International Women’s Day: Progress, Equality & The Power of Small Shifts

This week we celebrate International Women’s Day. At BMR Health and Wellbeing, we are a female-led business - not by design I may add, but by default (and Kirstine is camera shy hence why I can’t find a picture with her in it!). Over the years, we’ve built a company that champions workplace wellbeing, inclusion, fairness and each other, but as we reflect on International Women’s Day (IWD), we can’t help but ask…..

“How far have we really come?”

The Progress So Far – and the Long Road Ahead

Women have made significant strides in business and leadership, but the pace of progress still remains frustratingly slow. Here’s what the numbers tell us:

In 1970, women made up just 4% of senior leadership roles in the UK.

By 2023, that number had risen to 38% - progress, but still far from equal representation.

At the current rate of change, it will take another 132 years to close the global gender gap (World Economic Forum, 2023).

132 years? That’s longer than an entire lifetime - far too long to wait.

Why Accelerating Action Matters

Waiting for equality to happen naturally isn't enough. Every small shift in acceleration, whether in hiring practices, leadership opportunities, or closing the gender pay gap, can dramatically reduce that timeline.

If we could increase the rate of change by just 10% per year, we wouldn’t have to wait over a century. We could reach true gender equality in just one generation.

That’s why taking action today matters. It’s not about radical overhauls, but about consistent, intentional change:

✔ Normalising flexible working so women don’t have to choose between career and caregiving.
✔ Encouraging mentorship and sponsorship to bring more women into leadership roles.
✔ Addressing unconscious bias in hiring, promotions, and workplace culture.
✔ Embedding wellbeing strategies that support all employees, especially in areas like menopause, mental health, and neurodiversity, where women are disproportionately impacted.

What Can Businesses Do?

At BMR Health and Wellbeing, we work with organisations to create workplaces where everyone thrives—and that starts with recognising the barriers and taking practical steps to remove them.

From menopause awareness training to mental health support and inclusive leadership coaching, we help businesses move beyond the good intentions and into real action so this International Women’s Day, let’s not just celebrate progress—let’s accelerate it.

Want to know how your business can take the next step? Get in touch—we’d love to help.