8 March, International Women's Rights Day, is much more than a symbolic date. In companies, it is above all an opportunity to take action in favour of gender equality and to tackle specific issues: pay gaps, access to responsibilities, sexism and even situations of violence.
Rather than being limited to a simple institutional message, this day can become a real time for collective mobilisation. Workshops, conferences, participative formats... Here is our selection of ideas for actions to be carried out at work on 8 March.
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Why promote 8 March in the workplace?
Raising awareness of gender equality in the workplace
Unequal pay, unequal access to positions of responsibility, gender bias and sexism are all part of everyday life for many women in the workplace. These situations are not just isolated cases, but structural mechanisms that deserve to be identified and discussed collectively.
The workplace is one of the main places where these imbalances are created... but also where they can be corrected. It is in the workplace that decisions are made about pay, promotion, access to training and the allocation of responsibilities.
Impact on the employer brand and employee commitment
From an HR perspective, the benefits are tangible. A working environment that is perceived as fairer encourages commitment and reduces attrition. Both male and female employees feel more valued when the company takes action to improve working conditions.
This commitment is a natural part of our approach to CSR, quality of life at work (QWL) and an inclusive corporate culture. Professional equality, the prevention of sexist behaviour and the promotion of gender diversity are now key indicators of corporate social responsibility.
To be credible, this mobilisation cannot remain at the stage of intentions. 8 March must become a springboard for concrete action, with measurable forms of CSR team building adapted to the reality of the company.
Organising 8 March in the workplace: ideas and best practice
Workshops and conferences on gender equality
To give meaning to 8 March in companies, the formats chosen must allow for discussion and action, without lapsing into abstract or moralising discourse. You could organise :
- A workshop on unconscious bias, based on common work situations (recruitment, speaking at meetings, annual appraisals, etc.).
- A workshop on equal pay, with a real educational analysis of development criteria and the levers for action at company level.
- A conference led by a professional equality expert, focusing on collaborative leadership and current issues in the world of work: careers, part-time working, etc.
- An internal round table, bringing together managers and employees, to discuss areas for improvement, based on real-life situations.
- Quizzes, guided debates and collaborative frescoes to encourage people to get involved and speak out.
The "Diversity and Inclusion" Team Buzzer offers a collaborative and engaging quiz format. Teams answer questions relating to gender equality, stereotypes or work situations, encouraging learning through exchange rather than top-down discourse.
Whatever format is chosen, the choice of speakers is crucial. The quality of the discussions depends on their legitimacy and their ability to adapt their discourse to the company context.
Internal and external communication initiatives
The success of an action carried out on 8 March in a company also depends on the way in which it is explained and shared. Communication should not take the place of action, but should accompany it and enable teams to plan ahead.
- An introductory message sent out by email or on the intranet sets the scene: reminding people of the significance of International Women's Rights Day and explaining the objectives of the actions planned. Shorter reminders via collaborative tools such as Slack can then facilitate participation.
- In external communication, the logic is different. It's less about asserting a commitment and more about making concrete actions visible. Relaying a workshop, a conference or a participative format on social networks or the company's website helps to show what has really been put in place
Immersive systems such as the Fresque de l'Equité, which is based on collective discussion and reflection, lend themselves particularly well to this type of factual and educational communication. Whatever the target, the best editorial practices remain the same: a calm tone, precise messages and consistency between what is communicated and what is actually experienced in-house.
Legal obligations and reference framework for 8 March at work
What does the law say about professional equality?
In France, professional equality between women and men is a legal obligation enshrined in the Labour Code. Employers must guarantee equal treatment in terms of pay, access to employment, training and career development.
Since 2019, companies with at least 50 employees have also been required to calculate and publish their Gender Equality Index every year. This indicator measures, among other things, pay and career progression gaps. If the score is too low, the company is required to take corrective action, or face financial penalties.
Making 8 March a sustainable and credible event
Finally, 8 March must be part of a broader approach. The actions taken can feed into HR policy, CSR strategy or management training programmes, particularly on bias and professional equality. The challenge is to make 8 March a key event in the service of a corporate culture that involves all teams, regardless of gender.
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Frequently asked questions about 8 March in the workplace
How can I get men involved in 8 March?
You can involve men by including them in mixed workshops, participative formats, exchanges on work practices and managerial decisions. Equality in the workplace has to be built collectively, not through actions targeting a single audience.
What mistakes should be avoided to prevent pinkwashing?
Limiting 8 March to symbolic communication without concrete action, using generic messages or messages disconnected from real work, and not ensuring continuity after the day. If there is no consistency between what is said, what is done and what is done in-house, the approach loses all credibility.
