International Women's Day – a guide for staff and employers

International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women and their achievements. It’s a day designed to raise awareness and inspire others to support better gender equality, regardless of division, bias, or discrimination.

The history behind International Women’s Day

Inspired by the universal suffrage movement (the organised struggle for women's right to vote), IWD aims to raise awareness for the women’s movement, gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence against women. The day is a call to action for all to understand and remember the challenges and struggles women have faced throughout history and how they have shaped our world for the better.

1909 was the first National Woman's Day - celebrated in the United States on February 28th. It wasn’t until the following year at a Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin - Activist and former Member of the Reichstag - proposed an annual International Women's Day to campaign for women's suffrage.

Celebrated on the 8th of March annually, the day shines a spotlight on the progression of iconic women of the past, to inspire present and future people, to gain gender equality and better living and working standards for women across the globe.

Every year, there is a new theme for International Women’s Day. The following themes have defined the last decade:

2025: "Accelerate Action"

2024: “Inspire Inclusion”

2023: “DigitALL” - Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality

2022: “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”

2021: “Women in leadership”

2020: "I am Generation Equality: Realising Women's Rights"

2019: Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change

2018: #PressforProgress

2017: #BeBoldforChange

2016: “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”

Whilst it is important to celebrate women’s achievements on International Women’s Day, it is vital that we keep the same momentum and celebration throughout the year to educate and drive the women’s movement forward for gender equality.

Why should we celebrate International Women’s Day?

A lot has changed for women, but more change is yet to be set in motion for the greater good. According to research in 2024, the gender pay gap in the UK will take approximately 45 years to close.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has also stated, ‘Across Britain, men are almost twice as likely to be a manager, director, or senior official that women,’- so clearly, there is still work to be done.

Women have always been a vital power and force in the world

Polish physicist and chemist, Marie Curie, discovered radium and polonium, opening new fields in medicine, science, and engineering. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in protest of the civil rights movement in America. In the face of adversity, Princess Diana raised significant and crucial awareness for those affected by landmines, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS against a mountain of public scrutiny.

Emmeline Pankhurst was a founding member of arguably one of the most influential movements in women’s history, the suffragettes. Frida Kahlo broke all social conventions and showed her defiance in women adapting to suit the oppressive, androcentric world of the early 1900s.

All these women have shown courage, and through that bravery they have changed the world for the better, all whilst coming up against systemic prejudices and discrimination against women - that is something to truly celebrate.

Why International Women’s Day matters at work

Change cannot happen without awareness. With discrepancies in pay, unfair opportunities and a myriad of other concerns women face, the workplace is a crucial area that employers must take seriously to break down barriers and provide equal opportunities for women.

• It celebrates the achievement of women

• It raises awareness of past, present and future challenges

• It encourages people to take action

• It strengthens employer branding

• It creates a more inclusive workplace

• It may encourage more women to take on leadership roles

How can organisations celebrate International Women’s Day?

1. Fundraise within your workplace

A good way to show your organisation’s solidarity is to donate to women-specific charities that actively support the women’s movement and help underprivileged women.

Encourage your people to donate in fun ways through raffles, fundraisers, or interactive quizzes. Ask your professional females if they would like to take the lead on organising the fundraiser and ask everyone to send suggestions for female charities that are close to their heart.

2. Do more for the female community in the workplace

Encourage your people to do more for the female community through training and education. Set up a dedicated day (or just an hour) to talk about International Women’s Day and the importance of supporting female empowerment. Signpost to female written literature put up posters with inspirational quotes from iconic women who have contributed to the women’s movement and leave information around the office about female support and charities.

The official International Women’s Day website offers comprehensive and informative resources that provide good ways to support the female community in the workplace, such as the Free IWD 2024 Planning Toolkit.

3. Demonstrate your continued commitment to gender equality

Displaying gender equality within your organisation is imperative for your people and your organisation. A good way of showing your commitment to gender equality is through your hire culture and inclusive ethos expectations.

Improve interviewing techniques to spot potential prospects who have good inclusive values. Once you have hired your inclusive new starter, express your inclusion and diversity expectations clearly. Offer more leadership roles to your high-performing women and incentivize these roles with appropriate pay that matches with male counterparts.

4. Decorate the office

Decorate the office in honour of International Women’s Day, hang engaging posters in the office with quotes from inspirational women, provide engaging literature from female writers, display artwork from women artists, and encourage everyone to wear International Women’s Day colours (purple, green, or white).

We highly recommend keeping these up all year round!

5. Share your support on socials

Social media is essential for all organisations in this day and age, regardless of whether you use them in your personal life.

Promote support for the women’s movement and International Women’s Day on social media to share awareness with your network. Create fun and helpful posts, stories, and highlights that deliver engaging interesting information and signposts to charities that support the women’s movement.

6. Review current workplace policies

As an employer or HR professional, it’s important to regularly review and improve policies. Take a moment to reflect on your company’s policies regarding equal pay, parental/maternity leave, flexible working, menopause policies and diversity training. Identify areas for improvement and commit to meaningful action. It can be especially useful to have contingencies, protocols and helpful information for any women, transgender or non-binary individuals with health concerns.

Supporting your organisation's mental health challenges with an Employee Assistance Programme

With a HA | Wisdom Wellbeing Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), we can offer you practical advice and support when it comes to dealing with anxiety, and depression, and how to improve your work-life balance.

Our EAP provides guidance and supports your employees with their mental health in the workplace and at home. We can help you create a safe, productive workspace that supports all.

We support your employee's mental wellbeing with any problems they might be facing in their professional or personal lives with our 24-hour counselling helpline.