International Women’s Day – a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

At Talk Shop, it’s easy to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). We’re the largest independent PR firm west of Toronto; owned entirely by women and operated almost entirely by women. Here are three of our recommendations for how you can acknowledge this important day in a professional way, while also generating a lasting impact.

Use Your Voice

Publicly declare your support for International Women’s Day and the women that you’re celebrating. Share a post on social media, from your personal or corporate account, or send out a company-wide email encouraging your colleagues to recognize the day. Don’t forget to use this year’s official hashtags, #IWD2019 and #BalanceforBetter, to contribute to the conversation – and for men spearheading these efforts, consider passing it by a female coworker first to ensure that your message is being conveyed in the right way.

Discuss Gender Parity

“In yearly earnings, women working full time in Canada still earned 74 cents for every dollar that full-time male workers made.” Do more than simply glance across your boardroom table to see if your organization is at fault here. Champion the development of a team to audit the gender parity across your organization and determine pay equality across all functions. Only then should you develop a purposeful and proactive strategy to eliminate the pay gap, and effectively communicate that strategy. Be a leader in the fight for pay equality. After all, this year’s theme is #BalanceforBetter

Rally Through Donation

Choose an organization that is advocating for a women-centred cause, and then invest in it. Donate, with personal funds or through your organization, to help make March 8th more than just a discussion. Make your mark; make your own impact.

Not sure where to start? Here are some of Talk Shop Media’s favourites:

• Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland: An organization that matches girls in need with an inspiring “Big Sister” mentor to personally guide them through adolescence.

• Forum for Women Entrepreneurs: A community of female leaders and business owners offering mentorship, education, support and access for women in business in Canada.

• Girls Who Code: A non-profit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology by offering free training programs for young women.