Kelly Ruigrok receives Uber FCN Jewel Award for female leadership
Kelly Ruigrok receives Uber FCN Jewel Award for female leadership
Amsterdam, November 05, 2025
Kelly Ruigrok, Founder and CEO of the Global Sustainable Enterprise System (GSES), has been honored with the Uber FCN Jewel Award for Female Leadership during the 15th edition of the FCN Jewel Awards, held at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
The award recognizes female leaders who drive change through innovation, connection, and decisive action. The presentation was made by Saskia de Jongh, Vice President of Uber Eats, who praised Ruigrok for her remarkable leadership journey:
“From cleaner to CEO of an international sustainability platform Kelly shows how purpose-driven leadership can truly change systems.”
Leadership with Measurable Impact
Under Ruigrok’s leadership, GSES has grown into a global platform for measuring and improving sustainability, transparency, and circular performance across supply chains. Governments, multinationals, SMEs, and suppliers use the system to make their sustainability achievements visible and verifiable.
“I dedicate this award to my team, our partners, and our clients around the world,” said Ruigrok.
“Female leadership isn’t just about having more women at the table it’s about building with purpose, courage, and collaboration. Sustainability demands a new kind of leadership and we’ve only just begun.”
Female Leadership as a Driver of Sustainable Transformation
A growing number of international studies show that female leaders are faster to implement sustainable innovations, build more inclusive organizations, and focus on long-term value for society and the environment. The Uber FCN Jewel Award highlights this evolution and honors women who are reshaping industries through impact-driven leadership.
During the evening, other outstanding female entrepreneurs were also recognized.
Gunay Uslu (Corendon) received the Business Excellence Jewel Award, and Marianne Baars, CEO of NewFysic, was also honored.
The award trophies were designed by artist Micky Hoogendijk, who created unique artistic pieces symbolizing strength and transformation.
Ruigrok concluded her acceptance speech with a powerful statement:
“Female leadership is not a trend it’s the future of sustainable growth. Here’s to even more impact. Let’s lead. Let’s build. Let’s shake systems.”
About the FCN Jewel Awards
The FCN Jewel Awards, organized by the Founders Carbon Network (FCN), annually bring together entrepreneurs, executives, and impact makers. Previous winners include Pieter Zwart, Won Yip, and Jopie Geerts.
About GSES
The Global Sustainable Enterprise System (GSES) is the world’s first universal sustainability assessment system integrating ESG, circularity, and certification data. The platform is used globally by organizations and governments seeking to manage and report their impact transparently.
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City of Amsterdam Sail 2025
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City of Amsterdam Sail 2025
GSES presents during the Commissioners’ Dinner of the Municipality of Amsterdam aboard the Clipper Stad Amsterdam
During SAIL Amsterdam 2025, GSES once again contributed to the annual Commissioners’ Dinner of the municipal participations of the Municipality of Amsterdam.
The special event took place aboard the iconic Clipper Stad Amsterdam, which sails on sustainable fuel a fitting setting for an evening dedicated to sustainability, collaboration, and innovation.
GSES measures and verifies the impact of SAIL 2025
GSES measures and verifies the sustainability impact of SAIL Amsterdam 2025.
Our founder and CEO, Kelly Ruigrok, took the stage to share how GSES measures the sustainability impact of SAIL through the GSES Platform. This platform enables organizations to monitor their performance across ESG, SDG, and circularity themes, while independent auditors our Greenguards ensure objective verification of the data.
Alderman Alexander Scholtes as speaker
The event was opened by Alexander Scholtes, Alderman for Participations of the Municipality of Amsterdam. He spoke about the importance of sustainable entrepreneurship within municipal participations and the role of collaboration between public and private partners in building a future-proof city.
Continuation of earlier sustainability collaboration
For GSES, this was a special moment, as it marked the second time the platform was invited to present to the Municipality of Amsterdam and its participations.
During the first session in 2023, held at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, GSES already presented on sustainability measurement and impact management within Amsterdam’s participations a trajectory that is now being further developed.
Building sustainable connections together
Throughout the evening, board members, commissioners, entrepreneurs, and policymakers engaged in discussions about the future of sustainable innovation, collaboration, and international connectivity.
The event concluded with a walking dinner and the impressive evening show Waves of Light an experience that beautifully symbolized the connection between the city, the sea, and sustainability.
Thanks to the organizers
We would like to thank SAIL Amsterdam 2025 and the Municipality of Amsterdam, especially Alexander Scholtes, for the invitation and hospitality.
We also appreciate the inspiring contributions of:
- Henk van Raan – SAIL
- Tanja Dik – Managing Director Johan Cruijff ArenA
- Elisabeth de Jong – Program Manager SAIL
GSES looks back with pride on an evening that demonstrates how collaboration between government, business, and society can contribute to a more sustainable future. 🌍💚
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