BPW Estonia, (Business and Professional Women Organisation, Estonia)
BPW Estonia, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1992 to develop the professional, business, and leadership potential of women through mentoring, networking, skill-building, advocacy as well as to empower projects on regional, national and international level.
BPW Estonia is part of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW), a worldwide organization that was established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1930. In 1947 it was accredited as an advisory organisation in United Nations (UN) and in 1977 as a consultative institution in the Council of Europe. Though BPW International serves professional businesswomen across more than 100 countries, Europe is the most substantial region with ca. 20,000 members in nearly 30 countries.
BPW Estonia is an affiliate member of the International Federation of BPW International, and has seven clubs with almost 200 members across regions all over Estonia.
Larger purpose of the BPW Estonia is to empower women to get to leadership positions, stand for gender equality, fight against Gender Pay Gap, and organize initiatives to increase the number of female entrepreneurs.
BPW Estonia has started and/or participated over the years in different projects initiated by the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Office of Gender Equality, European Integration Bureau, and the European Union Information Secretariat as well as by Coca Cola Foundation. BPW Estonia experts have reached women in Norway, Finland, Moldova, Georgia, Moscow, Malta, and many other places across the world.
It has been a long tradition to elect the Woman of the Year in Estonia and to attribute the title to socially and professionally outstanding women of Estonia; as a result, strengthening the importance of the role active and inspiring women hold in Estonian society. The Women of the Year are highlighted below: