WCD Visionary Awards
WCD’s Visionary Awards recognize the transformational strengths that make companies leaders among their peers—a commitment to strong corporate governance, diversity, inclusion, and a healthy financial track record.
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE
Visionary Awards Criteria
We recognize achievements in the following categories:
- Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
- Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
- Visionary Award for ESG Leadership
- Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
The awards are given annually to companies that consistently demonstrate a commitment to workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion, best-in-class governance, and consistently strong long-term financial performance.
To be considered for a Visionary Award, each award recipient must also:
- Have at least 30% female representation on their board and 20% or more female executives on their leadership team.
- Have at least the equivalent of $200 million (in USD) annual revenues and be in business operation for more than five years.
- Demonstrate a commitment to mentoring and promoting women to leadership positions and on its board of directors.
- For Honorees, the expectation is that the Company CEO will be available to accept the Award. If they are unavailable then a female board member may accept the award on behalf of the CEO.
Local operations alone are not sufficient to comply with the criteria guidelines. The Visionary Awards Selection Committee will evaluate a nominee’s parent company (if relevant) along with its operations and subsidiaries in various markets to determine whether it meets Visionary Awards requirements.
Visionary Awards Nomination Criteria
FAQs
Additional Information on the Visionary Awards
WCD Visionary Awards Steering Committee
Lucy Pamboukdjian, Co-chair
Brazil Chapter
Jennifer Sondergaard, Co-chair
Quebec Chapter
Undraa Agvaanluvsan
Mongolia Chapter
Romi Haan
South Korea Chapter
Christie Hefner
Chicago Chapter
Deb Kelly
Greater Colorado Chapter
Izumi Kobayashi
Japan Chapter
Anastassia Lauterbach
Germany Chapter
Cristina Finocchi Mahne
Italy Chapter
Iyabo Masha
Nigeria Chapter
Mary Beth Vitale (Board Liaison)
Greater Colorado Chapter
throughout the years
WCD Visionary Awards Recipients
Each year, we present the award to companies or individuals who exhibit an exceptional corporate commitment to diversity, inclusion, and women’s leadership in the C-suite and boardroom. We are pleased to announce this year's award winners!
2023
June 8, New York City
Susan Stautberg WCD Membership Leadership Award
Henrietta Fore, Former Executive Director, UNICEF, Former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Former Director, General Mills; Former Director, ExxonMobil and Chairman and CEO of Holsman International
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Aquafil - Accepted by Giulio Bonazzi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aquafil
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
LIXIL - Accepted by Jin Song Montesano, Director, Representative Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Communications, External Affairs, and Impact Strategy, and Chief People Officer, LIXIL Corporation
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Midmark Corporation - Accepted by Anne Klamar, Chair of the Board, Midmark Corporation
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Luiza Helena Trajano, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Magazine Luiza
2022
September 12, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Accepted by Debra Cafaro, Chairman and CEO of Ventas
WCD Visionary Award for ESG
Natura & Co - Accepted by Board Member Carla Schmitzberger, Natura & Co
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
CDW Corporation - Accepted by Christine Leahy, CEO of CDW
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Dompé farmaceutici - Accepted by Nathalie Dompé, CEO of Dompé farmaceutici
2021
JUNE 9, VIRTUAL
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Merck & Co., Inc. - Kenneth C. Frazier, CEO of Merck & Co., Inc.
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI Co-op) - Accepted by Eric Artz, CEO of REI Co-op
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
illycaffè S.p.A - Accepted by Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè S.p.A
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Accepted by Susan Salka, CEO of AMN Healthcare
The Susan S. Stautberg WCD Member Leadership Award
Susan Remmer Ryzewic
2020
September 9, virtual
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Shiseido – Presented to Masahiko Uotani, President & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Elkay – Ric Phillips, President & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Starbucks – Presented to Clara Shih, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Ana Paula Pessoa, Director, Suzano Pulp and Paper, Credit Suisse, News Corporation, Vinci Group, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Stanford Global Advisory Council, Salesforce Brasil, Instituto Atlantico de Gobierno, Stanford Alumni Brasil Association (SUBA), and Fundação Roberto Marinho
2019
MAY 20, SANTA CLARA, CA
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Singapore Telecommunications Limited – Presented to Chua Sock Koong, Group CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Hallmark Cards, Inc. – Presented to David Hall, President
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
BMO Financial Group (BMO) – Presented to Darryl White, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Eileen McDonnell, Chairman and CEO, Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
2018
MAY 9, NEW YORK CITY
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Canadian National Railway – Presented to Ede Holiday, Director, and Laura Stein, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Dot Foods, Inc. – Presented to John Tracy, Executive Chairman
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
NextEra Energy – Presented to Jim Robo, CEO & Chairman
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Susan Stautberg, Chair emeritus, and former Chairman and CEO WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation (WCD); co-author of Women on Board
Special Award: WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership in Advancing Women Public and Private Company Directors
Maggie Hanson-Muse, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, ASEAN; WCD Advisory Board Member and former Honorary Chapter Chair in Peru, Columbia, and India
2017
MAY 10, NEW YORK CITY
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Alaska Air Group – Presented to Brad Tilden, CEO & Chairman
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
The Duchossois Group – Presented to Craig Duchossois, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Ecolab – Presented to Doug Baker, CEO and Chairman
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Isabelle Marcoux, Chairman, Transcontinental Inc.
2016
May 4, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Ulta Beauty – Presented to Mary Dillon, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Publix Supermarkets – Presented to Jane Finley, Ph.D., Director
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Santander Group – Presented to Shriti Vadera, Chairman, Santander UK plc
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Maggie Wilderotter, Executive Chairman, Frontier Communications Corporation
Special Award: WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership of a Woman Corporate Director
Izumi Kobayashi - Director, Member of the Board, ANA Holdings, Inc.
2015
May 6, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Sempra – Presented to Lynn Schenk, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
L’Oréal – Presented to Frederic Roze, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Biogen – Presented to George Scangos, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Co-Chair and former CEO of Carlson Companies
2014
May 14, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
RBC – Presented to Gord Nixon, Chairman & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Sodexo Group – Presented to Michel Landel, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Abbott Labs – Presented to Miles D. White, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Beth Mooney, Chairman and CEO of KeyCorp
2013
May 1, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Unilever – Presented to Paul Polman, CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
SC Johnson – Presented to Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
IBM – Presented to Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Marjorie Morris Scardino, former CEO and Director of Pearson PLC
2012
May 1, New York City
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Publicis Groupe – Presented to Maurice Levy, Chairman & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company
Desjardins Group – Presented to Monique F. Leroux, Chair of the Board, President & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
Intel – Presented to Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Ellen Kullman, Chair of the Board and CEO of DuPont
2011
MAY 17, NEW YORK CITY
WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company
Procter & Gamble – Presented to Bob McDonald, Chairman, President & CEO
WCD Visionary Award for Innovation in Shared Value
The Coca-Cola Company – Presented to Maria Elena Lagomasino, Director
WCD Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership
Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, Inc.