International Women’s Day 2026: Rights, justice, and action in the comms industry?

With each IWD comes plenty of carefully considered rhetoric on how far women have come in the comms industry… and just how much further we have to go for true equality.

But what is the raw truth of day-to-day working for women in PR in 2026? Does this year’s UN theme ‘Rights. Justice. Action.‘ mirror our experiences, or serve as a suitable rallying cry?

Not yet, and not completely, according to the women in comms we spoke to for this year’s piece. While organisational intentions might be good, and promises are made across the industry to be more inclusive, they still see plenty that needs fixing to create an equitable playing field…

‘The term “PR Girl” should be banned. It is offensive AF’ – Emma Macorison, Wanis International Foods.

How does this mix of well-meaning and minimising attitudes impact leading practitioners? And what structural issues are being dealt with across the board?

Below are takes from women PR professionals pushing for progress and pushing back on the blockers that still stand in the way.

Women need to be in the game

Amaya Alvarez, managing director, M+C Saatchi Talk

‘Progress is happening, but it needs to be sustained. There is more pay transparency, honest talks about menopause and maternal health, and flexible working embraced as a strategic advantage, not a perk. Hybrid models are helping women stay visible in senior PR roles, while juggling family life. Women are also stepping into more high-profile leadership positions.

‘A common theme I hear at industry mixers, events and in discussion with peers is the brutal impact the market is having on the incredible pool of female communications talent in the UK. More powerhouse leaders, founders and CEOs, who have shaped the culture of our industry, are finding themselves out of work than I have ever known. It’s scary, as is the capacity for future-proofing our careers beyond 50. The impact on women feels disproportionate and must be addressed urgently, because progress means little if women aren’t in the game.

‘We are storytellers. We shape narratives, reputations and public conversations. That gives us influence, and influence creates responsibility.

‘As leaders in communications, we have the power to amplify underrepresented voices, challenge biased narratives and ensure that campaigns reflect the diversity of the audiences we serve. Internally, it means interrogating our own structures – pay, promotion, parental policies, board composition – and making tangible changes.’

Still hunting for crumbs

Louise Vaughan, CEO and co-founder at Definition

‘Very little has changed where it counts. We’re still hunting for crumbs. What has shifted is the strength and sharpness of women’s voices in the industry. More are calling out the funding gap, the lack of real diversity, and the quiet loss of brilliant women because of menopause, caring and parental pressures. We’re less polite, less patient and far more united. The progress isn’t in the systems yet – but women are refusing to let these issues be brushed aside as “personal” problems anymore.

‘As a female CEO running an acquisitive agency, I’m painfully aware of the issues around funding inequality. The odds are still stacked in favour of male founders, and that shows up in who gets to buy, build and scale agencies in our sector. Access to capital shapes everything: growth, jobs, innovation, even who gets a proper career ladder. There is encouraging work from people like Debbie Wosskow and others who are banging the drum for female founders and putting pressure on investors to change their habits. But until investors back women with the same confidence, speed and cheque sizes they offer men, we’ll keep talking about “potential” instead of seeing the businesses we could be building.

‘Right now, it’s getting harder, not easier, for young women from LGBTQ+ communities, neurodiverse women, and those from lower-income backgrounds to even get a foot in the door of PR. Agencies are under cost pressure from NI rises, and many are quietly using AI to swallow up the kind of entry level work that used to give people their first break. That combination risks shutting out exactly the talent we want.’

Power houses of PR

Ellisha-Jade White, social media & PR manager at Twenty7tec

‘Every year IWD creates more traffic, more engagement and more conversation. PR historically was male focused with shows like Mad Men (still iconic) showing this, however there are absolute power house females running the show in much of social media and PR and this will only continue.

‘For me it’s less about measuring year-on-year progress but looking at the goals we are achieving. Are women more respected in the workplace? Are the ceilings for women being broken consistently?

‘Especially in a time across the world where it feels like we are losing the battle with our choices, it’s so important for women to create lasting legacies that expand beyond just ideas and move into action. PR and social media give us the tools to create change across the globe, we have to take the chance and create the justice ourselves. We’re strong by nature, but stronger in numbers.’

Making change with mentoring

Louise Stewart-Muir, joint-founder, Phoenix Comms

‘We’re seeing progress, even if slower than I’d like. According to the 2025 Global Women in PR Annual Index, male‑dominated boardrooms have dropped 10% in one year, and gender‑balanced boardrooms have risen to 29%. What I have noticed is that more women are openly supporting one another. There’s more mentoring happening, more women bringing others into rooms they weren’t previously invited into, and more conversations around how we work. I see it in the way early‑career women ask bold, smart questions about leadership and culture – questions I’d have not dared ask when I was their age.

‘However, women in PR are still experiencing inappropriate behaviour at work. I remember in a PR interview, albeit decades ago, being asked what my temperament was like when I had a period! Career breaks still penalise women, and many agencies still don’t have a structured return‑to‑work programme. While women dominate the PR workforce, senior roles are still disproportionately held by men. This has barely shifted, and many women feel the climb tough. Early‑career women can still struggle with confidence and access. That’s why I spend time supporting students and interns because navigating the leap from education to industry without a guide can be a hideous and scarring experience.

‘To me, this year’s UN theme is a reminder that equality isn’t just something we talk about on days like IWD. It’s something we practise through our behaviour, leadership – the way we show up for others.’

