This International Women’s Day 2025 (8 March), we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity with women all over the world as we fight to get women on a level playing field and achieve gender equality.
International Women’s Day has been around for over 100 years, but at the rate we’re going, according to the World Economic Forum, we won’t achieve full gender parity until 2158. For women all over the world, that’s simply too long.
That’s why the theme for International Women’s Day 2025, Accelerate Action, is timely and poignant, given what’s going on in the United States right now.
Gender Equality Is Under Attack
One of Trump’s first actions after returning to power for a second term was to shut down equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) schemes in the US government and put the staff working on those schemes on immediate paid administrative leave.
One of the most powerful men in the world just sent a very clear message – equality doesn’t matter.
It also begs the question: what effect will this have on US businesses? Will they scrap their EDI schemes too? If those businesses have UK operations, will those operations be expected to follow suit?
Trump’s order has already had an impact here in the UK, with British pharma company GSK halting its diversity activities for UK workers. Quite frankly, the potential fallout if other UK companies jump on the bandwagon is simply terrifying.
Women In Business: A Constant Battle
The dismissive attitude we’re seeing towards equality is a kick in the teeth to women in business all over the world, striving to build a business, provide exceptional services to their clients and bring about change in their communities.
Women like my good friend Samantha Worrell, a former compliance lawyer turned businesswoman, who created the US-based company The Gift Tailor, a corporate gifting solutions brand.
Sam has overcome extraordinary challenges to get her business where it is today, all while juggling a busy home and a career as a lawyer. Her story is shared by millions of women in business all over the world who are striving to succeed in an environment where 71.1% of new businesses will fail within the first 3 years.
How Can We Accelerate Action?
We know women in business come up against barriers and challenges, but what can we do about it?
The clue is in the word ‘action.’ There are many ways we can promote the advancement of women and girls, in business and beyond, to bring about the positive change that’s desperately needed.
Businesses should take the time to review their strategies to consider whether they truly give women the opportunities needed to grow and thrive in the world of business.
Putting diversity and equality at the heart of recruitment processes ensures that doors that historically might have been closed are open for women to enter the workforce.
Development programmes that see women actively welcomed into leadership positions is a change that can be made by organisations.
These examples taken from the IWD website that reinforces what happens when organisations prioritise women’s empowerment and equity in the workplace and beyond, to help create lasting, positive change in society.
- Nike’s commitment to women athletes has seen the company increase sponsorships and media visibility for women athletes, promoting gender equity in sports.
- Goldman Sachs, through its “10,000 Women” initiative, provides women entrepreneurs with access to business education, capital, and mentorship to grow their businesses.
- Netflix has invested heavily in women-led content and ensures representation in leadership roles. It promotes gender equity in casting and crew hiring for its productions.
- Unilever achieved gender balance across its management roles globally, reaching 50% women at management level globally in 2020 through robust recruitment, mentorship, and leadership programs.
- Microsoft supports women in STEM through initiatives like “DigiGirlz” which provides workshops, mentorship, and resources to inspire young women to pursue careers in technology.
- Google offers programs like “Women Techmakers” providing visibility, resources, and community for women in tech. The company also conducts annual pay equity audits to close the gender wage gap.
- Procter & Gamble (P&G) runs campaigns such as #WeSeeEqual, promoting gender equality through its brands, workplace initiatives, partners and communities.
- Salesforce conducted an internal pay audit to identify and close the gender pay gap, committing millions of dollars to ensure pay equity for its employees.
- The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) “WiSTEM2D” initiative (Women in STEM, Manufacturing & Design) supports women in these fields through partnerships, scholarships, and mentoring.
- Deloitte runs the “Women@Deloitte” program, focusing on mentorship, leadership development, and advancing women to senior roles within the company.
- PepsiCo supports women through the “Million Women Mentors” initiative that leverages mentorship between STEM career professionals and women who aspire to STEM careers.
- Mastercard launched “Girls4Tech” which is a program, aimed at inspiring girls to pursue STEM careers, and developed financial tools to empower women entrepreneurs globally.
- Lean In encourages women to achieve their career goals through mentorship, leadership circles, and resources to address workplace bias.
- Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King, advocates for gender equity in sports and provides funding and support for girls and women athletes.
- Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media company produces content that highlights female voices and stories, creating opportunities for women in the entertainment industry.
- The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media works to increase the representation of women and reduce gender bias in media and entertainment.
We All Have A Part To Play
It’s not just up to big businesses to put the theme of Accelerate Action into practice. We all have a part to play in ensuring our daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters don’t face the challenges that come with a lack of gender parity.
From a young age, we must ensure girls see a future for themselves in all areas of life, like sport, science, business and the arts. We must support women and girls in matters of health and the right to have control over their own bodies.
We can all take action to make stereotypes a thing of the past and challenge discrimination and bias against women whenever we encounter it. Above all, women in business, and indeed in all areas of life, should lift each other up, celebrate successes and provide support and encouragement when things don’t go to plan.
Together, we can increase the momentum behind the campaign to remove the barriers holding women back, both personally and professionally. Together, we can Accelerate Action.
Join The Fight For Change
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