People across Tees Valley are being encouraged to recognise women making a difference in local workplaces before nominations for this year’s Tees Businesswomen Awards close on 7 September.

The call came at the latest Tees Business LIVE event at The Auxiliary in Middlesbrough, where three women with strong links to the awards talked about what recognition can do beyond the ceremony itself.

Rachel Burke, the 2025 Tees Businesswoman of the Year, joined the awards’ inaugural winner Claire Preston and Middlesbrough College principal and chief executive Zoe Lewis CBE for the discussion.

A nomination can open doors

Burke told the event that winning last year had led to new opportunities, including joining the Tees Valley Business Board and giving her a wider platform for her work with Power of Women.

Preston’s message was that recognition should not be dismissed as vanity. She reflected on the encouragement she received from the late Professor Jane Turner OBE DL after winning the first award in 2018, and on the responsibility to pass that encouragement on to other people.

Lewis also highlighted the effect recognition can have inside organisations, where celebrating people’s work can encourage colleagues to notice and champion the contribution of others.

The discussion also covered the Male Ally category, introduced in 2025. Burke argued that men who actively create opportunities and support equality have a useful role in helping women progress.

Deadline approaching

Entries and nominations for the 2026 Tees Businesswomen Awards remain open until 7 September. Tees Business says it is particularly looking for more entries in categories including Business of the Year, Best New Business, Male Ally and Breaking the Mould.

The awards take place on 4 November at Hardwick Hall. For anyone who has had a colleague, manager, founder or community-minded businesswoman in mind for a while, the practical message from the panel was simple: recognition starts with somebody taking the time to put their name forward.

: Details were checked against Tees Business’s report published on 28 August 2026. Image: Tees Business.