50 Women to Watch: Applicant Process and Criteria

Nominations for the 2025 50 Women to Watch cohort open on March 7, 2025, and close on April 30, 2025.

The 50 Women to Watch list identifies and recognizes outstanding women professionals who have not yet served on a public company board but possess the skills and experience to do so.

Eligibility

Eligible nominees must be women professionals based in the United States, Canada, or Mexico. Finalists must confirm that they do not currently serve on a publicly traded company board, though service on nonprofit or private boards is permitted but not required.

Selection Process

In May 2025, after the nomination period closes, the 50/50 Women on Boards team will carefully review all applications to ensure completeness, including:

• Name, email, and country
• Professional expertise and leadership experience
• Current board experience (if applicable)
• CV/resume, headshot, and video submission

Applicants must review their entries and agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before submission.

The Selection Committee, composed of corporate board directors and governance leaders, will rigorously evaluate nominees based on their expertise, experience, and readiness for board service. After a thorough review, the committee will select 50 outstanding finalists.

Scoring Methodology

The selection process is designed to identify the most qualified and accomplished women for public company board service through a comprehensive and structured evaluation system.

• 49% of the score is based on expertise and experience, recognizing candidates with proven leadership in their fields.
• 51% is based on a holistic review of written responses, resumes, video submissions, references, and overall presentation.

Each nominee is scored on a 1-5 or 1-10 scale, with no single category exceeding 15 points to ensure a balanced assessment. The committee also considers:

• Diversity of experience across industries and sectors
• Leadership roles and career achievements
• Geographic, racial, and ethnic diversity

After scoring, the top 50 nominees with the highest overall scores will be selected as 2025 honorees.

For more information or to submit an application, visit 5050wob.com.