Women in Green Business Awards 2026:
And the winner is...
Campaign of the Year
Octopus Energy - Octopus Energy Equality Foundation (OEEF)
In a closely contested category, the judges were hugely impressed by the work of the Octopus Energy Equality Foundation and its campaign to enhance diversity across the green energy industry, by dismantling barriers faced by marginalised communities.
The judges praised the charity for its efforts to raise awareness of the opportunities the green economy can offer, especially to younger people, and its ability to deliver highly practical campaigns that are designed to appeal to their target audience.
Highly commended: Delyth Fetherston Dilke - The case against the chemicals campaign
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy of the Year
Coventry City Council - #CovConnects Digital Inclusion Strategy
It was a close-run thing, but the CovConnects strategy won over the judges thanks to the breadth of its impact and the real legacy it has created in simultaneously tackling digital exclusion, reducing e-waste, and promoting circular economy practices.
Highly Commended: Octopus Energy Equality Foundation (OEEF) - Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
Highly Commended: Women in Energy Storage (WinES) network
Consultancy of the Year
Sustainable Film
In another hotly contested category that speaks to the strength of the UK’s sustainable consultancy sector and the many brilliant women working within it, Sustainable Film got the nod from the judges for its pioneering work to tackle knotty environmental challenges in a high impact industry and its commitment to more flexible working patterns and improving inclusivity right across the sector.
Highly Commended: Enovation Consulting
Partnership of the Year
Octopus Energy and the King's Trust - Jobs That Matter
In another hotly contested category, Octopus Energy and the King’s Trust won out for an impressive and well executed partnership that the judges praised for delivering proven results in encouraging more women and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure green careers, providing both fresh opportunities for marginalised groups and a practical route for addressing green skills shortages.
Highly Commended: Government Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA)
Transport Professional of the Year
Aline Gomes - Network Rail
The judges were hugely impressed with all the finalists, but as the winner of our first individual award of the night Aline Gomes was praised for going above and beyond in her efforts to enhance ecology across the rail network and improve Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The judges were particularly impresses by Aline’s work to drive systemic changes across the organisation to better respond to environmental risks and opportunities.
Highly Commended: Melanie Lane - Pod
Investment Professional of the Year
Charlotte O'Leary - Investors for Purpose
In yet another close race it was Charlotte O’Leary who won over the judges, thanks to her wide-ranging efforts to embed more sustainable practices and greater understanding of climate and biodiversity risk right across the pension sector, delivering tangible results in the process.
Highly Commended: Anne Reaney - Rebalance Earth
Highly Commended: Pippa Gawley - Zero Carbon Capital
Nature Champion of the Year
Dimple Patel - NatureMetrics
In one of the most competitive categories yet, Dimple Patel secured the plaudits from the judges thanks to her leading role in driving the expansion of NatureMetrics and advancing its mission to reframe nature data as both a source of economic value and a critical component in investment decisions. The judges praised the real-world impact Dimple has demonstrated in building a successful and innovative business with nature at its heart.
Highly commended: Julia Baker - Mott MacDonald
Buildings Professional of the Year
Eleni Polychroniadou - Sintali
In a highly competitive category, the judges selected Eleni Polychroniadou as their winner for 2026, following a year of international expansion for Sintali and growing evidence of the impact Eleni is having in embedding green skills and practices right across the building industry. She was also praised for demonstrating the importance of diverse leadership in a still male-dominated industry.
Highly Commended: Hannah Leggatt - The Clancy Group
Highly Commended: Mitakshi Sirsi - Broadway Malyan
Carbon Markets Professional of the Year
Alexandra Bury - UNDO Carbon
The judges were hugely impressed with all the finalists, but it was Alexandra Bury at UNDO Carbon who took the plaudits for her central role in advancing the highly innovative enhanced rock weathering carbon removal sector. The judges praised Bury’s role in leading a successful fund-raising drive for the company and her ability to showcase the importance of women leading in finance functions across the economy.
Highly Commended: Bee Hui Yeh - Patch
Highly Commended: Hannah Hicks - Climate Impact Partners
Clean Energy Professional of the Year
Freya Burton - LanzaTech
In one of the most hotly contested categories, LanzaTech’s Freya Burton won over the judges, who praised her strong leadership skills, commitment to coalition building, and integral role in building an exciting business that is committed to accelerating the transition away from fossil-derived fuels and materials.
