International Women’s Day: Advancing Gender Equality in 2026 and beyond

This is an online event.

Audience

This event is open to both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC) and has been designed for HR people/Talent management practitioners/managers.

About the Event

Join us this International Women’s Day 2026 for a conversation on the two big themes this year:

Give To Gain – Unlock the power of reciprocity. When businesses and individuals give generously—through opportunities, mentorship, and support—they gain stronger teams, innovative ideas, and drive sustainable growth for economic success.

Balance the Scales – A call from UN Women to ensure fair, inclusive, and accessible justice for every woman and girl.

Why Responsible Business is the Path to Economic Success

Creating a gender-diverse workforce isn’t just about doing the right thing—it’s about driving measurable business results. Companies that prioritise inclusion outperform competitors in innovation, profitability, and employee engagement. Organisations that prioritise inclusion are 8 times more likely to have better business outcomes. Responsible business practices foster trust, attract top talent, and open doors to new markets. A 5% increase in the number of women in employment would add £125bn to UK GDP per annum.

When we invest in women, we invest in progress. By balancing the scales and giving to gain, organisations create ecosystems where everyone can thrive—and that translates into long-term economic success. Just a 10% increase in gender equality increases life expectancy by an average of 3 years for all genders.

What We’ll Explore

• The Business Case for Gender Equality: Learn why mentoring, talent programs, and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) support women to thrive at work
• Celebrating New Legislation: Discover how upcoming legislation reforms laws such as harassment protections, gender pay gap, and menopause action plans will support women to stay employed, and why these changes should be embraced as milestones for progress.
• Practical Tools for Change: A roundup of Business in the Community’s gender equality tools & toolkits, including gender pay gap reporting and the equal parental leave calculator.

Our Speakers will discuss key future developments and the benefits that supporting women to thrive has brought to their workplaces. explore what organisations can do to prepare.

Please join us,  Shilpa Acharya, UK Inclusion Lead (Marsh), and Joanna Brewis, Professor of People and Organisations (Open University) for this enlightening event and contribute to a dynamic discussion on using gender equality to balance the scales.

Booking, contact details and further information

• Contact events@BITC.org.uk for any further questions.
• Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

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