Nominations for the Shaw Trust 2024 Disability Power 100 have now closed for 2024
This year, the Disability Power 100 received 786 nominations. Well done to everyone who entered. 367 high-quality nominees were shortlisted.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion for all communities, and are now judging nominations for disabled people from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experience who are making a real difference in society. All entries will be judged for the impact, influence and innovation the nominee has had in the past 12-18 months.
We will announce the finalists later in the year. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. You can read more about the judging process here and how we will collect and use your data here.
Nominations closed on 31 March 2024.
Help and support
Get in touch with us at: powerlist@shaw-trust.org.uk.
New categories for 2024!
This year we have 15 fantastic categories. Read more about each one:
Top 100 categories for individuals
Business and Finance
Recognising individuals working in commercial organisations, those championing and challenging internal and external processes to be more inclusive. This category highlights diversity leads at all levels working as entrepreneurs, employees and managers from sole-traders to multi-national corporations. What brings them together is their passion to disability inclusivity at the heart of their organisations.
Cross-Sector Advocate
Everyone’s disability journey and experience is different and diverse. Informing all aspects of a person’s life and identity. We recognise this and our new award celebrates people who don’t fit into one category, individuals who are known beyond their sector, the all-rounders, entrepreneurs, exceptional leaders and challengers.
Education and Research
How we learn and what we learn is a huge factor in who we become. This category celebrates academics and educational professionals exploring how learning opens new pathways. Those sharing their research and knowledge to increase diversity and society’s understanding of their specialist fields and/or disability.
Grassroots Community Advocate
Some of the most important changes start with one person making a difference in their local community, seeing the need and responding to it. This category is for anyone who is challenging the disability status quo in their local community or advocating for their specialist sector.
Performing Arts, Television, Radio
Our performing and screen arts category celebrates actors, presenters, poets, singers, comedians, musicians and performers from across the entertainment industry. Those who champion disability out-front and behind-the-scenes, ensuring what we see on our screens and perform live is diverse and representative.
Politics, Law and Media
Recognising those whose influence shapes our society, our laws and our outlook from leading campaigners, politicians and lawyers who change policies and laws through the courts, to journalists bringing stories and experiences to light, this category recognises the deep reach this work has into other peoples’ lives.
Science, Engineering, Technology, Property and Construction
Celebrating the individuals designing-in accessibility. Improving lives of people using their services and products from the domestic and personal to large-scale infrastructure projects. People challenging stereotypes, demanding their industries become more diverse and creating change for future generations
Sport, Health and Wellbeing
Sport, health and wellbeing celebrates individuals promoting physical and mental activity to positively contribute to wellbeing. People at the top of their game – be they Paralympians, Sunday league, or local activity leaders – or wellbeing and health campaigners questioning disabled people’s treatment, medically and by society.
Transport, Retail, Service and Hospitality
How the purple pound is spent impacts the UK economy. This new category recognises the importance of disabled people as customers and consumers – and celebrates the business leaders making their offer more inclusive.
Visual Arts, Fashion and Design
Championing the accessible fashion designers and product designers challenging how we produce the products we use daily. Demanding good design should make the world an easier place to live. The photographers and artists documenting our world and our place within it. And the arts champions making spaces more accessible and opening-up the arts to disabled people.
Categories for organisations, campaigns and companies:
Best campaign
Demanding change, challenging stereotypes and creating better inclusion starts with a campaign. This category recognises the public campaigns making a difference to people’s lives by changing attitudes or improving access – either from an organisation or individual.
Change making organisation
Some organisations just get it right. They live their values, purpose and behaviours. They are inclusive, their colleagues are a community. Disabled people actively choose to support them, purchase from them, work for them or commission them. Why? because these are the organisations changing disabled people’s lives for the better.
Best large employer
This category is for organisations with more than 250 employees.
All employees thrive when their needs are met. Where there are opportunities for growth and progression. This category recognises the large employers offering flexibility, inclusion and opportunities. Employers with strong policies, processes and cultures that make their disabled employees feel valued.
Best small employer
This category is for organisations with 250 or fewer employees.
All employees thrive when their needs are met. Where there are opportunities for growth and progression. This category recognises the large employers offering flexibility, inclusion and opportunities. Employers with strong policies, processes and cultures that make their disabled employees feel valued.
And in memory of our hugely valued Shaw Trust colleague, disability advocate and driving force behind The Disability Power 100:
The Clare Gray Rising Star
This category recognises people at the start of their advocacy journey who are beginning to make an impact and create change. It celebrates potential and ambition.