London, UK, 21st May 2026 – Smruti Sriram, OBE, CEO of Bags of Ethics by Supreme Creations, has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot. Alisha Fredriksson, CEO and Co-Founder of Seabound, has also been recognised, receiving the 2026 Future Award for her innovation in tackling shipping emissions.
The Bold Woman Awards recognise exceptional accomplishments by inspiring women with a proven history of both institutional and personal success. As the 54th recipients, Sriram and Fredriksson were chosen as the winners by a distinguished panel of judges for embodying the spirit of Madame Clicquot, the trailblazer who paved the way for female entrepreneurs by establishing Veuve Clicquot as one of the world’s leading champagne brands in the 1800s.
Sriram has been recognised for her leadership and impact as a woman in sustainable business and responsible manufacturing, most notably for her role in scaling Supreme Creations into a globally recognised, vertically integrated supplier of reusable merchandise and sustainable packaging.
The business was founded in 1999 by Dr R. Sri Ram, Smruti’s father, with a mission to promote reusable behaviour through exceptionally designed products for brands and consumers. Under their leadership, the business has helped eliminate an estimated 30 billion single-use items, while championing transparency through its “Bags of Ethics” label and pioneering a fully integrated supply chain from design to delivery.
Smruti was recognised for her commitment to sustainability and social impact. This includes initiatives supporting environmental conservation, responsible supply chains, and women’s empowerment, with over 80% of the workforce in the factory based in Pondicherry, India, being women.
Her collaborative projects with organisations such as the British Fashion Council and Royal Forestry Society have raised millions for charitable causes while connecting consumers to purpose-driven campaigns.
Smruti joins the ranks of previous winners including, Dame Julia Hoggett DBE, CEO of the London Stock Exchange, Professor Sarah Gilbert, recognised for leading the development of University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine; and Anne Pitcher, CEO of Selfridges Group.
Alisha Fredriksson, CEO and co-founder of Seabound, was awarded the Bold Future Award by Veuve Clicquot. The Future Award celebrates female entrepreneurs whose businesses are shaping the future, and Fredriksson was honoured for tackling one of the most complex challenges in global industry; reducing emissions in the shipping sector.
The judges were impressed by Fredriksson’s entrepreneurial ambition and technical innovation, which led to the development of a world-first modular carbon capture system that can be retrofitted onto existing ships, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 95%. She has rapidly scaled Seabound from concept to commercialisation, securing partnerships with leading industry players.
The award’s judging panel features a mixture of industry leaders and networkers, including Kristina Blahnik, CEO of Manolo Blahnik,; Bridget Lea, Managing Director of Allwyn UK, Matt Penneycard Co-founding Partner at Ada Ventures; ; and Pip Jamieson, founder of The Dots.
Smruti Sriram, OBE, CEO of Bags of Ethics said:
“As a second-generation entrepreneur, my journey has been shaped by a strong foundation of values, kindness, purpose, and business acumen from my family, and especially my father. who founded the business in 1999 and is still very much involved. Through proactive and continuous mentoring, these eighteen years have been a professional and personal evolution, with a strong belief that business can and should be a force for good. To be recognised alongside such inspiring women is a reminder of what’s possible when we use our skills not just to succeed, but to serve.
“Our global teams from Pondicherry, in which 80% of our workforce are women, and across Europe are creative, highly skilled and have always been showcased as partners to our clients, not just suppliers. This award is a spotlight on them, not me, they are the backbone and deserve the full recognition.
“Our commitment to design, science, engineering, innovation, education and sustainability, all laced with a highly agile and positive attitude has meant that we work with some of the best brands in the world, creating impact across business, nature, and communities. Through my work for The Wings of Hope, which was set up by my parents in 2004, in which over 40,000+ students in the UK, India and in Africa have benefitted, I have seen the merits of youth leadership in social enterprise, the very foundations of my own career. As with all awards, this is not a single-person effort, and I am profoundly grateful to my husband and my immediate family for the daily joy and support they give me to do a job that I love wholeheartedly.”
Alisha Fredriksson, CEO and co-founder of Seabound, said:
“I’m incredibly proud of the journey we’ve taken at Seabound, tackling one of the toughest challenges out there: reducing emissions in global shipping. What began as an ambitious idea to address the climate crisis has grown into a brand new category of technology for the industry, with our modular carbon capture system now capable of retrofitting existing ships and cutting CO₂ emissions by up to 95%.
“With successful pilot projects behind us, we’re now at an exciting inflection point: heading into our first full-scale deployments, with the world’s largest shipping companies and regulators actively engaging with us. What’s most rewarding is getting closer each day to decarbonising shipping, an industry that’s long been considered too hard to abate. None of this would have been possible without the creativity and grit of our team, or the customers and partners who backed us early. I’m very grateful for this award and the extra spotlight it shines on Seabound, and excited about what lies ahead as we keep delivering on our mission.”
Thomas Mulliez, president of Veuve Clicquot, commented: “Madame Clicquot led Veuve Clicquot to become a brand of excellence and courage. Building on her legacy, Smruti Sriram, OBE and Alisha Fredriksson are shaping the future of business. Their businesses tackle Global issues and their achievements extend far beyond commercial success, offering powerful inspiration to the next generation of female entrepreneurs. Whether it’s advancing sustainability, driving innovation, or influencing culture, they show that bold thinking, standing out, and challenging expectations can lead to both financial success and meaningful societal impact.”
The full shortlist for the awards included Paula MacKenzie, CEO of PizzaExpress, Kanya King CBE, founder and CEO of MOBO Group, and Smruti Sriram OBE, CEO of Bags of Ethics (Supreme Creations), who were all nominated for the Bold Woman Award. Alisha Fredriksson, CEO and co-founder of Seabound, Josephine Philips, founder of SOJO, and Marisa Poster, co-founder of PerfectTed, were on the shortlist for the Bold Future Award.
