Women in Industry Awards 2026: Celebrating leadership, resilience and progress

Australia’s leading women across industrial sectors were recognised at the 2026 Women in Industry Awards, with a record-breaking event highlighting not only professional excellence but also the strength of leadership, advocacy and community driving the sector forward.

Held at Doltone House Darling Island Wharf in Sydney, the awards brought together more than 350 industry professionals, marking the largest program since its inception and underscoring the growing influence of the initiative in championing women across industry.

With 15 award categories spanning leadership, innovation, safety and emerging talent, the 2026 program showcased the breadth of women’s contributions across traditionally male-dominated fields.

Notably, four new categories were introduced this year — including Women in Leadership — reflecting a stronger focus on recognising those shaping workplace culture, guiding teams, and driving change at a strategic level.

Women in Leadership: “Just give it a go.”

Taking out the inaugural Women in Leadership award was Karlie Zec, from Tiny Tins, a family-owned waste management company operating in the Illawarra and Wollongong regions of New South Wales.

Zec’s speech resonated with honesty, relatability and encouragement for women navigating busy careers and personal commitments.

Reflecting on her journey, Zec recalled starting with the company 12 years ago and juggling multiple responsibilities, including running a business, raising two children and contributing to fundraising efforts.

Her message to other women was simple but impactful:

“To all the women out there who don’t think they can do this – just get out there and give it a go. Although most times I don’t sleep… I have two children, I run a business and I do fundraising, but here I am on a Thursday night… and that’s worth a cheer.”Zec also extended her recognition beyond individual achievement, encouraging celebration for everyone in the room — from finalists to supporters — reinforcing the collective effort behind success in industry.

Woman of the Year: A call to action

The evening’s highest honour, Woman of the Year, was awarded to Brooke Adamson, Manager Process Operations at Newmont, who also took home the Excellence in Mining award.

Noting in her acceptance speech that she has seen the industry go from “women aren’t strong enough to operate this plant” to “I would hire 10 of her if I could.” She said there was “still work to do”.  

“It is known that women need to check eight of 10 boxes when applying for a job relative to men who will tick six boxes and apply.,” she said.

“We need to encourage women to apply and provide women with the assurance that they are backed and are doing an exceptional job, help boost confidence, call out behaviours that aren’t aligned with our values, and stand beside them.

“We need to be their biggest supporters and advocates, and we need to encourage everyone in our industry to do the same.”

Driving connection and future progress

Beyond the awards themselves, the event continues to play a vital role in fostering collaboration, connection and shared learning across industries.

By bringing together women at different career stages and from diverse sectors, the program creates opportunities to build networks, share experiences and inspire the next generation of leaders.