IWD & Women in Gaming Diversity Awards

The International Women’s Day (IWD) is on the 8th of March and celebrates all things female. In 2023, the WIG Diversity Awards will be held by industry leaders to recognise individuals and organisations for promoting gender equity, LGBT rights, and diversity in the gaming industry.

The WIG Diversity Awards are part of International Women’s Day celebrations worldwide. It is an important day for us all as we join to acknowledge and celebrate the fantastic contribution of women in gaming.

This year, International Women’s Day is focusing on the hashtag #EmbraceEquity. The theme intends to illustrate the importance of creating an equitable world where all genders can flourish and reach their full potential as individuals and in society.

New International Women’s Day Hashtag

The theme this year is to “embrace equity”. Everyone can play a part in creating gender equity by challenging stereotypes and embracing inclusion. We all have the power to create positive change and tackle discrimination; the hashtag #EmbraceEquity calls for all allies to step forward.

Allies are vital for women’s economic, cultural, social, and political advancement. Women in gaming must be supported by partners who understand the importance of inclusion and diversity, as this will create a more equitable environment for all.

A Progressive Movement Dating Back to 1911

International Women’s Day had occurred since the early 1900s when it was established in 1911 to honour a million people who gathered to campaign for women’s rights. In 1975 International Women’s Day was marked for the first time by the United Nations, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the UN made it official by suggesting an annual theme.

In 2001 InternationalWomensDay.com was launched to reinvigorate and invite participation for the day celebrating women’s achievements and pushing for gender parity. The website offers resources and guidance on an annual campaign theme and has served as a significant vehicle for fundraising, with 100% of donations going to the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts since 2007.

IWD has partnered with Catalyst Inc since 2017 and female-focused registered charities worldwide through its IWD Charity Alliance.

IWD Themes

2023’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. Equity means creating an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. With that in mind, it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality. Giving every person or group the same resources or opportunities is referred to as equality. Recognising that every person has unique circumstances, equity distributes the precise resources and opportunities required for an equal result.

Previous themes include “Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future” in 1997 and “Women at the Peace table” in 1998. Using the hashtags #EmbraceEquity, #BreakTheBias, #ChooseToChallenge, and #EachforEqual means each theme is globally relevant and adopted worldwide.

This year’s #EmbraceEquity pose (hug yourself) is particularly apt after the exclusion from everyday life and community in the COVID-19 years 2020 -2022.

IWD and WIG Diversity Awards 2023

The WIG Diversity Awards will be held on the 8th of June 2023. They will recognise individuals and organisations for their outstanding efforts to promote diversity, gender equity, LGBT rights and inclusion in the gaming industry.

Women in Gaming Diversity Awards celebrate many inspiring people working tirelessly to create a more diverse and inclusive environment in the gaming industry. WIG is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the games industry have an equal footing, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

The WIG Diversity Awards platform will host nominations for categories such as Diverse and Inclusive Team, Positive Role Models in LGBT and Gender Equity spaces, Women in Gaming Influencer/ Advocate and Inspiring WIG Story.

Previous Winners

At the first-ever awards in 2010, we recognised Affiliate Manager of the Year Daniela Attard of Betfair and Team of the Year winner Sara Jolly of PartyGaming, not forgetting Industry Pride of the Year Darlyne Sullivan for Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.

Seven years later, in 2017, we celebrated the achievements of Janine Woodford-Dale for Microgaming in the B2B Excellence Award. While the best place to work award went to Little Star Media.

The world took a break in 2020, and so did we, but in 2022 the awards went to Betsson for being the Best Diverse Place To Work, a high accolade to achieve in such a competitive category. Betsson didn’t stop there, winning awards for Innovation in Employee Engagement and Company of the Year (Operator). 2022 might have seemed like Betsson’s year, but a surprise was in store. WIG recognised the efforts of Nicole Guilmoto of Eyecon as Young Leader of the Year, proving that even the youngest voices can make a significant impact.

The WIG Diversity Awards celebrate those making great strides towards equality, inclusion, and diversity in the gaming industry.

WiG Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards 2023 and Beyond

2023 is a different place than when the awards started back in 2010. The 2023 WiG Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards reflect the change in attitudes and the development of initiatives to foster an environment of inclusion, equity, and diversity.

The WIG Diversity Awards are a great reminder that we all have our part to play in making gaming workplaces more diverse and inclusive, whether you’re an individual, stakeholder or working for a larger organisation. We can come together, learn from each other, and celebrate those leading the way towards a more equitable gaming industry.

Let’s work together to make the WIG Diversity Awards 2023 the most successful yet!