International Women’s Day 2026 marks 115 years of global action for gender equality, and this year’s theme, “Give To Gain,” is a brilliant reminder that progress isn’t about taking anything away. It’s about multiplying opportunity through generosity, visibility, trust and support.

At grenke UK, gender equality means creating a workplace where people of all genders feel respected, heard, supported, and able to grow. Without assumptions, without barriers, and without needing to “fit” a single version of leadership.

To mark IWD, we asked five women from across the business what “Give To Gain” means to them, and what we can all do, every day, to keep building a more equal workplace.

Giving time and trust… to gain confidence.

For Vicki Skipper, Internal Controls Systems Officer, “Give To Gain” is rooted in mentorship and practical support: “For me, ‘Give to Gain’ means giving my time, knowledge and support to mentor others to assist with personal or professional growth.”

Vicki highlights how being trusted to take ownership has a powerful knock-on effect, not just for individuals, but for whole teams: “By trusting me with responsibility and giving me ownership of my work, he’s helped me build both competence and confidence in my abilities.”

And when it comes to what she gives at grenke today, she keeps it simple and real: “I feel that my time is the most valuable resource that I can give to others in the workplace.”

Vicki also calls out one of the biggest ongoing barriers for many women — the work-life imbalance, and the importance of support strategies like flexibility and inclusive culture: “Women often manage significantly more hours on unpaid care and domestic duties, whilst balancing their professional demands. Support strategies… such as flexible working arrangements… return-to-work programmes… and focusing on cultural and structural changes to foster an inclusive environment.”

Giving knowledge… to gain stronger teams.

For Louise Smith, Regional Sales Manager (Scotland), “Give To Gain” starts with a mindset, and a line her six-year-old apparently delivers like a tiny philosopher: “To quote my six-year-old, ‘sharing is caring’. And honestly, he’s not wrong!”

Louise’s view of giving is about sharing knowledge openly, without ego: “No one should feel the need to gatekeep information. There’s more than enough room for everyone to succeed.”

She also shares a career-defining moment of support when she joined grenke without a finance background: “What made all the difference was William choosing to invest his time in me, that support gave me confidence when I needed it most.”

Louise speaks candidly about a barrier women still face in finance — being overlooked in the room even when they’ve led the work: “I would initiate the conversations, yet when we sat down face-to-face, the discussion would often be directed to my male colleague.”

Her call to action is practical, everyday allyship: “If you notice someone being interrupted, redirect the conversation back to them. Small moments of advocacy make a big difference.”

Giving belief and sponsorship… to gain voice and clarity.

In Central Back Office, Julia Leandro describes what she gives in one word: “I would say I give belief.”

She talks about making space for people to speak, especially in meetings and high-pressure moments, and making sure great work is seen: “I give space for people to speak… and I give visibility to work that deserves to be seen.”

Julia also captures something that resonates for many women: the ‘only’ experience — being the only woman in key meetings or leadership settings: “One barrier many women still face is the ‘only’ experience — being the only woman in the room.”

Her answer to that is intentional inclusion and sponsorship: “What we can give is intentional inclusion, real sponsorship. Speaking someone’s name in rooms they’re not in.”

And importantly, she highlights something grenke should be proud of: “Across our UK business women are strongly represented. That visibility really matters.”

Giving visibility… to gain confidence across the business

For Kristyna Duronova, Digital Marketing Lead, “Give To Gain” is about investment that creates impact: “It’s about unlocking potential. The return isn’t just personal growth, it’s better teams, stronger ideas and real progress.”

Kristyna describes being trusted with projects that felt “slightly bigger”, but with support that helped her grow into them: “I’ve been given ownership of projects that felt slightly bigger than me, but I’ve been trusted to lead, while also being backed when I needed guidance.”

She also calls out visibility as something that drives confidence and raises standards: “I often try to ensure others work and achievements are recognised across the business. Recognition drives confidence.”

And when asked what helps remove barriers more broadly, her answer is grounded and modern: “What we can all actively give is flexibility, fair opportunity and trust.”

Giving honesty… to gain trust and stronger relationships

For Nicola Denyer, Administration Officer, giving is about straight-talking support with care: “I think one of the things I actively give is my honest feedback. Don’t beat around the bush! Say what you mean in a productive way.”

Nicola says she gained confidence she didn’t expect through helping others: “By helping others, I didn’t expect to gain as much confidence as I have. This has enabled me to create stronger relationships.”

She also tackles a barrier many women recognise immediately — unconscious bias toward assertive women: “People don’t like women being assertive or having an opinion... everyone has the right to an opinion.”

Her solution is simple and effective: “People need to take their time and listen to what other people have to say…”

So… what will we Give To Gain?

The strongest thread across all five perspectives is that gender equality isn’t driven only by policies. It’s driven by everyday behaviours:

• giving time
• giving trust
• giving visibility
• giving belief
• giving sponsorship
• giving flexibility
• giving people space to speak
• giving credit where it’s due

Or, as Louise puts it perfectly: “Gender equality isn’t just driven by policies, it’s driven by everyday behaviours.”

This International Women’s Day, let’s keep it practical. Let’s keep it human. Let’s make “Give To Gain” something we do every day, not just in March.

Because when we give, we gain.

And when women thrive, we all rise.