The International Women’s Day Conference & Expo 2025 took place at Millennium Point, Birmingham on 25 February 2025, a couple of weeks earlier than International Women’s Day itself for reasons I will explain later. Its aim was to be a powerful catalyst for change, bringing together business leaders, DE&I advocates, and industry pioneers to discuss how we can move from awareness to action in accelerating gender equity.

As I had the privilege of hosting the panel on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Office, I was struck by the depth of insight, the urgency of the discussions, and, most importantly, the shared commitment to turning words into action.

With this year’s IWD theme being #AccelerateAction, here are my key takeaways from the event – practical steps we can all take to drive meaningful progress on gender equity.

1. Allyship Must Be Intentional and Measurable

One of the standout themes across multiple panels – including our ED&I session – was the role of allies in accelerating change. Allyship isn’t passive. It requires intention, accountability, and action.

Amazon’s Men as Allies programme showcased how structured training can challenge unconscious bias, encourage men to advocate for women, and create tangible workplace shifts. A key insight from their discussion was that allyship should be measured not just in data, but in everyday behaviours, such as:

• Fair delegation of tasks and opportunities
• Calling out bias in decision-making
• Ensuring diverse voices are included in meetings

Action Point: Assess how you distribute opportunities in your own workplace. Are you fostering inclusivity or reinforcing existing biases?

2. The “Drawbridge Effect” – Women Supporting Women

As we discussed in our panel, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” A recurring theme across multiple sessions was the importance of representation, whether in leadership, tech, healthcare, or policy.

A particularly thought-provoking moment came from Yetunde Dania on our panel, who highlighted the importance of women not “pulling up the drawbridge” once they achieve leadership positions.

• Mentorship and sponsorship play a crucial role in women’s career progression.
• Women need to advocate for one another, opening doors instead of competing for limited seats at the table.
• Organisations must embed sponsorship into their DE&I strategies – not just mentoring, but actively championing women for promotions and opportunities.

Action Point: Reflect: Are you mentoring or sponsoring another woman in your workplace? If not, who could you advocate for today?

3. The Power of Representation and Visibility

In the Leading Females in Tech & AI session, speakers emphasised:

• Encouraging mid-career women to transition into tech
• Highlighting diverse role models in male-dominated fields
• Removing the “confidence gap”. Women should apply for roles even when they don’t meet 100% of the criteria!

Action Point: If you’re in a leadership position, how often do you amplify and showcase the achievements of the women in your team? Make visibility a priority.

4. Intersectionality Matters – Thinking Beyond One Perspective

The decision was made to hold IWD 2025 on February 25 instead of March 8, to avoid a clash with Ramadan. That was a brilliant example of thinking intersectionally.

Too often, gender equity is discussed in isolation. However, as Dr. Zaheer Ahmad MBE powerfully put it:

“Gender equality isn’t just a women’s issue—it’s a societal issue that affects us all.”

Discussions on neurodiversity, healthcare disparities, and unconscious bias reinforced that inclusion requires us to:

• Acknowledge overlapping identities – race, class, disability, and gender all intersect.
• Create policies that address the needs of all women, not just those in majority demographics.
• Listen—particularly to those whose voices have been historically marginalised.

Action Point: Consider: Is your workplace truly inclusive for all women, or just some? How can your DE&I initiatives be more intersectional?

5. Action, Not Just Awareness

The most powerful message of the day was as follows: We know the challenges. We know the data. Now, it’s time to accelerate action.

So, key questions to reflect on are:

• Are we tracking progress on gender equity, or just talking about it?
• Are we giving women the tools and support to advance?
• Are we holding ourselves and others accountable?

The IWD Conference & Expo was an incredible reminder that while awareness is important, action is essential. The responsibility to #AccelerateAction lies with every one of us.

Final Thought

As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, let’s move from conversations to commitments, from awareness to accountability, and from intentions to impact.

What’s one action you’ll take this year to advance gender equity in your workplace?