Highly Commended: Dhara Vyas - Energy UK
Highly Commended: Julia Pyke - Agilia Infrastructure Partners
Highly Commended: Laura Miranda Perez - Oxford Photovoltaics Limited
Communications or Marketing Professional of the Year – Agency
Victoria Page – VP Comms
It was another intensely competitive category, but Victoria Page at VP Comms got the nod in a close-run race, with the judges praising her ability to deliver well-tailored campaigns for a wide range of clients that have successfully engaged large audiences, combined with a commitment to driving real world environmental improvements at the local level.
Highly commended: Jenny Briggs - Greenhouse Communications
Highly commended: Emily Luscombe - ERM
Communications or Marketing Professional of the Year - In-House
Lisa Boyles - giffgaff
In a category that highlighted the hugely impressive work undertaken by marketing and communications professionals to advance the green economy, giffgaff’s Lisa Boyles won over the judges thanks to both her track record of advancing more responsible marketing practices within the company and her work with Ad Net Zero and Media in Service of Nature to drive the adoption of such practices right across the industry.
Highly Commended: Gaby Hornsby - BBC
Highly Commended: Monica Molesag -SAP
Clean Technology Innovator of the Year
Adelya Khayrova - Demeter Bio Ltd
Demeter Bio’s co-founder and chief science officer, Adelya Khayrova, was recognised by the judges for her pioneering work to tackle the risks associated with ‘forever chemicals’ and her leading role in securing funding and driving the commercial development of the company over the past year.
Highly Commended: Beth Fairweather-Bloud - Sky
Highly Commended: Kyra Sedransk Campbell - Danu Water
Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year
Jane Thomas - Women in Retrofit CIC
Jane Thomas secured the judges’ plaudits for the breadth and impact of Women in Retrofit’s efforts to improve representation and support for women in the energy efficiency sector. The judges’ praised Jane’s multi-pronged and proven approach to first understanding barriers to entry for women and then delivering practical programmes and events that can help support women in driving forward an industry that is critical to the UK’s decarbonisation push.
Highly Commended: Beena Sharma - CCU International
Inspiring Returner of the Year
Nadia Misconi - Zapmap
Every year there are so many inspiring women returning to work following career breaks, all of whom deserve huge respect. In a close-run category, the judges praised Nadia Misconi Hugely her genuinely inspiring story of returning to work after 20 years, as she combined work and caring responsibilities with playing a key role in advancing the booming EV industry.
Highly Commended: Maelle Pelisson - Business for Nature
Women in STEM Champion of the Year
Susan McDonald - Deloitte, The James Hutton Institute, Women’s Engineering Society
It was another hugely competitive category, but the judges were won over by Susan McDonald’s exceptional track record at Deloitte, the James Hutton Institute and the Women’s Engineering Society National in promoting STEM careers to women right across the green economy. The judges were particularly impressed by the national scale impact of some of the projects Susan has led, combined with a commitment to working above and beyond her core role to promote STEM careers and push for systemic change to improve representation in multiple industries.
Highly Commended: Katie Neck - Sustained Futures
Highly Commended: Selin Calik - Women in Smart Energy UK
Mentor of the Year
Lorna McAtear - National Grid
In a close-run category that is testament to the inspiring work being done by so many women to support their colleagues, Lorna McAtear was praised by the judges for her commitment to mentoring and the tangible impact she is having in helping colleagues and apprentices right across the fleet and EV sectors advance their careers.
Highly Commended: Liv Cropper - Yellow Bench Coaching
Highly Commended: Rosemary Reed - Jane Goodall Institute UK
Rising Star of the Year – SME
Niamh McBride - Material Focus
In another ultra-competitive category that is testament to the strength of the talent pipeline right across the green economy, Niamh McBride won over the judges thanks to her sterling work to expand the reach of Material Focus and her impressive campaigning voice, which has played a key role in advancing efforts to tackle electronic and vape waste throughout the UK.
Highly Commended: Hazel Scurr - Gren
Highly Commended: Sophie Rogers - Seahorse Environmental
Rising Star of the Year - Large Firm
Sajni Vekaria - Balfour Beatty plc
There are so many rising stars across the green economy, but there can only be one winner and it was Sajni Vekaria who secured the judges’ plaudits thanks to her clear leadership qualities, pro-active approach to tackling difficult challenges, and measurable impact in promoting carbon literacy and management right across the business.
