Celebrating Women in Business on International Women’s Day 2026

International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate the achievements of women, reflect on the progress made, and recognise the challenges that still persist - particularly for women who face compounded barriers due to race, disability, and socioeconomic background.

Below is a snapshot of the current landscape for women in business and leadership, alongside organisations working to create meaningful change.

Access to Funding

Women‑led businesses continue to face significant funding disparities. Venture capital remains heavily skewed:

• Only 2% of European equity investments went to all‑women founding teams (OECD/GWEP, 2025).

• Women who do secure investment typically receive around 70% of what men receive, face higher interest rates, and must put up more collateral (OECD/GWEP, 2025).

For women from marginalised backgrounds, these barriers are even more pronounced.

Outperformance

Despite these hurdles, women‑led companies consistently shine:

• 10% higher revenues (Cohen, 2025)

• 34–64% higher ROI (Cohen, 2025)

This makes the underfunding of women not only inequitable - but economically irrational.

The Glass Cliff

Women are disproportionately promoted into leadership roles during periods of crisis - a phenomenon known as the “glass cliff.”

Research shows:

• Minority women experience a double cliff (Ellis, 2023).

• BAME women are often assigned unsustainable workloads (Farmer, 2021).

• Their qualifications are more frequently questioned compared to peers (Lean In, 2023).

The Gender Pay Gap

Although the UK gender pay gap is narrowing, it remains significant:

• 12.8% median gap across all employee types in 2025 (down slightly from 13.1% in 2024).

• The gap widens with age - influenced by the impact of motherhood (ONS, 2025) and menopause (Health at Work Centre, 2024).

Future Focus

Representation has improved, with women now holding nearly 45% of FTSE 100 board seats (The Guardian, 2025). However:

• Fewer than 10 women CEOs exist in the FTSE 100 (2024).

• Women with intersectional identities remain significantly underrepresented.

Progress is real - but incomplete. Continued mentorship, equitable funding, inclusive policies, and cultural change remain essential.

Organisations Championing Diversity

The following are some organisations working to address the issues:

Funding

ImpactX — Investing in transformative tech and creative media led by underrepresented founders.
https://impactxcapital.com/

Diversity VC — Shaping a fairer, more inclusive venture ecosystem.
https://diversity.vc/

Campaigns

30% Club — Driving gender diversity at board and executive levels globally.
https://30percentclub.org/

Buy Women Built — Empowering consumers to fuel women‑led brands.
https://www.buywomenbuilt.com/

Recruitment

Tribepad — Tackling bias in recruitment through innovative HR tech.
https://tribepad.com/

Design

Nexer Digital — Human‑centred design focused on accessibility and social impact.
https://www.nexerdigital.com/

Fashion

Kai Collective — A fashion brand championing expression and visibility for women from all backgrounds.
https://kaicollective.com/

References

Cohen, H. (2025). Women in Business Statistics. Training Solutions HLC.
Ellis, N. T. (2023). CNN.
Farmer, J. R. (2021). First & Only.
Health at Work Centre. (2024).
Lean In. (2023). The State of Black Women in Corporate America.
OECD/GWEP. (2025).
ONS. (2025). Gender Pay Gap in the UK.
TechNational. (2025).
The Guardian. (2025).