Why the Bristol Women in Business Awards Matter More Than Ever

Charter Director, Sandra Gordon

In a world where progress can no longer be taken for granted, the Bristol Women in Business Awards stand as a necessary beacon, a declaration that we will not retreat from the gains women have fought so hard to secure.

A Global Rollback We Cannot Ignore

We are living through a troubling moment. Across the globe, gender equity is being systematically eroded. Hard-won rights are being walked back, and the narrative around equality itself is under attack. Some businesses, despite compelling evidence of the commercial and social benefits of diversity, are abandoning their commitments to inclusion. The business case has always been clear: companies with diverse leadership outperform their competitors, benefit from broader perspectives, and better serve their communities. Yet we're seeing a dangerous retreat, not because the case has weakened, but because the political will has faltered.

This makes celebrating women in business not just worthwhile, but urgent.

Bristol: A City That Stands Up

Bristol has never been a city to accept injustice quietly. Our history speaks for itself.

In 1963, the Bristol Bus Boycott challenged the Bristol Omnibus Company's shameful policy of refusing employment to Black and Asian workers. Led by youth worker Paul Stephenson and the West Indian Development Council, with crucial support from campaigners including Roy Hackett, Owen Henry, and Prince Brown, the boycott lasted four months. Bus passengers, ordinary Bristolians, stood in solidarity, walking rather than supporting discrimination. Their courage and determination forced the company to abandon its racist hiring practices.

But the impact reached far beyond Bristol's streets. The boycott helped catalyse a national conversation that would ultimately lead to the Race Relations Act of 1965 and, more broadly, contributed to the legislative framework that became the Equality Act 2010, the very foundation of legal protections for women, people of colour, disabled people, and other marginalised groups in the workplace today.

This is who we are. Bristol does not simply observe inequality; we challenge it. We do not wait for change; we create it.

Celebrating Diversity in Action

The Bristol Women in Business Awards embody this spirit. In a city that recognises and celebrates diversity not as a box-ticking exercise but as fundamental to who we are, these awards serve multiple purposes:

Recognition: They shine a light on the women whose contributions might otherwise go unacknowledged, the entrepreneurs building inclusive businesses, the leaders mentoring the next generation, the innovators solving real problems in their communities.

Inspiration: They provide role models for young women and girls who need to see that their ambitions are achievable, that there is a path forward, and that their city values their potential.

Accountability: They remind us all, businesses, institutions, and individuals, that we are watching, we are measuring progress, and we refuse to let standards slip.

Community: They bring together a network of women and allies who can support each other, share resources, and build collective power.

The Invaluable Contribution of Women

Women in Bristol's business community are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for equal recognition of the value they already bring. They are leading businesses that employ local people, driving innovation in sectors from tech to social enterprise, and building more ethical, sustainable models of commerce. They are contributing billions to our regional economy while simultaneously carrying the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work and navigating systems that were not designed with them in mind.

To fail to celebrate these contributions is not neutral. It is a choice to render invisible the work that sustains our communities and drives our prosperity.

Why Now Matters

Some might question whether we still need awards specifically for women. The very fact that this question is asked, while women remain underrepresented in leadership, underpaid compared to their male counterparts, and undervalued in their contributions, speaks for itself.

Now matters because the clock is not simply stopped; in many places, it is turning backwards. Now matters because silence in the face of regression is complicity. Now matters because the women making a difference in Bristol today need to know their city sees them, values them, and stands with them.

The Bristol Women in Business Awards are not a consolation prize or a gesture. They are a statement of values. They say: in this city, we remember our history of fighting for justice. We recognise that diversity makes us stronger. And we celebrate the women who are building the future we want to see.

In Bristol, we have always stood up for equality. These awards are how we continue that tradition, not with protests alone, but with celebration, recognition, and an unwavering commitment to moving forward together.

Because if not Bristol, where? And if not now, when?

Sandra Gordon, Bristol Women in Business Charter Director

Oct 25