- Who can join WACL?
WACL is a club for senior women leaders and we welcome women from across the advertising and communications industry, from all nations and regions of the UK. As the industry is growing and diversifying, so too is our membership. We would love to hear from you whether you are the founder of a new start-up, whether you’re at the forefront of the data or technology that is transforming our industry, whether you work in marketing, advertising, production or customer experience. And, of course, our community of women who work brand-side as marketers, in media owners or in agencies continues to grow. .
Whatever your role, to be considered for membership, you will already need to be a highly respected woman in your field, for instance, held an executive position/be a founder/ be on the board/executive management team (CEO/MD, CMO/Marketing Director, Founding Partner, CCO/ECD, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, etc.), or the department within a business, that is involved in the creation, execution or evaluation of advertising, marketing communications and media. If you are not quite yet at the right level for membership, there are many other female groups within the industry with whom we actively partner with and support. We are happy to advise on this and to stay connected should joining the club be part of your plan over the next few years.
- What are we looking for?
Our mantra as a club is ‘stronger me, stronger we’. As members of WACL, we are united by the conviction that we are each better because we are together. We all contribute, every day in a multitude of ways and equally we all gain from the friendship and support of the Club.
As such, we want our members to be active, to lean in and to use their influence in their own businesses to make a difference.
We want our members to be active participants in the club’s activities, events and campaigns, and to be proud advocates of WACL to further increase our collective sphere of influence. Everyone who joins WACL (new or established members) gets the most out of it through participation.
We want our members to positively check and challenge what we are doing and where we are going.
- How do I apply?
- Key dates for your calendar
Become a WACL member to bring gender equality to our industry
What is WACL and why should I become a member?
Who we are
We are an active club of influential women in marketing, commercial media, advertising and communications industries. We are purpose driven – our aim is to accelerate gender equality for the benefit of all. As leaders, we are determined to use our power and influence to change our own workplaces, in the work that we do, and the communities we operate in. As a Club, we come together to support each other, to learn from each other, and to form lasting relationships and friendships.
What we believe
Our goal is to effect change. To create working places and a society where everyone has the same access, opportunity, experience and recognition to succeed in life. We believe everyone’s contribution should be valued and respected to create cultures of belonging in our workplaces. We advocate for transparent reporting, candour amongst ourselves and embrace and support women in all life stages. To do this, we recognise that for all of us to be equal, those women who are further ahead than others must use their privilege to help lift others up.
What we do
We campaign for change to drive gender equality and 2023 marked our centenary and the launch of our 50% CEO campaign and ‘Represent Me’ – our cross platform campaign to improve the representation of women. . Recent campaigns have been developed to promote Flexible Working, to close the Gender Pay Gap, and to eradicate sexual harassment in our industry via our support for timeTo. We inspire our members with thought leadership events and give them opportunities to meet their peers and broaden their networks. We support women in the industry via sponsorship, training and mentorship. And we fundraise for industry charities for the benefit of all, including the WACL Talent Awards where we award bursaries to the female leaders of the future.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 ARE NOW CLOSED.
All applications need to be endorsed and seconded by WACL members.
Please contact your WACL endorser directly to discuss how to apply this year. There is a short form that your WACL endorser will fill out with you and submit on your behalf. They’ll also and help you understand any of the expectations around participating in the Club’s events, campaigns and how you would be able to support WACL’s work.
The WACL member who’s endorsing you will need to submit the applications through the Members’ area of the website before midnight on Sunday 2 March 2025, when applications will close.