Every year, 8 March, people worldwide celebrate International Women's Day (IWD). It's a great time to reflect on the progress society has made with gender equality, celebrates women's achievements, encourage inclusion, and recognise the work that is still left to be done.
It is a reminder to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
But first, how did it all begin...
International Women’s Day did not begin as a marketing moment. It began as a shared act of conviction.
In 1910, at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, a woman named Clara Zetkin, Leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, proposed that every country should hold an annual Women’s Day on the same day, to press demands for women’s rights. Over 100 women from 17 countries unanimously agreed, and the idea of IWD was born.
The following year, IWD was honoured for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland on 19 March, with over a million women and men attending rallies calling for the right to work, vote, be trained, hold public office, and end discrimination.
Those early milestones matter because they remind us that progress has always required people to give (their voices, their energy, their safety, their time) for gains that would benefit others and reshape society.
This year, the theme for UN International Women's Day (IWD) 2026 is Give to Gain. Give To Gain emphasises the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organisations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it's intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.
The theme for this year resonates deeply with our values as we strive to create a workplace where every woman and every employee can succeed without limitations. At Signify, we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive, and International Women’s Day reminds us of the power of unity and inclusion.
Talking about inclusion and equal opportunities for all can encourage a workplace that encourages women to get involved in areas and industries that are largely made up of men. Take, for instance, the lighting industry in the UK. If we look back a few years, this was a male-dominated industry. Gladly, things have changed over the years with the development of roles and opportunities. We now see more females across levels in the industry – electricians, installers or leadership positions.
Another great example is an aim we set for ourselves at Signify where we aim to have more women in leadership roles. In 2025, we saw 27% women in leadership roles. When we set this goal in 2019, women held 17% of leadership roles at Signify. This screams of meaningful structural progress, and we are sure more women will lead the company’s functions in the future.
Maurice Loosschilder
Global Head of Sustainability, Signify
In the UK, it heartens me to see examples of women who have enjoyed an exemplary length of service at Signify. Take for example, Carella Bewley-Jones, who is part of the Lighting application specialists’ team and is almost going to complete 39 years ok working at Signify.
When I asked her about her journey so far, she said
Carella Bewley-Jones
IWD is a movement. This special day of impact belongs to all groups, everywhere. That's what makes IWD so inclusive, not exclusive. IWD remains an important opportunity for all groups to elevate and amplify the focus on gender equality.
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2022, we had sales of EUR 7.5 billion, approximately 35,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for six consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
