International Women’s Day (IWD) is more than a date in the calendar. It’s a chance for businesses of all sizes to reflect, take action and show genuine support for gender equality. Whether you’re running a small team or building a growing company, how you choose to mark the day can say a lot about your values and workplace culture.
As a Mindful Employer , Rapid Formations values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. So, helping small business owners find practical ways to celebrate IWD on 8 March and beyond is something we feel strongly about.
In this guide, we’ll share practical, achievable ways to celebrate International Women’s Day at work and explain how you can turn one day of recognition into meaningful, year-round progress.
International Women’s Day falls on 8 March and is a worldwide celebration of female achievements while promoting gender equality. It’s a global event that:
While we should strive to strengthen these ideals every day, IWD specifically addresses them. Even though IWD has existed for over a century and significant progress has been made over the years, there’s still more to do to create a safe and fair society for all.
IWD highlights a different theme each year to focus on various empowerment actions behind the movement. The IWD 2026 campaign theme is ‘Give to Gain’, which encourages individuals and organisations to contribute meaningfully towards advancing gender equality in workplaces and communities worldwide.
IWD is about both recognition and progress. In the UK, gender equality remains an important issue across many sectors. Although progress has been made, challenges such as the gender pay gap, underrepresentation in senior leadership, and unequal access to development opportunities continue to affect workplaces.
For business owners and company directors , marking IWD can help to:
Even small teams can make a meaningful contribution. Whether you employ a handful of people or manage a growing workforce, recognising IWD shows that your business genuinely cares about gender equality.
Is this your company’s first time celebrating IWD, or are you stuck for ideas on how to mark the event in your workplace? Here are a few activity ideas to consider.
If you’re looking for active ways to get involved, why not attend an IWD event? The International Women’s Day website has an events directory , which you can browse by country and city. You’ll find a variety of free, paid, virtual, and in-person activities for you and your employees to participate in before, on, and after 8 March.
Virtual events are a great way to bring your whole team together, especially if you work across different locations or have hybrid or remote staff. You could organise a shared viewing session, followed by an informal team discussion.
For example, one of the events listed for 5 March is IWD 2026 Stronger Together: The Power of Collaboration . This event is all about celebrating teamwork and exploring how people can support each other to make progress on gender equality in practical ways.
If you’re looking for something that’s specifically about building confidence and leadership skills, consider the IWD 2026 event Say It Like You Mean It on 6 March. It focuses on communication and presentation skills, helping participants feel more confident and expressive when speaking up.
In-person events can be a fun way to make IWD feel authentic and memorable. Larger conferences can offer a mix of talks, networking, and practical insights you can take back to your business.
For example, the Rise International Women’s Day Conference 2026 on 4 March 2026 brings together speakers and attendees to talk about inclusion, leadership, and how workplaces can be better for everyone. Sitting in on sessions like these can spark ideas you might want to try back at your office.
There are also local community-based events that are more informal and hands-on. One example is a free self-defence workshop happening around 8 March in Brixton. Participating in something like this as a team can help foster shared experiences and show that you care about wellbeing in a broader sense.
You don’t have to attend an external event to get involved. Hosting something internally can be just as meaningful and allows you to tailor the day to your team.
If you need inspiration, download the free IWD Planning Toolkit to help you organise an engaging and inclusive activity.
While some IWD events are designed especially for women, the ethos of IWD is that it ‘belongs to all who care about gender equality’. So, whatever you plan, make it open to anyone who wants to get involved. Organising an inclusive activity helps reinforce that gender equality is a shared goal for everyone on your team.
IWD is an excellent opportunity to make a real difference by supporting a women-focused charity. It shows your organisation is serious about backing women and girls, not just talking about it. This is especially relevant in 2026 with this year’s theme, ‘Give to Gain’.
Across the UK, many inspiring organisations are doing vital work for women and girls. Choosing a charity that genuinely connects with your team and audience will make your IWD activity far more meaningful.
For example, Women’s Aid supports women and children affected by domestic abuse. The Fawcett Society campaigns for gender equality and fairer policies. Smart Works helps women gain the confidence, clothing, and coaching they need to succeed in interviews and move into employment.
The IWD Giving directory features verified charities worldwide, and the search tool on the landing page makes it easy to filter by location or cause to find a charity that aligns with your organisation.
Here are some practical ways to support your chosen charity:
A simple but effective way to celebrate IWD is to share a social media post. Done thoughtfully, this can be a powerful way to share your company values, raise awareness, and engage meaningfully with your audience.
However, there are certain dos and don’ts to keep in mind when sharing IWD content publicly.
If you need a hand, use these ready-made IWD 2026 social media cards . Follow the provided templates using #IWD2026 and #GiveToGain to ensure your messaging is aligned, respectful, and on theme.
To illustrate the difference between performative and authentic messaging, consider this example from the fashion brand Missguided on X (formerly Twitter).
The post received mixed responses. While some users supported the sentiment, others criticised the brand for its reported 40% gender pay gap at the time. Giving away cash prizes was also perceived by some as a marketing stunt, rather than meaningful action.
In contrast, this Instagram post from the small business marketplace Not On The High Street offers a more thoughtful approach.
This post perfectly captures the essence of the NOTHS brand while highlighting their incredible female-led small-business partners. It’s simple but impactful, and the caption promotes positive user engagement.
Bringing in a guest speaker is a great way to engage and educate your team on IWD. This could be a female business owner, a women’s rights activist, or an expert from a relevant social organisation.
The intention is for a guest speaker to share real-life experiences, struggles, triumphs, and advice with your employees. Facilitating these open and honest discussions can help the women in your business feel safe, supported, and confident to speak up about their own challenges.
You can host guest speakers in person or virtually, making this an accessible opportunity for remote, hybrid, and office-based workers.
