Women Leaders

What Women Leaders does

Women Leaders UK (legally Women Leaders Foundation) is a UK registered charity, founded in March 2015 by Jan Flawn CBE on International Women's Day and formally incorporated in 2018. It operates from Milton Keynes with a seven-person staff and delivers four core programmes: the annual Women Leaders Awards gala dinner (recognising outstanding women across 15 categories), the WL Mentoring Programme (one-to-one mentoring with 40+ volunteer mentors), the Allyship Programme (workshops for senior leaders in regional employers), and the MK Innovates STEM Festival (founded 2017, engaging 1,000+ students and 35+ exhibitors annually). The organisation has recognised over 1,000 women and directly supported 700+ since inception, and in 2026 expanded eligibility across Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire.

The charity does not operate proprietary technology; its digital footprint is limited to the womenleadersuk.org website used for information, nominations, and applications. Revenue is generated from four streams: gala dinner ticket sales (~400 attendees in 2025 at undisclosed pricing), corporate sponsorships across tiers (headline sponsors NHBC in 2025 and Hillier Hopkins in 2026, plus supporting sponsors such as Oracle Red Bull Racing, Freeths, PJ Care, MK Dons, and Helix), foundation grants (Milton Keynes Community Foundation Women's Fund and General Fund), and supplementary donations. Awards nominations, mentoring, and STEM festival attendance are free to participants.

The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Dr. Julie Mills OBE DL (former CEO of MK College), with Vice Chair Ruby Parmar (ex-PwC partner) and a bench of trustees that includes senior figures from policing, DE&I consultancy, science, construction, financial services, and education. Distribution is relationship-driven: nominations arrive via an online portal, mentoring is accessed by direct enquiry, and the allyship programme is delivered as on-site employer workshops. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with the annual gala dinner functioning as the flagship recognition, fundraising, and community-building moment.

Name

Women Leaders

Legal name

Women Leaders Foundation

Website

https://womenleadersmk.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women Leaders UK is a Milton Keynes-based registered charity that recognises and supports women leaders through an annual awards gala, one-to-one mentoring, employer allyship workshops, and the MK Innovates STEM festival, serving women, employers, and students across Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Leadership and Community Charitable Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inclusive Leadership & Leading Diverse Teams (EDABAAAM)

Keywords

• Women's leadership awards
• Mentoring programme
• Allyship workshops
• STEM diversity festival
• Community charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton Keynes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Gala Dinner Ticket Sales: The flagship annual Women Leaders Awards is a ticketed gala dinner event (e.g., DoubleTree by Hilton at Stadium MK). Revenue is generated from ticket sales to attendees from businesses, organizations, and individuals across the region.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate organizations sponsor the Women Leaders Awards at various tiers (headline sponsor, category sponsors) and MK Innovates (platinum, gold, silver sponsors). Sponsorship packages provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility, event access, and association with the charity's mission.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding received from organizations such as Milton Keynes Community Foundation (MKCF Women's Fund and General Fund) to support the Women Leaders Awards and mentoring programme.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Additional fundraising activities such as third-party events (e.g., Hair Host blow-dry fundraiser for Ride High charity) generate donations. These are pass-through to charitable causes rather than organizational revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women Leaders UK is a registered charity that delivers an interconnected portfolio of community programmes centred on advancing women in leadership across Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire. Its core offerings are: (1) the annual Women Leaders Awards gala ceremony with 15 award categories recognising women across sectors, (2) the WL Mentoring Programme providing up to five one-to-one sessions with volunteer mentors, (3) the Allyship Programme of workplace inclusion workshops for senior leaders, and (4) MK Innovates, an annual STEM Festival engaging girls, women, and underrepresented groups into STEM careers.

Product overview

Women Leaders UK is a registered charity operating as a single unified offering focused on recognizing outstanding women and promoting gender equality. The core portfolio consists of the Women Leaders Awards (annual gala ceremony with 15+ award categories celebrating achievements across sectors including STEM, business, public service, and community impact), the WL Mentoring Programme (one-to-one mentoring providing five sessions with experienced mentors), the Allyship Programme (workshops for businesses on creating inclusive workplaces), and MK Innovates STEM Festival (annual event showcasing STEM careers and engaging underrepresented groups). These programmes work together to fulfil the charity's mission of celebrating women, supporting their leadership development, and encouraging more women and girls into STEM careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Allyship Programme: A structured support programme for women through one-to-one mentoring, helping businesses create inclusive workplaces.
• MK Innovates
• Women Leaders Awards

Products and services

• Women Leaders Awards Annual gala dinner awards ceremony recognising outstanding women living or working within Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire. Features 14 open award categories plus an Outstanding Achievement Award selected by judges (15 total), spanning Healthcare, Uniformed and Public Services, Music Arts and Creative Industries, Professional Services, Beauty and Well-Being, Skills Education and Training, Engineering Science and Maths, Entrepreneur, Emerging Leader, Digital and Technology, Community Impact (Employed), Community Impact (Volunteer), Sport Leisure and Retail, Manufacturing and Construction, and #NOTA (Transforming Lives). Winners receive one year's associate membership of MK Business Leaders Partnership.
• WL Mentoring Programme
• Allyship Programme Structured workplace inclusion programme consisting of a 2-hour workshop delivered on-site at the employer organisation's premises for senior leaders on becoming effective allies to women. Smaller businesses can join group sessions with multiple small business owners. Applications are submitted via online form (Microsoft Forms).
• MK Innovates STEM Festival Annual free-to-attend two-day STEM festival held at Middleton Hall, CMK. Day 1 targets adults and career changers (especially women); Day 2 serves over 1,000 local students. Features exhibitions from organisations including Santander, NatWest, Oracle Red Bull Racing, Cranfield University, Thames Valley Police, Tesla, Network Rail, HORIBA UK, HMGCC, and Niftylift; hands-on activities, career guidance, and role model exposure. Targets underrepresented groups including females, BAME, disabled, and neurodiverse individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 women recognized since 2015; 700+ directly supported across programmes; 120+ women supported through the mentoring programme
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/headline sponsor, core benefit partner, minor/regional partner, major sponsor, supporting sponsor, platinum sponsor, core sponsor, core programme partner and silver sponsor / long-term partner.

