#InspireInclusion - Supporting International Women’s Day 2024

International Women’s Day is a celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Each year, this day serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made towards gender equality and highlights the work that still needs to be done.

This year's campaign theme spotlights the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. #InspireInclusion encourages everyone to recognise the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life.

This year, we’ve been inspired by the Lean In Girls International Women’s Day campaign that showcases ways to #InspireInclusion by expanding our definition of leadership to help to challenge our thinking on what it means to lead. Lean In is an organisation that helps women achieve their ambitions and helps organisations build inclusive workplaces where everyone is supported and empowered.

For some people, when they think of a leader, they picture someone — often a man — who is competitive, vocal, and tells others what to do. But that image represents a narrow definition of leadership that isn’t always inclusive and makes it hard for a lot of women to be seen and to see themselves as leaders. It’s common, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to lead. In fact, there is no one way to lead, and this definition misses so much of what leadership is about. 

The truth is that everyone can be a leader. We can lead in big, bold ways and through the small actions we take every day. Leading could look like speaking up, working toward a shared goal, or respecting and including people around us. But it could also look like encouraging or inspiring others, or creating something new on our own or alongside a team.

Here’s five ways you can help to #InspireInclusion

• Get real about stereotypes - Talk to colleagues about the gender stereotypes that shape misconceptions about their capabilities is critical to ensuring they feel included in leadership. Start by calling out stereotypes like girls are too quiet to lead, or women are too emotional to be effective decision-makers. This can be followed by a conversation about who they view as a leader in their lives and why. Research finds that when we provide diverse examples of accomplished individuals who don't adhere to stereotypical, narrow perceptions of leadership, we can shift the thinking about gender roles in a positive way.
• Redefine leadership - Expand the language we use to describe leadership to support people, particularly women, to see themselves as leaders. Whether that be using more inclusive language to describe other women leaders at work, or more intentionally talking about the variety of ways we demonstrate leadership, we should all consider expanding our view of what an effective leader looks like. For example, spotlighting a leader for being compassionate or a good listener can serve as a model for women looking to see themselves as leaders. 
• Reframe how we speak about women who lead - Point out gender bias and reframe terms like ‘bossy’ to describe girls and women who like to take charge can help girls and women feel more confident when leading others. This could also look like switching the term ‘pushy’ to ‘determined,’ ‘conceited’ to ‘strong-willed,’ ‘loud,’ to ‘confident,’ or ‘quiet’ to ‘observant.’ Offer descriptors with a positive connotation can help women and girls shift their mindset around taking the lead. Additionally, call out bias in language can help them better identify and challenge sexism in their respective environments.  
• Role model inclusive leadership by advocating for others - Act as an advocate and ally for others to model a more inclusive form of leadership. When women role model behaviours like speaking up and championing other women, others are more likely to follow suit and develop the courage to do the same.
• Celebrate when girls lead - When we champion girls for taking the lead by starting a new club at school, speaking up for others, or standing up for what they believe in (even when it doesn’t go the way they hoped), we send the message that they are demonstrating valued leadership traits. This is important because when girls lead assertively, they can be told that they should dial it back. Taking the opposite approach and encouraging leadership helps build resilience to setbacks and develop the confidence we want to see in all future leaders.

Valuing our people

Supporting and valuing each other has a key role to play in creating a safe and inclusive place to work. Find out more about Our Values.