Individual Leader of the Year

GOLD

Rachel Hodgdon: President & CEO, International WELL Building Institute

As President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Rachel Hodgdon is leading a movement centered on human health, well-being and equity for all. Rachel’s drive is to help close the equity gap – tackling inequities that impact global communities. Her latest focus is the development of a new WELL Equity Rating that will help companies not only measure their progress against their DEI goals but also give them a roadmap for action and improvement. Rachel also sits on numerous boards and advisory councils, and has overseen many purpose-driven projects to help improve health and advance equity.

SILVER

James Cross: Chief Executive, Environment Bank

James Cross is driven by a single purpose. To create a new plan for our planet. He will do this through restoring 4,000+ hectares of biodiverse habitat over the next 5 years. He is growing a team of experts at pace – from 4 to 24 in the last 18 months and more to follow – and to make his vision a reality he must take that dedicated team with him on the journey. How? Through inspiring leadership and a razor sharp focus on delivering this shared vision.

BRONZE

Simone Hindmarch: Managing Director, Commercial Corporate Services

Simone Hindmarch has embedded sustainability at the heart of Commercial since being inspired by Al Gore’s 2006 film, The Inconvenient Truth.

Since then, sustainability has become not just something to say, do or tick a box, it is part of Commercial’s DNA. It is a spirit Simone calls Commercial by Nature.

From eliminating waste to landfill, introducing a sustainable range of office essentials, starting a social enterprise and exploring how the creative industries have a role to play in business, Simone has led Commercial’s determination to be a good ancestor for the next generation to follow.

ONE-TO-WATCH

Julia Huang: Founder and President, Bytes & Pieces

Julia founded Bytes & Pieces to share her two passions with people- music and technology. As both fields lack diversity and inclusion and are highly understudied in schools, especially in areas of advanced technology topics such as artificial intelligence, competitive programming, etc, she started this organization to provide students a deep curriculum that explores topics in both fields through free workshops, contests, etc. In addition, she records workshops so people can go through the curriculum in their own time. So far, she has reached 100+ students, mostly girls from ethnic minority groups, to help them grow interests in these areas.