Cartier Women's Initiative 2023 Celebrates Women Impact Entrepreneurs & Expands Global Reach

Through the Cartier Women's Initiative 2023, Cartier confirms its unshakable dedication to supporting female impact entrepreneurs who use business as a force for good. The Cartier Women's Initiative is a yearly global entrepreneurship programme that empowers women impact entrepreneurs to create change.

The programme has featured women-run and -owned enterprises from nations and industries since 2006 that are committed to making significant and long-lasting changes to social or environmental environments as outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Cartier helps these real-life heroines realise their full potential by providing them with essential financial, social, and human resources, enabling them to expand their enterprises and develop their leadership skills. The grant has benefited 297 women impact entrepreneurs from 63 countries, providing a total of $7,440,000 in funding to help ventures tackling some of the most pressing global problems.

The biggest number of Cartier Women's Initiative fellows to date, 32 extraordinary women from all across the world will be honoured by Cartier in 2023. Along with an increase in fellows, this year's programme offers a total of 11 honours, including two thematic awards and 9 regional awards, including Oceania and Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award was established by Cartier in 2023 after the Science and Technology Pioneer Award was successfully launched in 2021. Its goal is to support innovative business solutions that address access, opportunity, and result gaps for historically underrepresented or marginalised populations. All genders are welcome to apply for this pilot, unlike previous prizes.

The grand Cartier Women's Initiative Awards Ceremony, which had the theme "Forces of Good" to highlight the program's desire to advance multi-stakeholder cooperation and bring about systemic change, was held on May 10 in Paris.

The ceremony, which was moderated by broadcaster, author, and women's activist Sandi Toksvig, drew a wide range of influential thought leaders, businesspeople, celebrities, and changemakers who were committed to addressing women's emancipation from their individual perspectives and combining their efforts to bring about long-lasting change.

The introductory remarks were given by Amal Clooney, co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice and a preeminent international lawyer, who discussed her legal battle for gender parity for a prosperous society. "We are thrilled to host the 16th annual awards ceremony of the Cartier Women's Initiative in Paris, celebrating our ever-growing community of impact-driven entrepreneurs," said Cyrille Vigneron, CEO and President of Cartier International, after the moving address. Cartier is pleased to maintain its dedication to empowering women and use business as a force for good.

Following the awards ceremony, educational seminars and a movie starring the 32 fellows entitled "What Impact Entrepreneurs Need from You" were presented. Following were discussions and remarks with Nadine Labaki, an actress and activist, Yara Shahidi, an actor and change agent, and Mélanie Laurent, an actress and environmental activist. Wingee Sampaio, the global programme director for the Cartier Women's Initiative. Their message was that everyone has the capacity to unite, be an inspiration, and spark change. The event also featured a spellbinding performance, reflecting the topic of this year's edition, directed by dancer, choreographer, and designer Sadeck Waff, and drawing on Cartier's role in fostering artistic expression.

The 11 winners of the first place earned $100,000 in grants, while the winners of the second and third place received $60,000 and $30,000, respectively. Along with receiving financial assistance, all 32 fellows will gain access to individualised coaching and mentorship, media exposure, networking opportunities with Cartier Women's Initiative, and educational programmes from top management schools like INSEAD.

Cartier announced the opening of the application period for the 2024 edition of the Cartier Women's Initiative during the ceremony, which will run from June 30, 2023, to June 30, 2024. Changemakers from nine regions, including Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, Anglophone and Lusophone Africa, Middle East and North Africa, East Asia, South Asia and Central Asia, and Oceania, will now be recognised by the Cartier Women's Initiative programme. Additionally, it will look for honorees for the two themed awards, which will recognise 33 winners in all across 11 categories.