Sharing educational resources is a meaningful way to celebrate IWD while encouraging awareness, empowerment and inclusion across your workplace.
This could include books, audiobooks, podcasts, videos, quotes, infographics, social posts or articles. There are plenty of free and low-cost options available, so it’s easy to create something that suits your team and budget.
Here are some recommended IWD reads and audiobooks to get you started:
If podcasts are more your style, you might enjoy The Worst Girl Gang Ever, The Guilty Feminist, or Woman’s Hour. Offering a mix of formats makes it easier for everyone to engage in a way that suits them, whether that’s reading, listening or sharing with colleagues.
Or if you’re looking to share an inspirational quote with your teams or direct them to a motivational figure, we caught up with Kelly Chandler, founder of Kelly Chandler Consulting , venue expert, and high-end customer experience consultant, about what IWD means to her as a female entrepreneur.
Here’s what she said:
As an entrepreneur, I know that my brain – and the brains of many of my fellow businesswomen – is busy rushing ahead, creating the next thing, looking to future goals. But International Women’s Day is a day to take stock, to pause, to reflect on how far we’ve come and to celebrate not just our own endeavours in business, but women’s success in the world in general. It’s a day that I love to champion my fellow women in business.
Celebrating IWD and standing for women’s rights should be an ongoing effort . Below are five additional steps you can take if you’re looking for more long-term strategies to boost awareness and your organisation’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
Despite efforts to ensure equal pay for men and women, the gender pay gap remains one of the most persistent challenges in the fight for women’s rights. IWD helps expose income inequality and calls on employers to take meaningful steps towards fixing it.
According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures , the UK gender pay gap for all employees was 12.8% in April 2025, down slightly from 13.1% in 2024. For full-time employees, the gap stands at 6.9%. Among part-time workers, there’s a slight negative gap of -2.9%, largely due to workforce patterns, including the higher proportion of women in part-time roles. The gap is narrowing, but it hasn’t disappeared, and it still requires consistent attention.
Even small businesses can run a meaningful gender pay gap review without complex systems or external consultants. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get you started.
Running a gender pay gap audit might feel daunting, but it’s crucial for finding out where you stand and taking steady, informed steps towards a more equitable workplace.
Another idea is to provide mentorship for female employees. Mentorship is when an experienced individual (the mentor) provides guidance and advice to a mentee, helping them grow personally and professionally. Mentorship programmes can be group or one-to-one, short- or long-term, and formal or informal.
If you’re not sure where to start, keep it simple. You could:
A well-structured mentorship programme can help bridge diversity gaps, boost confidence and provide valuable insight into career progression. It also signals that your business is committed to developing female talent and creating clearer pathways to leadership.
Training and development opportunities give employees practical ways to build their skills, grow in confidence and progress in their roles. In honour of IWD, consider introducing new development initiatives or expanding the ones you already offer.
Here are a few initiatives to consider:
Investing in development can boost job satisfaction, increase confidence, support overall wellbeing and help create a more inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels valued and supported.
Make sure opportunities are accessible to all employees and that everyone has a fair and equal chance to grow, progress and be recognised for their contribution to the success of the business.
Balancing work and childcare is a major challenge for many working mothers in the UK. High childcare costs, limited maternity pay and caring responsibilities can place real pressure on families and affect women’s careers.
According to the 2026 Modern Families Index , almost 29% of working parents report very high stress levels, and 77% say this sometimes makes it hard to function at work. Mothers are 50% more likely than fathers to say that having children has negatively affected their career. Around 21% of employees have used sick leave to manage care emergencies, highlighting the strain many families are under.
Earlier research by the Fawcett Society with Totaljobs found that 41% of working mothers have turned down promotions due to childcare pressures, and 11% have left their jobs for this reason, highlighting how these challenges directly affect progression and retention.
When asked what would make the biggest difference, flexible working consistently ranks among the most valued forms of support.
If your business doesn’t offer flexible working, or if your policy could be improved, IWD is a good time to review it. Greater flexibility can improve work-life balance, boost job satisfaction and reduce burnout. And you, the employer, would benefit from happier, more engaged employees, reduced skills gaps, and lower costs associated with filling them.
Finally, register for a free IWD account . As an IWD community member, you can access specialist resources and content and receive regular news and event updates. That way, you’ll never miss anything and benefit from ongoing support with communicating with and engaging your team.
From a simple social media post to reviewing internal policies, there are many meaningful ways small businesses can get involved in International Women’s Day and make a real impact.
If you’re in the early stages of launching a business, this is also a powerful opportunity to build inclusion into your foundations. Registering a company with Rapid Formations can be your first step towards creating a purpose-led business with values that shape your workplace culture from day one.
If you have thoughts or experiences to share about IWD, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Yes. Even a small team can make a meaningful impact by taking focused, genuine action such as reviewing internal policies, supporting a women-focused charity, or starting conversations about equality.
International Women’s Day celebrations raise awareness and show support, while genuine workplace equality requires ongoing action such as fair pay, inclusive policies, and equal progression opportunities. One is symbolic; the other is structural and sustained.
A small business can demonstrate real commitment by auditing pay gaps, offering flexible working, providing mentorship, and ensuring transparent promotion criteria.
Small businesses can celebrate International Women’s Day by sharing meaningful content, spotlighting female team members, hosting a short internal discussion, or supporting a women-focused charity. Low-cost actions, such as flexible working reviews or a book allowance, can also demonstrate genuine commitment without requiring a large budget.
Supporting women year-round includes conducting pay gap reviews, offering mentorship, ensuring transparent promotion pathways, and providing flexible working options.
Flexible working helps reduce barriers that disproportionately affect women, particularly those with caring responsibilities. It supports career progression, improves retention, and enables businesses to build a more inclusive and equitable workplace.