• Hillier Hopkinsflagship/headline sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Hillier Hopkins served as the headline sponsor for the Women Leaders Awards 2026. As a newly certified B Corporation, Hillier Hopkins aligned the sponsorship with its commitment to inclusion, social impact, and community engagement. The partnership included brand visibility at the gala dinner, involvement in the awards presentation, and joint promotion of gender equality themes. Their head of department (Ruth Corkin) was featured in an interview on the Women Leaders website, amplifying both brands.
• MK Business Leaders Partnershipcore benefit partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MK Business Leaders Partnership provides one year's associate membership to every Women Leaders Awards winner. This gives winners access to one of the foremost business networks in Milton Keynes, supporting ongoing professional development and networking beyond the awards ceremony itself.
• Silverstone Park (Women's Innovation Network)minor/regional partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Silverstone Park's Women's Innovation Network (WIN) was cited in 2026 expansion materials as a complementary initiative supporting women in technology and engineering. Silverstone Park sits at the heart of a globally recognised ecosystem for high-performance technology and advanced engineering in Northamptonshire. Their Marketing Manager (Chantal-Lawren Welch) endorsed the geographic expansion of Women Leaders Awards 2026.
• NHBCflagship/headline sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025NHBC served as the headline sponsor for the Women Leaders Awards 2025 (10th anniversary). This was the premier sponsorship tier for the landmark decade-celebrating event, providing headline brand visibility and enabling the charity to deliver a high-profile gala dinner for approximately 400 guests.
• Oracle Red Bull Racingmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Oracle Red Bull Racing was a sponsor for the Women Leaders Awards 2025. Additionally, the organisation has participated in MK Innovates as an exhibitor, providing students with exposure to high-performance technology and engineering careers. The team also featured young female talent such as Miah Wilson (Apprentice Machinist), who became the youngest-ever finalist at the 2025 awards.
• Freethssupporting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Freeths (a law firm) was a sponsor and supporter of the Women Leaders Awards 2025. Lucy Bradban of Freeths won the Professional Services category award.
• PJ Caresupporting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025PJ Care (specialist neurological care provider and founder organisation of Women Leaders UK, founded by Jan Flawn CBE) was a sponsor and supporter of the Women Leaders Awards 2025.
• MK Donssupporting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025MK Dons (Milton Keynes football club) was a sponsor and supporter of the Women Leaders Awards 2025.
• Helixsupporting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Helix was a sponsor and supporter of the Women Leaders Awards 2025.
• Vinkez Consulting, MHA, Howes Percivalsupporting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Vinkez Consulting, MHA, and Howes Percival were listed as sponsors and supporters of the Women Leaders Awards 2025.
• HORIBA UKplatinum sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025HORIBA UK was the Platinum Sponsor of MK Innovates STEM Festival 2025, which took place 21–22 October at Middleton Hall. HORIBA has supported MK Innovates since 2019 and helped fund school attendance for students from under-resourced areas. Their long-standing motto 'Joy and Fun' was evident in their interactive exhibits and demonstrations. HORIBA's commitment is driven by their values of inclusivity, collaboration, and impact, and their belief that STEM education must be inclusive to build a better future.
• HMGCCcore sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025HMGCC (His Majesty's Government Communications Centre) partnered with HORIBA UK and Niftylift as a sponsor of MK Innovates 2025, helping ensure equitable access and community engagement across the event.
• Red Thread Fellowship / Red Thread Partnershipcore programme partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Red Thread Fellowship (founded by Freddie Guilmard, a Women Leaders UK trustee) is an ongoing year-long leadership development programme. Women Leaders Awards 2025 finalists Joanna Dodi and Miah Wilson received fully funded places on the Fellowship. Women Leaders 2025 winners also received 12 months of complimentary access to the World Class Manager Series 1 programme created by The Red Thread Partnership in collaboration with GGI (CPD-accredited online leadership development).
• Diversity Marketplace (Gamiel Yafai)core programme partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Diversity Marketplace, led by Gamiel Yafai (Diversity & Inclusion Strategist and author), has supported the Women Leaders Allyship Programme for several years. Gamiel Yafai is credited with educating male leaders on amplifying women's voices, increasing visibility, and intentionally sponsoring female talent. He is also a trustee of Women Leaders UK, providing strategic governance alongside his consultancy role in the Allyship programme.
• Niftyliftsilver sponsor / long-term partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Niftylift has been a Silver Sponsor and supporter of MK Innovates since the festival's inception in 2017. Their Learning & Development Manager (Karl Digby) cited Milton Keynes' spirit of collaboration, creativity, and innovation as motivations. Niftylift also runs the RC Nifty Challenge competition for local students, providing hands-on engineering and design experiences. Their support reflects a commitment to inspiring young people and strengthening the region's engineering and manufacturing talent pipeline.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-leaders-mk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women Leaders