Nominate or apply for the Enable Role Model List
The Enable Role Model List sponsored by Dow highlights 50 amazing Role Models who are using their personal experiences of disability, neurodiversity or mental health to advance inclusion for others in the workplace.
These global Role Models are not only building their own careers, but also challenging some of the barriers and biases which are preventing others from thriving at work as their authentic selves.
Here’s how you can take part
There are no costs to nominate or participate in our Role Model Lists.
1. Nominate someone as a Role Model
Anyone can nominate a potential business Role Model for the Enable Role Model List. Nominations for the Enable Role Model List 2024 are closed, but you can nominate for the 2025 List.
You can choose if you would like your nomination to be anonymous and also choose if you would like to include a personal message.
To make a nomination you will need to provide us with your Role Model’s business email address. When the nomination form is complete, we will notify them by email that they have been nominated as a Role Model and give them instructions on how to submit their application for judging.
2. Apply to be a Role Model
You don’t need to be nominated to apply to be a Role Model, but you will need to send in a submission form by the extended deadline of Monday, 23 September 2024.
In your application you will need to tell us what you are doing to drive inclusion for disability, neurodiversity, and/or mental health both within your organization and also external to your organization. For more information and guidance on making an application please read our submission guide.
Still got questions about our Role Model Lists and taking part? Please read our FAQ below.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Who are INvolve?
INvolve is a consultancy and global network that enables leaders and change-makers to build more successful and empowering organizations where everyone can thrive.
Founded in 2013 by Suki Sandhu OBE, a globally recognized expert in talent, diversity, and inclusion, INvolve transforms workplaces and mindsets through strategy development and the delivery of training, development programs, and other solutions to help firms drive cultural change.
Since 2013 we have also created global Role Model Lists to recognize those working to progress inclusion.
How much does it cost to take part?
There is no cost to take part and Roel Models will not be asked for money at any stage in relation to their appearance in the List. After appearing on any our Lists, Role Models will receive information about Role Model Gala Dinners in London and New York, where they can buy tickets if they wish to attend.
Why should I become an Enable Role Model?
Becoming an Enable Role Model is an opportunity to inspire others to succeed in their chosen fields while supporting the movement towards a more inclusive and diverse business world. Being featured as an Enable Role Model can provide a higher profile and platform to support your current work for inclusion too and help facilitate new relationships for support and collaboration. Being a visible Role Model can also invite new speaking opportunities on the topic of DEI in business.
As a demonstration of your work supporting inclusion, the recognition of being an Enable Role Model may also assist with your overall career progression.
Is the Enable List global?
Yes. We accept submissions by Role Models from any county and usually around 40 different countries are represented across all of our Lists. Please note, that at the current time we only accept submissions in English, however we do not allocate any marks to style, spelling or grammar in the selection process.
Can I nominate myself?
Yes, although it is not necessary. Anyone can send in a submission directly to be a Role Model without the need of a nomination. If you do nominate yourself first, then you will receive email reminders for submission deadlines.
Can I nominate more than one Role Model?
Yes. However, please be aware that our judging process takes into account the work for inclusion undertaken by Role Models for the benefit of employees within their own organization. This means that the impact of internal work for inclusion may be less significant that for larger organizations. It is therefore necessary for those from smaller organizations to clearly demonstrate and evidence the size of impact they have made externally from their own organization in order to be included in any of our Role Model Lists.
What is the benefit to employers for supporting the Role Model Lists?
The Enable Role Model List sponsored by Dow, provides employers with the opportunity to showcase the great work being done within their organization for diversity and inclusion and publicly recognizes the individuals who are dedicating their time and energy to making the workplace more inclusive. We therefore encourage all employers to get involved in the promotion of their Role Models, and we provide a media kit with key information and graphics for a communications team to successfully celebrate and amplify the Role Models from their organization.
Criteria
I work professionally in diversity and inclusion, can I be a part of the Role Model Lists?
