Over half of the recipients in the New Year’s Honours List 2020 were women, including 44 per cent of awards at the highest levels.
556 women were recognised in this year’s list, representing 51 per cent of the total.
The List includes leaders and pioneers from all fields. Amongst those honoured included, Ann Francke, Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Management Institute, who received an OBE for services to Workplace Equalilty; June Sarpong, Television Presenter, who was awarded an OBE for services to Broadcasting; and Sheila Flavell, COO, FDM Group, who was awarded a CBE for services to Gender Equality in IT and to Graduate Employment.
There are also damehoods for the Chief Executive of Citizens’ Advice, Gillian Guy, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Professor Lesley Regan, and Chief Executive of the John Lewis Partnership, Sharon White. Chemical engineer and Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, Professor Lynn Gladden. Writer Rose Tremain and potter Professor Magdalene Odundo are also recognised. There are CBEs for Chief Executive of the Samaritans, Ruth Sutherland, pioneering aerospace engineer Jenny Body, Chief Executive of Blackburne House, Clare Dove, and Chief Executive of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Claire Horton.
This year’s Honours List continues to demonstrate the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds from all across the UK. In total 1,097 people have received an award. 941 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level – 315 at BEM, 397 at MBE and 229 at OBE.
72 per cent of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity; 9.1 per cent of the successful candidates come from a BAME background; 11 per cent of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010); and 3.3 per cent of recipients identified as being LGBT+.
You can view the full New Year’s Honours List here.
