Building on the strong foundation laid in previous years, the 4th edition of the LUCE Awards represents a renewed step forward in accelerating the Green Transition. As global attention intensifies around energy, climate, and sustainability challenges, this edition reaffirms once again the critical role women play in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future.
With our ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality in the energy, climate, and sustainability sectors — and with the valuable support of Edison— the 4th edition of the LUCE Awards celebrates the outstanding contributions of women driving innovation and progress in these fields. As we forge ahead on the path toward a greener tomorrow, this edition aspires to further amplify the voices and achievements of women who are pioneering solutions for a sustainable planet.
Legacy Women category
The scope of this category is to honour the career of senior female professionals who have successfully used their platforms and voices to push forward the energy, climate, and sustainability sectors.
The profile for the ideal candidate includes the following aspects:
– LEGACY: the candidates should be established female professionals working at the forefront of the energy climate and sustainability sectors;
– ADVOCACY: the candidates should be women who have a track record of impactful projects or initiatives with a social mission and whose work has contributed significantly to the advancement of energy and climate goals;
– TIMELINESS OF THEIR ACTIONS: the candidates should be women who are still active in their roles and engaged in initiatives paving the way for a greener future.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
● Age limit: none
● Geographical scope: world
● Years of experience: over 15
● The candidates must have leveraged their influence for advocacy projects or initiatives, projects with a social mission, and projects with an impact that goes beyond career advancement objectives.
INELIGIBILITY
● The women that are part of the selecting committee can’t be candidates for the award;
● When shortlisting candidates for the first round of the selection process, the members of the Committee can’t put forward names of women working/ being affiliated with the same company/ institution as theirs;
● Women whose contributions have already been acknowledged far and wide are to be excluded from the selection (e.g.energy commissioners, energy ministers, celebrity advocates, and high-level political personalities. The idea of the award is to shed light on the contributions and careers of women that too often go undetected and neglected).
SELECTION, EVALUATION CRITERIA AND VOTING
● A committee made of a majority of high-profile women in energy, climate and sustainability will shortlist a maximum of 18 candidates (up to 2 name for each member of the Committee) for the award;
● Among the shortlisted, all the eligible candidates (see “ineligibility” criteria in the section above) will qualify for the final vote on the Lights on Women platform;
● All those shortlisted who give permission to participate in the public vote, will be featured on the platform with a profile (including a picture, a short bio and a quote) and a vote will be opened;
● The voting for the Legacy Women category will be open from March 17 to March 31 to all women registered on the EnergyBase or all the users that have verified their own email address;
● The candidates that have collected more votes will win the Award.
AWARDING CEREMONY AND PRIZES
The winner will be invited to the awarding ceremony in Florence on 9 June 2026 to receive the trophy.
How to vote
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Register on the EnergyBase or verify your email address
The voting for the Legacy Women category is open to all women registered on the EnergyBase or all the users that have verified their own email address.
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EnergyBase users
If you are an EnergyBase user, please log in and vote for the candidate by clicking on the "Vote" button
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Other Users
To ensure the integrity of the voting process, we require you to verify your email address (please check your spam folder) by entering a verification code. Click on the "Vote" button and request a new code, then check your email and enter the code in the Voting window.
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Limits and deadline
Each user is permitted a maximum of one vote for the candidates. The deadline is 31 March 2026.
Shortlisted candidates
The unfortunate reality that women are under-represented in the energy sector reflects a missed opportunity. Based on my years of experience working in the field, it is clear to me that we find the best solutions to problems and challenges when everyone is heard. We not only need to find more effective ways to recruit, retain and promote women, but we must help each other by listening, sharing advice and serving as mentors.
Throughout my many years in the energy sector, I have consistently witnessed the essential contribution of women to its progress. For me, the key word is balance. Women bring this balance to both daily operations and long term leadership—setting direction, motivating teams, fostering shared objectives, and delivering results while preserving balance. The energy transition equally requires balance: defining clear goals, selecting the most effective pathways, and ensuring their implementation. Such a transformation demands strong leadership, in which the presence and perspective of women are indispensable to achieving a secure and sustainable future.
My career in the energy sector has been a joy, largely because of the brilliant and diverse people in it who inspire me every day. I strive to be resilient, constantly curious and unashamedly authentic, and this has helped me to thrive in environments where women leaders have historically been under represented. The energy transition is a multi-faceted, generational challenge, and all talent is welcome to drive innovation, fill critical skills gaps and drive effective solutions.
Leadership for me is about being a “good enough ancestor”, especially when I think about my 4 children, and that leaves no room for half-measures. No greenwashing. No side projects. It is about making hard compromises without compromising what matters, naming the trade-offs, and moving capital and people in the same direction towards electrification and decarbonisation. It also means opening the way — especially for women — in a sector that must act fast and act fair. In times of backlash, I choose uncompromising courage.
The energy transition means far more than changing energy systems; it means disrupting our economic and social foundations. Over my 25+ years of experience in energy and development, I have strived to challenge the dominant paradigm and promote sustainable energy within a broader structural transformation. Technology alone cannot carry this change. We need to reshape production systems, labour markets, infrastructure, consumption patterns, and social norms. A transformation like this demands a new kind of leadership, one that balances strength with care, and decisiveness with empathy, to drive change that benefits both people and planet.
Talent and right attitude are the capabilities needed in the energy sector. Energy transition is a joint effort and phenomenon - it requires equal participation. I urge women to participate as this is important for our common future.
Leadership in times of energy transition is not about having all the answers, but about making responsible choices in complex and evolving systems. It requires clarity about what truly matters and a strong sense of purpose. Above all, it means committing to building solutions step by step, grounded in technical rigor, institutional learning, and active engagement with society. As women represent half of society, their participation and co-leadership in this process are not optional. They are essential if we aim to achieve a balanced, inclusive, and just energy transition.
My journey in the energy sector has been guided by one conviction: the energy transition must be both sustainable and inclusive. Empowering women in energy is not only about equality, it is about unlocking the leadership, talent, and ideas we need to seize the opportunities and address the challenges of this transformation. When diverse voices help shape our energy future, we create solutions that are stronger, fairer, and capable of driving a truly transformative and lasting transition.
I believe leadership in the energy transition isn't just about innovation, it’s about ensuring women play a central role in shaping the future of sustainable energy. The energy transition needs diverse views and tools, and women are pivotal in driving change with their ability to blend strategic thinking also with empathy. Leadership is about collaboration and making space for all new ideas to lead the way in solving the complex challenges of sustainability and affordability of energies today and tomorrow.
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