No – unless you have only recently become a DEI professional and telling us about work undertaken prior to starting your new role. Our Role Model Lists are specifically aimed to provide visible and relatable Role Models for inclusion across the huge range of roles and industries beyond just DEI – recognizing that everyone can make an impact and has a role to play in making businesses and society more diverse and inclusive. We are also aware that making any comparisons between the work and impact of those who work full-time professionally in DEI, with those who are progressing DEI alongside their full-time role within a judging process would not be fair.
Therefore, individuals who work professionally in DEI or are in a role where the majority of their work is focused on DEI activity are not eligible to take part.
Those who have DEI as part of a much wider remit within their role, such as HR professionals or those within ESG, can participate.
I work for a small business, can I be a part of the Role Model Lists?
Yes. However please be aware that our judging process takes into account the work for inclusion undertaken by Role Models for the benefit of employees within their own organization. This means that the impact of internal work for inclusion may be less significant than for larger organizations. It is therefore necessary for those from smaller organizations to clearly demonstrate and evidence the size of impact they have made external from their own organization in order to be included on our Role Model Lists.
Individuals working for smaller businesses exclusively providing DEI-related services will be considered DEI professionals and therefore will not be eligible for our Role Model Lists.
I work for a not-for-profit or charity, can I be a part of the Role Model Lists?
Yes. We welcome Role Models from all types of organizations as long as they don’t provide professional DEI services to businesses.
I worked in a state-owned enterprise or within the public sector, can I be a part of the Role Model Lists?
Yes. We welcome Role Models from all types of organizations.
Will it help me make the List if I get more than one nomination?
No. The number of nominations received does not influence the judging process.
Process
What happens after I make a nomination?
Once you have completed a nomination form an automatic email will be sent to your potential Role Model notifying them that they have been nominated. This email will feature your personal message if you’ve included one. It will also provide them with details on the submission form they will need to complete in order to be considered for the Role Model Lists along with the relevant deadlines.
As deadline dates approach, we will also send them email reminders on how to take part.
Occasionally, notification emails end up in spam so after completing the nomination form you may also want to reach out directly to your Role Model to ensure they know you nominated them.
Do I have to upload a headshot with my submission form?
You must submit a headshot to be considered for the Enable Role Model List. Without a headshot, we cannot include you in the List. Please note that your headshot will not be a part of the judging process and will only be used on our website should you be successful as a Role Model.
How are the applications judged?
The submissions guide provides more details on the criteria used during the judging process and we highly recommend reading this prior to taking part. We do not release the exact criteria we use to ensure that potential Role Models do not focus their inclusion efforts around appearing on our Role Model Lists.
All submissions are read and scored by an internal team, before going to our senior judging panel for the final selection.
Please note that we receive a very high volume of submissions for our Role Model Lists from around the world and aim to represent the depth, breadth and diversity of work being undertaken for inclusion within the Lists. The standard of submissions is very high and all those involved in the selection process have to make very difficult decisions. Due to the high level of submissions received each year we do not provide personal feedback on why an individual did or did not make our Role Model Lists.
Technical Issues
Why didn’t my nominated Role Model receive a notification?
Although we do our best to ensure they are received, it is possible that our notification emails can go into a junk folder or could be blocked by a company’s IT security system. This is unfortunately out of our control and if your Role Model has not received a notification, we recommend emailing them directly yourself. We have provided the text below to use as a guide:
I would like to nominate you as a potential Role Model for the upcoming Enable Role Model List sponsored by Dow. The List showcase leaders with personal experiences of disability, neurodiversity or mental health and the work that they are doing to break down barriers at work to advance inclusion in these three spaces. Becoming a Enable Role Model would be an amazing opportunity for your great work to be recognized and to inspire others “to be what they can see”.
To take part you can make an application at enable.involverolemodels.org where there is also more information about the Enable List.
What do I do if I can’t upload my headshot in the submission form?
If you cannot upload a headshot through the submission form, please email it to us at info@involvepeople.org.
What do I do if I’m having issues accessing the online nominations / submissions form?
Please email the team at info@involvepeople.org with any issues you might have in accessing the online nominations / submissions form.