National Women’s Equality Day, held on August 26th every year, is a day of celebration and advocacy for women’s rights and equality in the United States. Companies are celebrating women’s equality day in a variety of creative ways. Here, to inspire you, we share 5 different ways companies of all sizes can get involved.
1. A simple thank you digitally and personally
Often left unsaid, we forget about the value of a simple thank you. This day is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the women on your team. Whether it’s a thank you card for your team, an email, or a coffee chat, it’s the thought and sincerity that counts. Remember to send a thank-you note on 8/26 for your women employees for their hard work and dedication.
2. Decorate the building and the office
The first step to any celebration is decoration! The decoration indicates you’re celebrating something special and important. Build up the excitement for the women at your workplace by starting to decorate the office and make them feel special! If done successfully, many pictures will be taken at the workplace and uploaded on social media. It can show the public how much effort and time the company took to make their female employees happy and special on the National Women’s Equality Day.
3. Host or encourage your employees to attend a speaker event
Listening to women who have traveled the path to share their experiences on careers and life can inspire and motivate people to take action. There are now many virtual events for National Women’s Equality on 8/26 featuring inspirational women speakers. For example, Toast to Tenacity is a free event both in-person and virtually to celebrate Women’s Equality Day 2021 with inspiring speakers and music.
Companies can also invite inspiring women speakers for National Women’s Equality to speak about their journey as a woman in business. If the company’s CEO is a woman, it’s also great to hear about the CEO’s values and challenges. This can inspire people and strengthen their will to work for the company.
4. Develop a mentorship program
In 2021, the number of women running Fortune 500 companies hit an all-time high, but the number is still low– at 23, just 4.6% of the total.
“You can’t be what you can’t see.”–Marian Wright Edelman.
One of the best ways to build sustainable female leadership is through having a woman mentorship. Developing a mentoring program can help guide the new hires at the company. Mentors share their experiences and skills, which makes adapting to the new environment faster. Moreover, matching the new hires with a mentor that holds a leadership position she sees herself in someday can build confidence and dedication to hard work.
5. Support women-owned businesses
The best way to support women is to buy or purchase services from women-owned businesses. When you purchase women-owned businesses, you are investing in women’s economic empowerment, gender parity in commerce, and the growth of the economy overall.
At Vacayz, our inspiring female CEO, Ally Wolodarsky founded a travel company that provides big corporate discounts for small businesses on flights and hotel stays. Ally supports small businesses by helping them save money on business travel. Check out Vacayz, the inspiring women-owned business, for your next trip.
