How To Celebrate Women's History Month: 14 Creative Ideas For Leaders
From spotlighting their achievements to investing in their long-term career growth, there are many ways to demonstrate a company's genuine commitment to uplifting women—not just in March but year-round. Below, 14 members of Forbes Coaches Council share some creative and impactful ways to celebrate and support women in the workplace, which in turn can help foster a culture where recognition and opportunity go hand in hand for every team member.
Women want what everyone wants—respect, recognition and opportunity. Use National Women's History Month to highlight contributions, past and present. Acknowledge impact with a team gathering for a coffee break or a full-day event. Recognize achievements big and small, reinforcing that every role matters. Most importantly, honor women with equal opportunities, fair pay and a culture of respect. - Barbara Zuleger, Performance Partners Coaching
Many DEI celebrations fall into brief acknowledgments without deep, personal engagement. A powerful approach is to host a 'Totality of Me' workshop. This exercise encourages employees to map and share their multifaceted identities—going beyond gender, background and roles. It fosters deeper connections and sees women as whole, unique people rather than as labels. - Dou Dou, Visions Alive
Leaders can celebrate Women's History Month by creating a library of recorded interviews highlighting the diverse career paths of influential women in their organization. This builds a permanent, growing resource that centers women's voices rather than making them passive recipients of recognition, provides mentorship opportunities, aids retention and demonstrates commitment beyond March. - Keirsten Greggs, TRAP Recruiter, LLC
In addition to highlighting female leadership within the company in March, consider activities and gatherings that celebrate women's contributions throughout the year. In science, there is even a term for erasing women's contribution: the Matilda Effect. Find opportunities to reverse the Matilda Effect by highlighting female leadership and ingenuity whenever possible. - Kelly Huang, Coach Kelly Huang
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
Organizations must celebrate Women's History Month this year because it demonstrates what they truly value versus what they value when it is convenient and comfortable. To celebrate, hold an event or create a media campaign where male leaders recognize their greatest female mentors. This will showcase the contributions of women and their impact while demonstrating support from their male colleagues. - Jill Helmer, Jill Helmer Consulting
Companies can celebrate women by recognizing their contributions in meaningful ways, starting with fair and equitable pay that reflects their talents and value. Beyond compensation, leaders can amplify women's voices by offering them key opportunities for leadership, mentorship and professional growth. Hosting storytelling sessions where women share their journeys, lessons and successes fosters inspiration and connection. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC
Create a 'Future Women Leaders Fund,' offering mentorship, executive coaching or professional development grants to high-potential women within the company. Instead of one-off appreciation posts, this initiative creates a lasting impact by directly investing in women's growth and leadership paths. Recognition matters, but opening doors and making opportunities tangible matters more. - Alla Adam, Adam Impact Institute
One suggestion is highlighting how women across all levels have contributed to achieving organizational goals and uplifting others. Invite presenters to share specific outcomes, such as improved team performance or mentorship successes, through short talks or visual displays. By spotlighting these efforts, leaders reinforce a culture of recognition and inspire continued growth in March and beyond. - Kerri Sutey, Sutey Coaching & Consulting LLC
Company leaders can go beyond symbolic gestures by amplifying women's voices—host a panel of female leaders, spotlight their contributions and commit to real mentorship and sponsorship opportunities. Do more than one of these throughout the month. Actions speak louder than words, and investing in women's growth strengthens innovation, engagement and equity—benefiting the entire organization. - Lynda Silsbee, Alliance for Leadership Acceleration
Create a large poster made up of headshots of women from across the organization. Post it during March. To obtain engagement, host a professional headshot day. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or too costly. Take pictures in iconic places within your worksites that make the women the stars in front of amazing backgrounds. This poster will enhance their visibility and confidence and become a keepsake. - Miriam Simon, Mi Sí Coaching and Consulting LLC
Speak to women's contributions every day, not just during the month of March. Give your female employees the opportunity to spotlight their contributions, passions and strengths as a means of sponsoring their work—create a stage for them to speak to their impact beyond Women's History Month. - Suzanne Weller, Weller Collaboration
Flip the script. Instead of just praising women, hand them the mic. Let women across all levels take over leadership meetings, company town halls or social channels for a day—sharing their insights, challenges and visions for the future. The real celebration isn't about words; it's about giving women the power to be heard, be seen and truly lead. Lengthen this period beyond the month, too! - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
Companies can celebrate women similarly to planning a birthday party for oneself—for a milestone you're truly dreading and knowing nobody is going to show up. If you want to honor and celebrate women, use AI to generate a list of conversation starters and learn how you can take the initiative to help! Be part of a solution and a bystander no more. Protect females from a scary world. These women are also fighting for your little girls. - Kinga Vajda, Execute Your Intentions, LLC
To demonstrate commitment to gender diversity and inclusion and create a more welcoming and supportive environment for women, create a 'Women in Leadership' spotlight series. Feature a different woman leader from a different level of the company each week. This provides visibility and recognition for women's contributions while showcasing their achievements and inspiring others. - Donna Grego-Heintz, UpWords
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