Company: How Many Elephants, Alresford, Hampshire, UK
Company Description: How Many Elephants is an innovative, design-led charity educating a global audience about the devastating impacts of the African elephant ivory trade and raising vital funds for front-line rangers. How Many Elephants is a UK registered charity: 1186238
Nomination Category: Thought Leadership Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Female Thought Leader of the Year - Government or Non-Profit
 Nomination Title: Holly Budge
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2022 of the nominated woman, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below:
- Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 190 words used.
Holly Budge will inspire you to think big and dream even bigger. As an adventurer, Everest summiteer, and the first woman to skydive Everest, she is hailed as “one of the most accomplished female adventurers” of her time.
As the founder and leader of the international non-profit How Many Elephants, Holly’s impactful work has garnered high praise, including from Sir David Attenborough. Her role as a keynote speaker on mindset and resilience has also earned her admiration, with HRH Prince Edward describing her as “down-to-earth, funny and incredibly inspiring.”
Holly has raised over $650,000 USD for environmental and social projects, demonstrating her commitment and effectiveness. Her passion and purpose drive How Many Elephants, an innovative, design-led non-profit that educates a global audience about the devastating impacts of the African elephant ivory trade. Few people know that 96 elephants are poached every day for their ivory, threatening their extinction within a decade. Holly’s design-led approach to visualising data in a non-gory, non-political manner has proven highly successful in engaging and impacting audiences. Her global traveling exhibition, featuring 35,000 elephant silhouettes, starkly illustrates the annual poaching rate in Africa.
- Outline the nominee's thought leadership achievements since July 1 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 247 words used.
Holly Budge’s unwavering commitment to promoting gender equality in conservation is evident through her numerous accolades, including her listing in the WISE100 ‘Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise’ and being highly commended for the WISE100 Equality & Empowerment Champion Award. As an Official UN Women UK Delegate, Holly uses her influential platform to advocate for female empowerment in conservation, leaving a lasting impact through her past and current endeavors.
Holly’s visionary leadership led to the launch of World Female Ranger Week (WFRW), an annual global awareness event held from June 23-30 through her non-profit, How Many Elephants. Now in its fourth year, this groundbreaking campaign celebrates and supports female wildlife rangers worldwide. With over a decade of dedication to this cause, Holly has earned the rare privilege of patrolling the front lines with the Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit in South Africa. She has also worked alongside the fully-armed Akashinga Rangers in Zimbabwe and participated in an ambush team with the Mara Elephant Project in Kenya, arresting a bushmeat poacher. These teams are not only making significant strides in wildlife conservation but are also championing female empowerment. These women are bold, game-changers, paving the way for women to stand alongside men at the forefront of conservation—but they need allies.
WFRW has shed light on the common challenges many female rangers face across the globe, including social stigma, ill-fitting equipment or lack, and workplace security issues. Holly aims to address these needs through increased awareness and funding.
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 227 words used.
Holly’s achievements stand out for their scale, impact, and innovation in the conservation field. Identifying over 4,500 female rangers in 18 African countries and over 5,500 globally is unprecedented. This effort has not only brought visibility to these women but also united over 400 female rangers from 26+ nations to share their narratives on a global stage. Such a gathering is unparalleled in the industry, underscoring Holly's unique ability to mobilise global support and secure funding for female rangers. The media exposure, including interviews on BBC Woman’s Hour and Times Radio, has amplified the voices of these rangers to an audience of millions. This level of media engagement far exceeds the reach of many conservation organisations, highlighting Holly’s effectiveness in advocacy and public engagement. The tangible outcomes—such as securing two patrol vehicles for the Black Mambas and awarding grants to six female ranger organisations—demonstrate a direct, impactful approach that sets her apart from others in the field who may focus more on broad awareness campaigns rather than concrete support.
Compared to other industry players, Holly’s work not only highlights the critical role of female rangers but actively addresses gender imbalances, with only 11% of the global ranger workforce being female. Her data-driven approach to identifying and meeting the specific needs of female rangers further distinguishes her contributions, ensuring long-term, sustainable impacts in conservation efforts worldwide.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 181 words used.
PROMO VIDEOS:
World Female Ranger Week
How Many Elephants
MEDIA:
Adventure.com - article published by Holly Budge
Kenya Airways In-Flight Magazine
The Ethicalist
What Does The Giraffe Say Media with Jenny Desmond from Liberia Chimp Rescue, Liberia.
News Central TV LIVE
Times Radio Interview with Nyaradzo Hoto from Zimbabwe
The Tourism Reset Podacst Interview "Gender Equality In Conservation With Holly Budge"
TESTIMONIALS:
"Thank you for all you are doing to protect African elephants." Sir David Attenborough
“Gender equity in the conservation arena is such an important and prevalent topic. There is still much work to do but World Female Ranger Week plays a key role in raising awareness of the work of female rangers and women in conversation in the broader picture. Thanks to Holly Budge for bringing this to the fore.” Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka.
“I’m delighted to be an ambassador for World Female Ranger Week. Holly and her team at How Many Elephants are doing a great job at highlighting the gender gap in the field of conservation.” Chris Mears MD of ATTA & Experience Africa.
| Attachments/Videos/Links: |
|---|
|
