Terms and Conditions

An independent panel of judges selects the top ten ‘Woman’s Hour 2015 Power List: Influencers’.

Emma Barnett - Chair, Woman's Hour 2015 Power List: Influencers

CHAIR – Emma Barnett,Broadcaster and Women’s Editor, The Telegraph
Sarah Vine, Columnist, Daily Mail
Jane Shepherdson, CEO, Whistles
Gemma Cairney, Presenter, BBC Radio 1
Helena Kennedy QC, Barrister

The judging panel is made up of experts from a variety of backgrounds. There is no benefit for any judge from the commercial success of the ‘Woman’s Hour 2015 Power List: Influencers’.

Emma Barnett will chair all judging meetings and discussions

Apart from being female, each of the top ten women selected as finalists should also be alive and be a UK National and /or resident in the UK and/ or regularly working in the UK/ or operating or having influence in the UK.

The judges’ decisions are based on the criteria of the ‘Influencer’ (see below) set out by the Chair. The Chair will guide judges on choosing a ranked top ten, taking into account:
Influencers should:
Demonstrate a personal impact and ability to influence others (through their own behaviour or views)
Demonstrate influence in different spheres of women’s lives (for example opinion forming, how we vote, what we wear, how we work, how we raise our families)
Influence should be measurable and wide-ranging (demonstrated by sales, followers, changes in behaviour for example)

In compiling and ranking the list, please note that:

No value is attached to the influence that is wielded (inclusion on the list is an acknowledgement of power, not a judgement about the merits of her influence)

As well as their own suggestions, the judges can take note of suggestions gathered from Woman’s Hour listeners (via the Woman’s Hour website or on social media).

At the outset Woman’s Hour will provide judges with a long list of potential candidates as suggestions only for consideration and to stimulate discussion.

Listeners’ emails, social media or letters may be read out on air, published online or otherwise used by BBC in any media in connection with the programme.
Although listeners may make suggestions, this does not constitute part of a formal nominations procedure.

Judges may also take suggestions from their own personal social media sites – for example Twitter.

The Woman’s Hour production team can provide ‘expert witnesses’ for the judges in any specialist area where requested. The judges may also refer to the findings of the 2014 Power List: Game Changers or the 2013 Power List Top 100 for suggestions, or be inspired by content from any Woman’s Hour guest.

All members of the panel are able to express their opinions freely and openly as part of the process.

Judges are asked to report any conflict of interest (or perceived conflict of interest) to the Chair as soon as possible.

Some of the deliberation processes may be broadcast, published online or on social media, without prior consent from the judges. The Chair’s decision is final. The panel’s list of the top ten women on the Woman’s Hour 2015 Power List: Influencers will be published through the BBC in 2015.