Celebrating impact and change across the food and agriculture industry
February 24, 2026 • Hotel Okura, Amsterdam
Welcome to the WFA: Awards 2026
The WFA Awards recognize outstanding individuals and initiatives that are making a difference in food and agriculture. These awards will celebrate the accomplishments of mentors, mentees, leaders, and impactful initiatives in the industry.
Judged by our esteemed WFA Advisory Board, the winners will be announced at the WFA Summit in Amsterdam and featured in a report highlighting sector-wide excellence.
Submissions close on December 5th, 2025!
2026 Award Categories
Recognizing an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and impact in mentoring others within the food and agriculture sector.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Commitment: Demonstrates consistent and meaningful engagement with mentees.
- Impact: Clear evidence of positive influence on the mentee’s career growth and personal development.
- Advocacy: Actively promotes diversity, inclusion, and innovation in the sector.
Celebrating a mentee who has exemplified a commitment to learning, professional growth, and fostering diversity in food and agriculture.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Engagement: Actively seeks guidance and applies learnings from the mentorship program.
- Growth: Demonstrates significant personal or professional development during the mentorship period.
- Contribution: Actively contributes to the WFA community and the wider industry.
- Initiative: Demonstrates leadership or proactive efforts inspired by their mentorship.
Recognizing an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and impact in mentoring others within the food and agriculture sector. This award will honor a leader who has championed diversity, inclusion, and innovation within their organization or the broader food and agriculture sector.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Leadership Impact: Demonstrates outstanding leadership and measurable results in fostering an inclusive culture.
- Advocacy: Actively supports women and underrepresented groups in food and agriculture.
- Innovation: Implements creative strategies to solve industry challenges.
- Community Contribution: Engages in initiatives or programs that benefit the broader industry.
Recognizing an initiative that has made a significant contribution to advancing diversity, inclusion, and sustainability in the food and agriculture sector.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Purpose and Impact: Clearly defined objectives and demonstrable outcomes.
- Innovation: Incorporates unique approaches or strategies that address key challenges.
- Scalability: Potential to be replicated or scaled in other regions or organizations.
Celebrating a male ally who has championed diversity, inclusion, and innovation within his organization and across the broader food and agriculture sector.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Commitment: Demonstrates outstanding leadership and measurable results in fostering an inclusive culture.
- Advocacy: Actively supports women and underrepresented groups in food and agriculture.
- Community Contribution: Engages in initiatives or programs that benefit the broader industry.
Recognizing an individual or team whose work has significantly advanced sustainability practices across the food and agriculture sector, delivering measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Commitment: Clear objectives with tangible, verifiable outcomes that demonstrate meaningful sustainability progress.
- Impact: Adoption of novel approaches, techniques, or collaborations that address core sustainability challenges.
- Scalability and Replicability: Potential for broader adoption across other regions, organizations, or value chains.
- Collaboration and Leadership: Demonstrated cross-functional teamwork, stakeholder engagement, and leadership that inspires others to act.
- Accountability and Metrics: Use of credible metrics, monitoring, and reporting to track progress and impact.
To recognise a distinguished leader whose longstanding commitment and impactful efforts have championed diversity, inclusion, and innovation within their organization or the broader food and agriculture sector.
Criteria for Nomination:
- Excellence and Dedication: Demonstrates exceptional commitment and professionalism in their work.
- Impact: Has contributed considerably to project success, sector innovation, or community well-being.
- Leadership and Collaboration: Shows strong leadership qualities and fosters effective collaboration among stakeholders.
- Long-term Influence: Their contributions have a lasting positive effect on the organization, community, or the broader sector.
Meet our 2025 winners!
The inaugural Women in Food and Agriculture (WFA) Awards celebrated outstanding individuals and initiatives that are driving innovation, inclusion, and progress within the food and agriculture sector. With four awards (Mentee of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Leader of the Year, and Initiative of the Year) the ceremony spotlighted those who are making a lasting impact on the industry and pushing the boundaries of gender equality and diversity.
Here’s a closer look at the deserving winners who were recognized for their exceptional contributions:
Beatrice Waters
Mentee of the year
The Mentee of the Year award honors an individual who has shown remarkable commitment to personal growth, learning, and contributing to diversity in the food and agriculture sector. This year’s winner, Beatrice Waters, is a great example of dedication and ambition. Based in the UK, Beatrice works as a Media Relations and Social Executive at The Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Beatrice embraced the WFA mentorship program with professionalism, curiosity, and a strong desire to learn. Not only did she apply her newfound knowledge to her professional journey, but she also became a passionate advocate for the value of mentorship. Judges praised her adaptability, preparedness, and tenacity, recognizing her as a rising star who is committed to both personal and community growth.
Patrick Charlton
Mentor of the year
The Mentor of the Year award acknowledges the dedication, passion, and lasting impact of those who invest in the development of others. This year’s recipient, Patrick Charlton, Vice President for Europe at Alltech, exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional mentor. Patrick has been described as supportive, insightful, and committed to the success of his mentees, always going above and beyond to ensure their growth.
Judges highlighted Patrick’s ability to make valuable connections beyond his immediate area of expertise, opening doors to opportunities that have contributed to his mentees’ professional advancement. His genuine interest in their success, along with his leadership and self-awareness, have made a profound difference in the lives of those he mentors. Patrick’s mentorship is a model for leaders looking to create meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of others.
Women in Agronomy by Yara International
Initiative of the Year
The Initiative of the Year award celebrates an initiative that significantly advances diversity, inclusion, and sustainability within the food and agriculture sector. Yara International’s Women in Agronomy program was honored for its groundbreaking efforts in increasing female representation within agronomy.
The initiative successfully combines education, networking, and business commercialization, all while fostering an inclusive environment for women in the field. Judges were particularly impressed by the fact that over 75% of participants applied their newly gained skills to their professional roles, resulting in measurable impact and clear success. Yara International’s program is helping to create a more diverse and sustainable future for the sector, making a lasting difference in the industry.
Vanessa Lins Porto
Leader of the Year
The Leader of the Year award recognizes an individual who demonstrates extraordinary leadership, especially in championing diversity, inclusion, and innovation. Vanessa Lins Porto, Business Director for Digital Services at dsm Firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health for the LATAM region, was honored for her exceptional leadership in driving diversity and inclusion while achieving remarkable business success.
Vanessa’s commitment to workplace equality is evident in her inclusive hiring practices and the culture she fosters within her team. Her leadership goes beyond just fostering diversity; it has delivered tangible results, including impressive financial growth and a key role in M&A successes. Judges commended her for not only leading with vision and compassion but also ensuring her leadership leads to meaningful outcomes in the broader sector.