenda, with 1,320 staff based outside London, ensures women across the UK can access opportunities. These initiatives reflect DBT’s determination not just to attract women into tech, but to ensure they thrive as future leaders.

Ziana is a passionate advocate for women in technology whose unwavering commitment to gender diversity is creating opportunities for future generations. An England international netball player, she was awarded the British Empire Medal for Services to Netball and to Diversity in the King’s New Year Honours list and named an HRH Coronation Champion for extraordinary community volunteering.

Ziana is the Accenture STEMAspire Mentor Programme Lead, inspiring young women to pursue careers in technology through mentoring, workshops and talks. She also supports Girls Who Code and has featured widely in media, including podcasts, articles, and videos for Accenture, where she shares her journey into tech and encourages others to follow. A compelling public speaker, she delivered the keynote at the AWS 500 Celebration Event 2024 at the Etihad Stadium, championing alternative routes into cloud technology.

Her influence extends across schools, universities, and industry panels, where she speaks on technology and equality, diversity and inclusion, offering insights and practical solutions. On LinkedIn, she is a powerful voice, sharing thought-provoking content that sparks dialogue and inspires young professionals to seek guidance.

Within Accenture, Ziana has made a tangible impact. As South Asian Network Lead, she grew membership by 135%, creating a safe space for women, and was recognised as a Status Quo Challenger for driving positive change.

She has co-authored Aisha’s Netball, a children’s book encouraging early conversations about inclusion, and continues to use every platform available to amplify underrepresented voices and inspire change.

Allyship is crucial to dismantle gender barriers and amplify women’s voices. For the past six years Kevin has managed the community he founded, the Reed Women in Technology Community. While Kevin has made this an integral part of his work life, transitioning from a role leading Reed’s Technology Senior Appointments business to a role that focuses on the running of this network, but also uses his personal time to coordinate the activities of the community. He has been able to support 3,000-plus women globally to achieve their personal and professional goals, including breaking into the tech sector, securing new roles and promotions and even starting their own businesses.

A mentoring programme has created 1,600-plus mentoring relationships, webinars and online workshops have developed attendees’ technical and personal skills, and Monthly women in tech meet-ups across the UK  have been attended by over 2,000 people in total.

Alongside directly supporting the individual members of his community, Kevin works closely with their employers to influence organisational change to improve the lives of women working in those organisations by driving discussion around topics such as allyship, menopause awareness, unpaid carers, creating women’s networks, mentoring, inclusive process design any many other impactful topics.

A leader of integrity, vision and determination, and fearless in both business and advocacy,

Naomi Hulme is one of the UK’s only female founders operating at the intersection of defence and technology – two industries long challenged by gender imbalance. 

As founder and CEO of Skyral, she is reshaping what leadership in these spaces looks like by building a business where women are recognised for their impact and excellence, not just their gender. Under her leadership, Skyral has introduced progressive policies around health, mental health and wellbeing, reflecting her belief that inclusion must be lived, not just signposted.

Naomi’s career is distinguished by achievement. Before founding Skyral, she was Managing Director of Improbable, a UK unicorn. Prior to that, she spent a decade at BAE Systems Maritime, where she served as Senior Commercial Manager for both the Dreadnought and Tempest aircraft programmes and established BAE’s export programme to Qatar – all before the age of 35.

At Skyral, Naomi has driven growth by closing major international contracts, including with the governments of the UAE and Indonesia. In the past year alone, she was twice invited to speak at the Royal United Services Institute, advocating for women in Defence and addressing the NATO procurement process to champion SME participation.

Internally, Naomi leads by example, personally attending Women’s Network events and engaging directly with employees. This visible commitment has helped foster an environment where women feel valued and supported, reflected in Skyral’s 100% retention rate for female employees.

Her career is defined by a fusion of pioneering research and entrepreneurial spirit, and this year’s winner, Reena Misra, is truly a beacon of innovation and societal change. From her early days publishing neuroscience research at just 17 to becoming the youngest VP at BenevolentAI at 25, Reeva’s journey has been marked by an unwavering commitment to bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world healthcare solutions.

Confronted by the stark reality that most healthcare resources are dedicated to treating, not preventing, chronic disease, Reeva identified a critical missing piece: the role of stress. Recognizing it as a primary driver of chronic illness, she founded Walking on Earth (WONE). This personalised health coach stands at the intersection of modern AI and ancient wisdom, offering a unique solution to workplace stress, a leading, yet often ignored, catalyst for illness.

WONE’s success is a testament to her vision. The company has achieved remarkable  year-on-year growth, with 66% of users reporting reduced stress and engagement levels that are eight times higher than industry standards. Reeva’s impact extends beyond product metrics; she is actively building a rich dataset on stress that will power a bold five-year vision: to create a comprehensive stress warning system and expand her work into schools and healthcare.

By shaping the future of preventative health and creating a space for women to lead in technology, she exemplifies how innovation, driven by purpose, can become a powerful force for improving lives and redefining the future of wellbeing.

Growing up on a council estate in Bradford, Jordan Pearson experienced first-hand the barriers women face in accessing careers in technology. That background drives her commitment to lifting others as she climbs – mentoring colleagues, running hands-on workshops in underserved communities, and creating inclusive spaces where women can thrive.

Today, Jordan is a multi-award-winning data leader whose influence extends far beyond her role. She has shaped five-year banking strategies, uncovered millions of pounds in potential savings, and led analysis that identified onboarding blockers affecting more than 1.5 million people. Her insights have won Lloyds’ prestigious ‘Pink Panther’ award for most impactful analysis company-wide and were showcased on Global Accessibility Awareness Day as best practice in inclusive, data-led design.

Jordan also builds community. As Leeds Hub Lead for Women ConnecTech, she drives events and initiatives to support women in technology. Through her platform, JordansGirlCode.com, she creates blogs, tutorials, and content to demystify coding and data for women at all stages of their careers – already reaching thousands and helping many transition into technical roles.

Her impact in education is equally powerful. She designed the bank’s first virtual work experience programme, engaging hundreds of students with real-world data challenges. She has introduced over 80 schoolchildren to coding, launched coding clubs, delivered MBA lectures, and led AI chatbot workshops.

To date, Jordan has supported more than 1,000 young people through mentoring, outreach, and advocacy. Named a Global Future Leader Role Model by Involve in both 2023 and 2024, she continues to inspire change through her strategic impact, grassroots advocacy, and authentic leadership.

Free for volunteers and schools, Future CodeHers is transforming the future of gender representation in technology by inspiring and educating girls about careers in the sector. The initiative has already reached more than 5,700 students – including 2,200 this year alone – placing social mobility and ethnic diversity at its core. One partner school, for example, has 42.5% of students eligible for free school meals.

Working directly with girls’ schools and heads of computer science, Future CodeHers delivers events that demystify technology, showcase diverse role models, and broaden students’ understanding of career paths beyond software engineering. The impact is clear: at several schools, the number of girls choosing computer science has risen significantly, with one school seeing uptake jump from 45 to 60 students.

Over the past year, volunteers from across product management, UX, cybersecurity, data and engineering have spoken with Year 9 students, inspiring them ahead of GCSE choices. Coding workshops have supported T-Level and GCSE students, reducing the historic GCSE-to-A-Level drop-off rate from 90% to 65%. At Central Foundation Girls’ School, Future CodeHers facilitated a partnership with Copper, leading to CV and interview workshops, apprenticeships, internships, work experience, and the donation of 40 laptops. Tech careers fairs and insight days with partners such as E.On Next have reached hundreds of students, with many securing work placements as a result.

With upcoming initiatives including work experience programmes, hackathons and insight days with global brands, Future CodeHers continues to grow in reach, recognition and impact to empower the next generation of women in technology.

SheMed is a female-founded, female-focused digital healthcare company that, in less than a year, has transformed how women in the UK access weight-loss and wellness care. Founded by sisters Olivia and Chloe Ferro in 2024, SheMed combines cutting-edge clinical science with a compassionate, patient-first approach – setting a new standard in both healthcare and workplace culture.

With a team that is over 80% female and women represented at every level, SheMed was built by women, for women. Its founding mission to close the gender gap in healthcare extends internally, creating an environment where female employees are mentored, supported, and elevated. The flat, collaborative structure ensures every voice is heard.

