Judging Criteria
- Once entries for the IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards close, our internal team (made up of IMAGE Media senior editors and directors) reviews all submissions and compiles a shortlist of approximately ten candidates per category.
- Shortlisting is based on eligibility, the strength of the application, business performance, category relevance, adherence to criteria, and overall balance across the categories.
- If a submission is better suited to another category, we may reassign it (as indicated in our application form) and will inform the individual nominee of such.
- Finalists from each category will be announced and informed on *Thursday March 13th 2025 (*Subject to change)
- The final shortlisted candidates and their entries are shared with the awards judging panel two weeks before the official judging day. This allows time for full consideration and any necessary further fact-checking and research.
- On the judging day, the panel consisting of around 12 industry experts from diverse business-focused fields, including leaders in education, government, media, and thought leadership engages in an in-depth evaluation and discussion of all shortlisted candidates.
- Senior IMAGE Media representatives, including CEO Clodagh Edwards (Judging panel chair) oversee the process. Judges individually rank their top selections, and the winner is determined based on consensus.
- The overall IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year is chosen at the end of this process from among all shortlisted candidates, following additional discussion and agreement.
- IMAGE Media conducts thorough checks on all winners before their official announcement at the awards ceremony.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award follows a different selection process, with recipients chosen in advance by the IMAGE Media board of directors, senior editors and PwC representatives.
- The Overall IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year category is not open for direct nominations. Instead, the judging panel selects a winner from across all categories or from their own recommendations.
- Please note: When we use the term woman, we refer to anyone who identifies as a woman – an adult who lives and identifies as female, regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth.
If you have any questions or require any assistance, please email events@image.ie