Inclusion, Empowerment & Social Justice News South Africa

All the 2021 Gender Mainstreaming Awards winners

Gender Mainstreaming Awards announced the winners of its 2021 edition during a virtual celebratory event co-hosted by Accenture and Business Engage, with the support of partners across many industries.


The awards celebrate achievements in creating and promoting a more equitable workplace where gender mainstreaming is an uncompromised norm. The awards entries were free of charge and judged by a well-respected panel of adjudicators from across the African continent.

"The awards not only serve to celebrate these champions of gender equality but also share learnings and inspire other businesses and leaders to achieve the same," said Colleen Larsen, chief executive of Business Engage and founder of the Gender Mainstreaming Awards.

The gender mainstreaming champion for 2021 for Africa is EY, while the gender mainstreaming champion for 2021 for Southern Africa award went to Tiger Brands. The gender mainstreaming champion for 2021 East Africa celebrated Kenya Breweries for their gender mainstreaming strides and no champion award was made for West Africa this year.

Individual category winners

In the individual category, entrants competed for the inclusive leader and positive role model champion awards. The inclusive leader champion award for Southern Africa was scooped up by Lizelle de Wet, CEO of the Cape Town Society of the Blind. Charmaine Mabuza of The Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation and CEO for Ithuba Holdings won the positive role model champion award.

For West Africa, the inclusive leader champion award went to Onyeka Akpaida, founder and chief impact officer from Rendra Foundation and the positive role model champion award to Emmy-nominated investigative journalist and filmmaker Kiki Mordi.

For East Africa, Catherine Musakali, founder and chairman for Women on Boards Network (Kenya) as well as advocate of the High Court of Kenya was awarded with the inclusive leader champion award. Annette Kimitei, managing director for Senaca East Africa scooped the positive role model champion award.

Company category winners

The company categories for celebrating the businesses' achievements were economic empowerment, women empowerment in the workplace, equal representation and participation, empowerment of women in the community, women on boards, women on executive committees in multinationals, investing in young women and gender reporting by JSE-listed companies.

The winners of the company category for Southern Africa are as follows:

  • Economic empowerment: Joint winners - Tiger Brands Limited and AECI Limited
  • Women empowerment in the workplace: Webber Wentzel
  • Equal representation and participation: EY
  • Empowerment of women in the community: Tiger Brands Limited
  • Women on executive committees in multinationals: Pfizer South Africa
  • Women on boards: Tiger Brands Limited
  • Investing in young women: AECI Limited
  • Gender reporting by JSE-listed companies: Adcock Ingram Holdings Limited

The winners in the company category for West Africa are as follows:

  • Economic empowerment: Women's Investment Club Senegal
  • Equal representation and participation: EY
  • Empowerment of women in the community: Rendra Foundation
  • Investing in young women: EY

The winners in the company category for East Africa are as follows:

  • Economic empowerment: Credit Bank PLC
  • Women empowerment in the workplace: Kenya Breweries Limited
  • Equal representation and participation: NMB Bank PLC
  • Empowerment of women in the community: Kenya Breweries Limited

Ntombi Mhangwani, associate director of Accenture Interactive and Women's Forum lead for Accenture in Africa, said: "Tonight's winners are living proof that no matter how improbable gender mainstreaming may seem, we can achieve a more equitable business environment; create opportunities for all and contribute meaningfully towards the economic growth if we stand together and support each other."

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