Employee wellbeing is at the heart of the company’s ethos. Flexible working, mental health resources, and free medical screenings are standard, with 92% of staff reporting they feel supported in balancing work and wellness.

Since launch, SheMed has scaled to 20,000 users and nearly 50 employees while staying true to its values of empathy, excellence, and equity. The company actively recruits female graduates in STEM and public health, hosts mentorship sessions, and will launch a paid internship program in 2025 to open doors for women in health tech.

What sets SheMed apart is its commitment to safety and integrity. As one patient put it: “SheMed caught my pre-diabetes and high cholesterol through blood tests no other provider offered. I trust them because they’re not cutting corners.”

Skyral is attempting to redefine what inclusion looks like in both tech and defence – two industries where women remain critically underrepresented.

Since being shortlisted for Best Employer in 2024, the company has increased female representation by 4%, bringing it to 24% – well above the averages across tech, defence, and senior leadership. Notably, 80% of women at Skyral hold technical roles in UX DESIGN AND RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, PRODUCT DESIGN, AND DELIVERY, demonstrating that representation is embedded at every level of the business.

Beyond numbers, Skyral has taken bold steps to reshape workplace culture. In 2025, the firm launched menopause and endometriosis accommodations to foster allyship and ensure managers approach conversations with empathy and confidence. A new manager toolkit provides practical guidance on supporting women through major life events, while policies now include enhanced parental leave – six months’ full pay for mothers and an additional four weeks for fathers – and neonatal bereavement leave aligned with standard family provisions.

Wellbeing is central: the firm has expanded neurodiversity and mental health initiatives, with a women-led Mental Health First Aider team rolling out campaigns such as the first Step Challenge to promote engagement and awareness. The Women’s Network meets every six weeks, creating a thriving, supportive community outside of work.

The results are crystal clear: Skyral has held a 100% retention rate for female employees since founding, with every woman on maternity leave returning to the business.

Totalmobile is showing that gender equity is a business imperative, embedding it across every level of the organisation.

Headquartered in Belfast, the field service management software leader employs over 400 people across the UK, Ireland, Nordics and Australasia. Serving more than 1,000 organisations and 500,000 frontline workers, the company is showing how diverse teams drive stronger innovation and culture.

In the past 18 months, Totalmobile has transformed its approach to equity across hiring, development, and leadership. Blind CVs, diverse panels and partnerships with She Can Code have widened access to opportunities. Its Women’s Network and DEI Forum shape business policy, ensuring lived experience drives strategy. At board level, Chief People and Places Officer Gill Mahon made history in 2024 as the first woman to join the board, with women now making up 40% of senior leadership.

The firm also launched its Female Leadership Academy – a six-month programme led by senior women, designed to mentor and coach the next generation of leaders. Beyond policy, Totalmobile fosters visibility: International Women’s Day is celebrated with a month-long programme of events, while senior leaders advocate publicly on allyship and authentic leadership.

The results speak volumes. Women now make up nearly 30% of the workforce, with a 10% increase in tech roles, and 33% of leadership positions. Engagement among women has grown by 20%, and inclusivity scores have risen year-on-year.

As one employee put it: “Women aren’t just supported here – they’re heard, valued, and elevated.”

Jane has built a successful career in IT, which began by chance and has grown through dedication and continuous learning. She now holds a senior management position within one of the largest Central Government Departments, leads multidisciplinary teams to deliver both waterfall and agile projects, as well as supporting 36 digital services for 10,000 staff.

Jane is a  passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She actively contributes to several networks, including Digital Voices, an award-winning initiative that builds confidence and communication skills among women in digital roles. Through mentoring within this programme, she has supported numerous women to advance their careers. She also plays a key role in the newly established Cross-Government Women in Technology network, representing over 20 departments and fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development across government.

With over 20 years in IT, she regularly speaks at women’s network events, offering advice on career development, how to overcome imposter syndrome, and lifelong learning in a fast-evolving industry. 

Through her leadership, mentoring, and advocacy, Jane continues to champion gender diversity in technology, inspiring more women to pursue and progress in tech careers.