Accelerating Action: Our Commitment to Gender Equality Beyond International Women's Day

We are celebrating and recognising International Women’s Day 2025, which takes place on Saturday 8^th March.

This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’.

At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum.

Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality.

What are we doing throughout the year, not just as part of IWD?

As a business, we are working hard to take steps to reduce our gender pay gap and increase female representation across all areas. These steps include building equity, diversity and inclusion into everyday behaviours, culture and ways of working, and reviewing our recruitment and talent development processes to make sure they are free of discrimination and unconscious bias. We are committed to changing the game by making these actions a constant, not just a one-off effort.

Read our latest gender pay gap report with more information on action we are taking to close the gap here.

With national challenges in attracting female applicants for some roles, we are also involved in initiatives to promote STEM careers to young people, working closely with local schools and universities as part of a wider, education engagement strategy.

This year, to give young girls a ‘step up’ in those areas where female representation is typically lower, we are pleased to be partnering with a number of local schools to offer a work experience programme exclusively for girls. We hope this will inspire and motivate girls to consider a career in engineering or IT/digital, for example, and create a future pipeline of diverse talent.

More girls like maintenance engineering apprentice Holly, who we first welcomed to Gripple on work experience back in 2022. Read Holly’s story here.

Careers lead at Meadowhead School in Sheffield, Leighton Collins, said:

“The experience these girls will gain for their personal development and for their CV will be really valuable, as well as gaining an insight into an organisation the size of Gripple.”

If you are from an educational body interested in partnering with us on this work experience scheme either this year or in the future, please contact us at learn@gripple.com.