International Women’s Day: reflecting on flexibility, leadership and lasting progress

By Leslie Edmonds, Chief Operating Officer, Asta

International Women’s Day is always a valuable moment to pause and reflect — not just on how far our industry has come, but on the practical steps still needed to ensure more women progress into senior leadership roles. Last week I had the opportunity to take part in an International Women’s Day panel discussion as part of the Dive In and ElevateHER initiatives. It was a thoughtful and engaging conversation with Katie Piper, Sunneth Lawrence, Sophie Hayes and colleagues from across the market about how organisations can continue building more inclusive workplaces and leadership teams.

One theme that came up during the discussion and in messages to me afterwards was the role flexible working plays in supporting long-term diversity in leadership.

Over the past few years, hybrid working has become far more widely accepted across our industry. For many people — particularly working parents — that shift has made a real difference in terms of how they balance professional and personal responsibilities. But there is also a growing debate about how those arrangements evolve as businesses settle into new ways of working. Several panellists reflected on the importance of ensuring the progress we have made in flexibility is not unintentionally lost. For me, the conversation ultimately comes back to the structures organisations put in place to support people at different stages of their careers.

If we genuinely want to see more women in senior positions, we need to focus on the practical factors that enable that. Promoting family-friendly policies is an important starting point, but it is equally important to encourage men within organisations to take the leave they are entitled to. When shared parental responsibilities become the norm, it helps create a more balanced and supportive environment for everyone.

Events like this are valuable because they create space for open discussion across the market. Sharing experiences and perspectives helps us better understand both the progress that has been made and the work that still lies ahead.

At Asta, building diverse teams and supporting people throughout their careers is something we take seriously. Conversations like the one we had during the panel reinforce how important it is to keep challenging ourselves — and our industry — to continue moving forward. International Women’s Day is an important moment for reflection, but meaningful progress comes from the actions we take throughout the year. Creating workplaces where talented people can grow and lead, whatever their circumstances, ultimately strengthens both our organisations and the wider market.