Categories & Criteria 26 - Balance in Business Initiative

The 2026 INSEAD Alumni Balance in Business Awards

Now in its fourth year, the 2026 INSEAD Alumni BiB Awards aim to engage more organisations and invite you to be part of the BiB community. We want to recognise companies that are making a real difference by improving gender representation, and give them a voice to share the work they’re doing

The awards recognise YOU!

Awards are made for each of
the following categories:

Trailblazer ExCo & Direct Reports (FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and Private Companies)
Best overall (FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and Private Companies)
Best Strategy (FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and Private Companies)
Most Impact (FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and Private Companies)
Outstanding Progress For organisations who have demonstrated improved gender representation at ExCo and Direct Report level over the last 3 years, irrespective of their ranking in FWL
Sector ExcellenceFor organisations leading the field in their sector

Awards are made in line with outstanding performance on these criteria:

The BiB Awards 2026 aim to recognise:

The best gender balance (%) representation at Exco/direct reports level based on the FTSE Women Leaders Review
Organisations leading the way through innovation, re-designing policies and levelling the playing field for women and men in the workplace

Balance in Business Roll of Honour

The Roll of Honour is a distinct recognition, separate from the awards, reserved for BiB Award Winners whose leaders consistently champion equal opportunities for women and men. It represents an invitation into a community of pioneers — organisations for whom gender balance is embedded in their DNA and reflected in how they lead, act, and influence others.

Key criteria for each category?

Trailblazer ExCo & Direct Reports

How close is the organisation to a 50/50 gender split?
What is their gender split versus the average for their sector?
Do they have female representation in one / both of the Chief Executive Officer and Finance Director roles?
Evidence of clear targets/KPIs e.g. promotion/progression especially to ExCo level and above and pay/reward linked to progress on closing any gender gap
Evidence of other initiatives to close any gender gap (e.g. opportunities for furthering career, flexible/family-friendly working policies/practices, etc.)
Evidence of systemic measurement/monitoring systems so that progress can be tracked/rewarded and/or evidence of measuring/monitoring the gender pay gap at ExCo and Direct Reports level
Notable % changes in gender representation numbers in comparison to previous years

Best overall

How close is the organisation to a 50/50 gender split?
What is their gender split versus the average for their sector?
Do they have female representation in one / both of the Chief Executive Officer and Finance Director roles?
Do they have female representation in the Chair and Senior Independent Director’s roles?
Is Gender Equity a component of Executive/Senior management’s performance and variable payments review process?
Evidence of clear targets/KPIs e.g. promotion/progression especially to ExCo level and above and pay/reward linked to progress on closing any gender gap
Evidence of other initiatives to close any gender gap (e.g. opportunities for furthering career, flexible/family-friendly working policies/practices, etc.)
Evidence of systemic measurement/monitoring systems so that progress can be tracked/rewarded and/or evidence of measuring/monitoring the gender pay gap
Notable % changes in gender representation numbers in comparison to previous years
Evidence of any impact on the wider sector/industry/society

Best Strategy

Change over the last year on # and % at Board, ExCo and Direct Reports
How thoughtful and innovative have they been about their strategy?
How deeply have they understood the root causes of lack of gender balance and addressed them in the organisation?
How successful have they been at rolling out their strategy? How fully implemented and monitored are the measures they have taken?
How thoughtful have they been around the areas for development / things that haven’t been as successful?
Evidence of how the strategy is impacting the organisation incl. culture, recruitment, retention

Most Impact

Change over the last year on # and % at Board, ExCo and Direct Reports
Impact of their initiatives on financial performance
Impact of their initiatives on other areas of your business (e.g.: recruitment, retention, leadership, corporate culture, etc.)
Do you have female representation in key roles (Chair, SID, CEO, CFO)? If so, in which roles?
Can you outline your Gender Pay Gap (actual vs. target), including any incentives in place and strategies to achieve your target?
Is gender equity included in the performance and variable payments review process for Executive/Senior management?
What actions have you taken that have impacted your supply chain, consumers, and local community?
Please tell us what actions has your organization taken that have directly affected the bottom line?
Evidence of your most successful initiative in terms of financial returns
Describe the best initiative your organization has implemented to improve gender parity, and what results have you seen?

Outstanding Progress

Ranking in Sector as per FWL, change over the last 3 years year on # and % at Board, ExCo and Direct Reports and in ranking
Describe the changes within the organization that prompted a strategic shift
Tell us about your strategy and its implementation
Successful aspects of the strategy. Areas that haven’t been as successful
Please share lessons learned from successes and challenges faced
Evidence of implementation of gender-neutral policies (e.g., flexible work, parental leave) and their impact
Tell us about your policies on internal promotion and talent development, including specific examples
Tell us about any changes in organizational culture over the last three years and evidence of alignment with values

Sector Excellence

What sector are you in, and where did you place most recently in the FWL Review?
Change over the last year on # and % at Board, ExCo and Direct Reports
Evidence of female representation in one or more of the following roles? (Chair,SID, CEO, CFO) If so, which role(s)?
What has been the main contributor to the change in gender representation at Exco Level? And at Direct Report Level?
Demonstrate how changes have impacted the pipeline and the Board representation
How deeply have they understood the root causes of lack of gender balance and addressed them in the organisation?
Tell us about your strategy

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us on info@balanceinbusiness.org