Uneven progress

Rita Martins, director at ZPB Associates

‘Over the past year, there has been tangible progress, even if it’s uneven. More women are stepping into senior roles and using their influence to build stronger peer networks (including communities like Women in PR), making it easier for others to see a pathway forward. That visibility matters: it helps raise ambition, standards, and confidence – especially for women from underrepresented backgrounds.

‘We’ve also seen technology start to work for women, not just around them. Used well, AI can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and create breathing space which is particularly valuable for those balancing demanding roles with responsibilities outside work.

‘Perhaps most importantly, the conversation in our industry is becoming more honest. Topics once whispered about; burnout, mental health, the emotional labour of crisis work, and women’s health, are being discussed more openly. That shift signals a gradual move towards a more supportive and sustainable culture.

‘But in periods of change, women can be sidelined: informal support networks weaken, decision-making tightens, and DE&I activity is too easily treated as “optional” rather than essential.

‘The return-to-office push is another pressure point. For many women, especially those managing caring responsibilities or long commutes, flexibility has been a career enabler. Rolling that back doesn’t just affect convenience; it affects progression, retention, and who can realistically take on stretch opportunities. Add to that a volatile, polarised media and political environment, where public-facing roles can come with higher scrutiny and lower tolerance and the pressure on women can be disproportionate, particularly when support isn’t equally shared.

‘For me, this year’s theme is a reminder that progress for women is never done – especially in comms, where politics, platforms and technology can shift the ground overnight. Rights means protecting the essentials: flexible ways of working, fair reward, and psychological safety to challenge, disagree and speak up – critical in a deadline-driven, high-scrutiny profession.

‘”For ALL” is a call to use our influence responsibly, so pathways, culture and leadership are built with women, not merely around them. Because if we don’t shape the future, we’ll be shaped by it.’

Not just a ‘nice to have’

Pamela Badham, founder and CEO of Four Marketing Agency

‘There’s still work to do, but the industry is finally realising that diverse leadership isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ – it drives better decisions and more creative outcomes.

‘Women still shoulder disproportionate unpaid care and mental load, fueling burnout in our high- pressure communications industry. Despite progress, pay and representation gaps persist at the executive level. We must accelerate women into decision-making roles. Having children does not diminish creativity, stamina, or the ability to deliver excellence for clients.

‘2026’s UK theme reminds us that equality requires consistent, measurable action, not just policies. Real progress stems from daily decisions by people at every level to reshape workplace culture. We must move beyond statements to deliver tangible change. Equality must be embedded in how we recruit and lead. When rights are matched with genuine action, progress becomes organic. Until then, we all lose out on the ideas and talent necessary for our collective success.’

Equalising the playing field

Lydia Hoye, founder and CEO of Bound to Prosper

‘One positive improvement is the consistent flexible working arrangements that agencies and brands are offering. Stopping a woman from working flexibly makes it look like you don’t value her or trust her performance – in 2026, I don’t know anyone who wants to work for a business like that.

‘Progress is happening, but it’s coming more from women setting out to change the industry than from the industry changing itself. Supporting women from a place of wanting to equalise the playing field seems to be lacking.

‘To me, this year’s UN theme means the right to have psychological safety and a proper sense of belonging. Women have battled this for eternity but it’s a basic need that results in more confidence, feeling respected and being valued.’

No more ‘one offs’

Claire Crompton, commercial director at TAL Agency

‘A lot can happen in a year, and I’ve already been seeing greater visibility of women in senior leadership roles across both agencies and in-house teams. And with that has come more opportunities for women in thought leadership and speaking slots.

‘Despite this, there still seems to be a persistent barrier around those very top decision-making roles at board level; women are still very much underrepresented at the very top of agencies and corporate comms teams.

‘Finally there’s the ever-present impact of imposter syndrome, and women’s drive to over-perform in order to be heard in male-dominated spaces.

‘Thankfully there are things that can help! We need to see more women stepping into structured mentorship roles – from other women – to pass on advice to the younger generations, as well as more investment in leadership development programs. But all that does nothing without actual plans – so we need clear career progression frameworks in place in order to reach board-level positions. Organisations also need to be embedding inclusive practices from the beginning rather than rolling out one-off initiatives with no real change.’

Growing networks

Charissa Redfern, founder of Rosefern Communications

‘We’ve seen a notable rise in the number of female-founded agencies being set up over the last 12 months. The power of that network continues to grow. It’s a palpable shift and one that I’ve really noticed since taking the leap to set up my own consultancy. The confidence to take control of your own destiny has been made possible by some fantastic campaigners such as Anna Whitehouse AKA Mother Pukka turning up the volume on the conversation around flexible working and the perception and real experiences of women in the workplace.

‘In B2B comms, delivering real impact means understanding the full commercial picture. Yet in many sectors, when you step beyond the marketing function into operational and board-level discussions, female voices are still underrepresented. That imbalance can subtly shape whose ideas are heard and whose expertise is assumed. The answer isn’t about women speaking louder. It’s about organisations recognising that communications is not a support function, it is a strategic one (we can thank the new PRCA definition for moving this conversation on!). Businesses benefit when comms leaders are embedded early in decision-making, when commercial literacy is expected and when influence is measured by insight.

‘As a mum raising a very determined three-year-old, this year’s UK IWD theme is both personal and urgent. I want her to grow up in a world where her opportunities aren’t shaped by her gender, where fairness isn’t something she has to fight for, but something she can expect. This campaign matters because progress doesn’t happen by default, but the conversation can’t be treated as cyclical or optional. The change we need shows up everywhere: pay, representation, safety and access to opportunity. These campaigns keep the pressure where it needs to be, on systems not individuals, because those systems are what shifts the status quo for the next generation.’