FAQs | UN Women WEPs Awards

FAQs:

Can I apply for the Leadership category if I am not a citizen of an Asian - Pacific country?

Yes, we welcome applications for the individual awards from any nationality.

Can I apply for an initiative or project that is no longer active?

There is no specific requirement for when an initiative should have begun. However, the project should still be actively working to promote gender equality and/or benefit women and girls in the company’s workplace, marketplace, or community.

Are there any fees for participation?

No. It is completely free to participate in the UN Women Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards.

Why are there national awards in selected countries?

As part of the WeEmpowerAsia initiative, we would like to celebrate local winners in our 7 implementing countries: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

How will due diligence be performed?

For all applicants, a basic due diligence will be performed by UN Women using a standardized process. For shortlisted nominees, UN Women may require a deeper due diligence that entails submission of further documentation from the company.

Why do I need to upload supporting documents?

Supporting documents will be used to verify application claims to ensure that any awarded companies meet a standard of recognition by UN Women.

Do I need to be a WEPs signatory to apply?

Companies do NOT currently need to be a WEPs signatory to apply. However, in order to be an awardee, companies must sign the CEO Statement of Support and submit the online application form by the time of the awards ceremony.

Is signing the CEO Statement of Support enough to be considered as a WEPs signatory?

No, while having the highest-level decision maker of the company, such as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), signing the CEO Statement of Support is important, it is only the first step. You also need to complete the online form: http://www.weps.org/join. This is where you upload the CEO statement of support.

How long does the approval process take?

Please allow 10-15 business days for processing of the WEPs application.

Is there a fee to joining the WEPs and being a member of the community?

No, there is no fee to join the WEPs.

Can a start-up company join the WEPs Community?

Yes, all eligible companies and organizations of all sizes, sectors, industry and countries can join.

What is the format of the Regional Awards Ceremony?

Depending on the context of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, the event will either be fully virtual or a hybrid model of physical and virtual. Regardless, the ceremony will be livestreamed on the website.

My company is global and we have offices in many Asia-pacific Countries. Can I apply as a regional office, using regional data and regional initiatives taking place in multiple country offices?

Yes, you may apply as a regional office. To do this, choose the country that the regional office or team applying is based in, but indicate in the company name that you are applying as a regional office (i.e. Company X Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific). You can then use regional data and mention initiatives conducted in multiple country offices.

You can also submit another application for specific initiatives that have been implemented in one country and provide national data. For example, if a workplace gender equal recruitment initiative was quite successful in Vietnam, you can submit one application for the Vietnam company office.

If organizations or individuals receive an award, are they official partners with UN Women?

No, becoming a recipient of the UN women WEPs Awards does not constitute a partnership. The UN Women Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards represents recognition of exemplary company efforts for gender equality and is limited to a designated category and a specific location and time period. Awarded organizations, alongside their products and services, receiving awards are not endorsed or affiliated with UN Women or WeEmpowerAsia. Claims, statements, or endorsements made by awardees are solely those of the individual or organization and do not represent official policies or positions of UN Women.

Can I apply for the 2024 Awards if I am a 2020, 2021 or 2022 Awardee?

Yes! You can still apply for any of the categories, but you must apply with a different initiative or project than the one for which your organization was previously awarded OR your awarded initiative must have additional or expanded elements and/or the results are significantly updated from the previous application.