Highly Commended: Grace Barrett - Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions Ltd
Highly Commended: Charu Madan - Haleon
Entrepreneur of the Year
Fran Lucraft - Grace & Green
The judges were hugely impressed by all the finalists, but it was Fran Lucraft who won them over thanks to her inspiring ability to transition Grace & Green from scrappy start up to fast growth business, while securing investment and campaigning to make period and bladder care more sustainable, accessible, and stigma-free.
Highly Commended: Amna Bezanty - Sustainable Molecules
Highly Commended: Katie Neck - Sustained Futures
Corporate Sustainability Lead of the Year
Amelle Mestari - Equans UK & Ireland
Women are leading the sustainability efforts of so many top businesses, as evidenced by our remarkable list of finalists. It was Amelle Mestari who won over the judges thanks to her proven impact in driving environmental progress at a business with hugely ambitious goals, combined with her impressive leadership skills and work with third parties to advance the wider green economy.
Highly Commended: Elisa Moscolin - Sage
Highly Commended: Renata Pollini - Holcim
Small Business of the Year
Sustained Futures
There are so many brilliant small businesses advancing the cause of women in the green economy, but it was Sustained Futures that won over the judges thanks to impressive client base, innovative approach to flexible working, and real impact in building a more diverse skills base for the green economy.
Highly Commended: Pax Foster Limited
Business of the Year
Bamboo Connect
It was yet another close fought category, and in the end Bamboo Connect was declared the winner by the judges, who praised the company’s comprehensive diversity and inclusion policies, which are supporting its drive to deliver a circular business model that is advancing sustainability best practices and slashing emissions across the economy.
Highly Commended: Greenhouse Communications
Highly Commended: Hiyield
Leader of the Year
Costanza Poggi - Seahorse Environmental
Any one of our finalists would have been a worthy winner, but in the end the judges gave the plaudits to Costanza Poggi, praising her authentic and honest leadership, which has helped deliver rapid growth across the business and enabled fresh efforts to boost diversity within the sector.
Highly Commended: Carlota Garcia-Manas - Royal London Asset Management (RLAM)
Highly Commended: Liz Woods - The British Standards Institution
Politician of the Year
Katie White, MP
Across all parties - or at least across most parties - there are MPs, peers, and councillors who are genuinely committed to building an economy that is more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous for all. Our politician of the year is one such MP.
Before being elected as Labour MP for Leeds North West, Katie White worked for over 20 years as a climate campaigner, during which time she was a key figure in the push to deliver the UK’s Climate Change Act and a powerful advocate for climate action right across the economy.
Following her election in 2024, Katie was quickly promoted to become Climate Minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and in that role she has tirelessly promoted the benefits the clean energy transition and environmental action can bring to households, communities, and businesses right across the country. As some of her colleagues in Parliament have sought to attack climate action and undermine the UK’s leadership position, White has continued to make the case for a genuinely sustainable net zero economy and has advanced policies to turn the government’s decarbonisation ambitions into real world action.
Woman of the Year
Susan McDonald - Deloitte, The James Hutton Institute, Women’s Engineering Society
The judges praised Susan’s hugely impressive track record in promoting STEM careers for women right across the green economy. Throughout her career, she has delivered a raft of cutting-edge projects and has worked tirelessly to promote STEM careers and the low carbon economy to women of all backgrounds, while also pushing for the systemic change that is needed to improve representation right across the UK.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Anna Guyer - Greenhouse Communications
This year’s winner has been striving for over 20 years to advance green businesses and promote environmental causes, always with a view to catalysing the social and systemic change required to build a truly sustainable economy. Following a successful career at some of the UK’s biggest PR and communications agencies, she launched one of the UK’s first specialist green agencies in 2003 and has subsequently built one of the most impactful and respected businesses operating in the UK’s green economy today.
Greenhouse Communications has won multiple awards over the years, but its achievements are much better measured in the impact of its many campaigns, the huge networks of entrepreneurs, business leaders, communications professionals, and campaigners it has nurtured, and the ethical rigour of its commitment to working with businesses that can really drive forward clean technologies and sustainable behaviours.
As the company’s founder, Anna Guyer, has been the driving force behind much of that success, as well as a mentor to colleagues and entrepreneurs who are now working right across the green economy. Colleagues speak of an ‘inspiring, courageous and tenacious’ leader, who is hugely creative and enormous fun to work with, while offering ‘boundless energy and a commitment to delivering brilliant work that drives real world action’.
She has been a friend and champion to so many green business allies over the years, including of course to the many women for whom she has been a source of invaluable advice and support.